Table of content
Introduction
My inclination towards music began at the age of 4. Slowly that inclination opened the doors of learning to play musical instruments.
At the age of 4 for the first time I saw an acoustic piano at school during the music period. I was fascinated with the way my music teacher played the piano with both hands. I would try my best to sit in the first row and be closest to the piano as I was mesmerised by the sound and the way my teacher played it. This gave me goosebumps and my inclination towards music was strengthened.
When I turned 6, during diwali my grandmother had shown me a 30 year old harmonium which was in the attic. This was the first time I got the chance to play an instrument. She showed me how the harmonium works and I was amazed by touching the instrument and playing it as it was my first time touching and playing an instrument.
I would spend 2 hours daily trying to figure out how to play it. The sound of this instrument would fill me with excitement and finally one day I shared with my parents that I wanted to learn to play the harmonium and in a few weeks I was enrolled for classes.
By the time I turned 10, I had learned to play a few ragas on the harmonium and had also learned to play the brass flute. Yet I did not find my perfect instrument. Coincidentally, I was sharing with my grandfather about how I was mesmerised with piano and want to learn piano. He did not know exactly the difference between keyboard and piano and that very night he purchased a small keyboard for me.
I played the keyboard for a few hours daily and it felt like I was playing a piano. I saw a banner outside my house for keyboard classes and requested my parents to enrol me for keyboard classes which was just down the road. This began my learning journey to play keyboard. It was very interesting to see that I had to use both hands to play the keyboard.
Daily exercises were given to train all 10 fingers of both hands. It was so fascinating for me when I was playing the keyboard as it sounded just like the acoustic piano in school. My initial connection with the sound of the piano was reignited more intensely and I dived deeper into learning keyboard. Many years later I pursued to learn piano as well.
Learning to play the keyboard started changing the course of my life. It began the journey of life transformation. Unknowingly I was using the keyboard as a therapeutic tool. At that time I did not know about music therapy. When I was very happy, I would play the keyboard and feel ecstatic. When I was sad or feeling negative emotions, I would play the keyboard to uplift myself. I was feeling that it's unlocking the healing power of music.
By the time I was 14 years old, I soon realised that listening to musical notes and playing a musical instrument was giving me new energy to go on with life and the challenges I was facing with ease. My mental and emotional wellbeing was being taken care of by music.
This is what I want to share with you through this blog. How music started transforming my life and how music therapy is changing lives.
Listening Affirmations
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The Power of Music
Music has played a powerful role in the evolution of humanity. Melody, harmony, ragas, notations the more we go deeper we unlock this mystical gift the universe has given to humanity.
From individual soul quest to bringing two souls together, from education to entertainment, east to west - south to north, music has its own charm and history. It is a powerful tool to build social bonding and is used in every social event. If we go a step lower from evolution, it can be said that all humans are musical beings. Our heart beat has a particular rhythm to it.
When we are peaceful or feeling positive emotions, our heartbeat is steady. When we are afraid or feeling negative emotions, our heart beats faster. Same with our breath and to an extent all the bodily functions. Music is the very basis of our life. Observe nature and you will understand that it is musical.
The power of music cannot be overstated. It has been known to affect our emotions and even physical health in ways that are still being studied to this day. When we are in a difficult situation or are going through some problem or disease, then we feel that our alignment is shaken. There is a disturbance in the rhythm of our life. Music is the most powerful tool to bring back our alignment so that our life is back to its rhythm.
Another reason why music is so effective is because it engages multiple areas of the brain at once. When we listen to or play music, our brain lights up in different areas that are responsible for processing emotion, movement, memory, and language.
What is Music Therapy?
My mentor whom I call Light says that, “Specific music is created for the purpose of creating a healing effect. That music is heard again and again for a prolonged period, depending on what issue/disease one needs to heal, is called music therapy.”
When I heard this I was so surprised that this definition is not even close to all the music therapy definitions that I have come across on the internet. Not even information on music therapy given in wikipedia is anywhere close to this deeper understanding of what music therapy is.
The most effective music is the one which is created for therapeutic purposes. I personally do not label music that is created for entertainment purposes into the music therapy category.
When it comes to music for therapy, it has been found to have a number of benefits for those who are struggling with mental health, physical health or emotional health issues. As we are musical beings, music aligns us back to our natural rhythm which helps to overcome and move smoothly through life situations, problems or diseases.
Music therapy uses music in both ways artistically and scientifically to help improve physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing which means enhancing our overall wellbeing. Music therapists use a variety of techniques, including listening to music, playing instruments, singing, and composing. Music therapy can be used alongside other forms of therapy to enhance their effectiveness and is also supplementary and complementary to medication.
Many people think of music therapy as something which is only for children or those with disabilities. However, it can be helpful for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. It's been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders, depression, trauma-related disorders like PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia or arthritis, neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease etc.
During the research and development phase when Team Yaha under the guidance of Team from Sri Rupaji Anant Charitable Trust (SRACT), Mumbai was working on Music Therapy Webapp it was also discovered that more than 1,00,000 patients from various diseases were treated with music therapy at the Trust with 80% of the positive result.
The music that was created to treat these patients is compiled in Music Therapy Webapp which covers 51 types of physical diseases, mental diseases and emotional diseases.
When I started learning about music therapy with Team Yaha I realised that it's not about using any music for therapy. It's about creating specific music with specific processes, instruments and frequencies that will work as a therapy. This is how music therapy is different from entertainment music.
Benefits of Music Therapy
Music therapy as being complementary and supplementary to medicine has been gaining popularity in recent years. However, music therapy was one of the sources of healing in the ancient era. As you are aware by now, music therapy improves overall wellbeing, helps in treating a wide range of conditions/diseases and overcoming life situations with ease.
One of the key benefits of music therapy is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety levels very quickly and effectively. Team Yaha during the R&D with Team SRACT observed the reduction of stress and anxiety in less than 180 seconds with Music Therapy Webapp.
Many researches across the globe have shown that listening to calming music can lower cortisol levels in the body which is responsible for stress. This helps individuals feel more relaxed and less anxious which can have positive effects on overall health. Additionally, music therapy has been found to promote feelings of happiness and positivity by releasing endorphins in the brain.
Another benefit of music therapy is its ability to improve cognitive function in individuals with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease or stroke survivors.
Here are some more powerful benefits of regularly using Music Therapy Webapp:
One feels rejuvenated.
Overall Mood gets positively elevated.
Brain cells get charged with vital sound energy which brings freshness.
Brings ease at mental and emotional level.
Get rid of negative emotions and thoughts.
Increase serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphin levels.
Activates a feel-good factor and nourishes overall wellbeing.
Influences positively on the subconscious mind and breaks negative patterns.
Listening music therapy
Download - Self Esteem Music Therapy
Download - Persistence Music Therapy
Download - Overcome Fear Music Therapy
Applications of Music Therapy
The effective use of music therapy can be done in the healing process of any physical disease, mental diseases or emotional disease. The optimisation of results happens when music therapy is repeated and used for prolonged time.
Let me share my own work that I have started in 2018 with Team Yaha during the R&D of Music Therapy Webapp. For this webapp, our research started many years ago. To create music therapy tracks for different diseases, we used not just Indian but also foreign instruments.
We recorded the music with live instruments and also using digital instruments. Extensive research was conducted to understand and test which frequencies will work for which diseases and we have mostly used 432 Hz and 528 Hz healing frequencies for our physical, mental and emotional diseases covered in the music therapy webapp.
The sounds we have used are very natural sounds with which healing happens faster because the particular sounds used increases the receptivity of the healing receptor cells within the body.
Even doctors suggest patients who are ill to go to hill stations and be in nature where there is less industrial noise of vehicles, machines, construction etc. Medicines play a role to an extent to suppress or control pain levels but pain cannot be transmuted with medicines. On the complementary side, music and sound plays that role in transmutation of pain.
During ancient times, in India we used healing ragas as those specific notations used at specific times helped in healing diseases. Healing through music has been prevalent since the Vedic era. In Rig Veda, you will find traces of music and sound being used as a medicine. Upanishads like Chandogya Upanishad were written in a specific rhythmic metre. When sound is recited like that in that metre, it has a therapeutic impact.
Contemporary science is now proving the impact of music therapy on various diseases. Cymatics science experiments have shown us how music can impact elements like fire, water, air etc. Specific frequencies and sounds have an impact on these elements and our body is made up of these elements.
We get disease when we are not in wellbeing, i.e., some element of our wellbeing is not in alignment. Music has the potential to bring us back to wellbeing by taking care of physical, mental and emotional health. Our music therapy webapp covers 51 types of physical, mental and emotional diseases. It also serves as a first aid kit for mental health and emotional health issues.
Just like we have a physical first aid kit with band aid, antiseptic etc, in the same way when we suddenly get fear or anxiety or any other issue, this music therapy webapp becomes a first aid kit. In the webapp you can select which issue is affecting you and listen to the music therapy.
Having issue since | Use music therapy | Repeat music therapy |
|---|---|---|
Less than 1 year | 90 days | 1 time daily |
1-4 years | 6 months | 2 times daily |
5-9 years | 12 months | 3 times daily |
10+ years | 18-24 months | 4 times daily |
Success Stories
During my journey to understand music therapy I still remember Team Yaha visiting various hospitals and clinics to provide music therapy to patients. More than 1,00,000 patients have been treated with this music therapy. I am sharing a few success stories with you here so you understand the impact of this music therapy.
Success story #1
There was a patient on dialysis. He was around 48 years old. He was very much afraid even to enter for dialysis. He had multiple issues at physical level - blood pressure, diabetes etc. However, one of the Yaha team members went near him.
He was in pain and fearful. He was not ready to talk at all. Yaha member showed him the mobile and shared music therapy. Then inserted earphones in his ears and pressed the play button. In less than 60 seconds he closed his eyes. He felt so relaxed.
Entire two and half hours of dialysis was done. When he opened his eyes he had tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. He said, “I never felt so relaxed in my entire life. Thank you for this powerful music. I don't know even if I will give you some money it won't be justice at all because this is a priceless music therapy that you have given to me.”
Doctor said, “This is a boon for us that patients feel relaxed even before starting dialysis. We must give this to all our patients before they start their dialysis.”
Success story #2
Another patient was suffering from a fear since childhood. She was 26 at that time and was doing a job. She was not able to close her eyes at all because of fear of darkness She found it very difficult to sleep at night and would switch on lights while sleeping. Since childhood she and her family have tried various medications and treatments to solve this issue but nothing was effective and due to medications she gained a lot of weight.
Finally she came across music therapy and decided to give it a shot. After listening to music therapy daily for 9 days, she was seeing progress. She was able to close the lights at night and sleep. She was also able to close her eyes during the day without feeling very frightened. She then decided to continue until this issue was not completely resolved.
After 1 month, her parents shared about how much struggle they have gone through for so many years to resolve this issue and finally realised that fear cannot be overcome by taking medicines. When they had almost given up hope of treating this, music therapy came as a miracle in their daughter’s life and this therapeutic music has healed her.
Success story #3
This is a case where music therapy helped a patient struggling from alcohol addiction. He was 36 years old and was facing a conflict in his marriage due to his alcohol addiction. He went to a rehabilitation centre but it did not help him. His wife then left him and this led to an increase in his alcohol intake.
He finally made a firm decision to overcome alcohol addiction. He was willing to try music therapy. He listened to music therapy for alcohol addiction for 13 days daily. His alcohol intake was reduced by 50% in these 13 days. He continued to do music therapy for 6 more months.
After 6 months he came back to us and shared that he recovered from alcohol addiction. Within 4 months he reconnected with his wife and they started living together again. His wife was crying and said that she was very grateful for our music therapy.
She had left hope and was not sure if he would even live because of his severe alcohol addiction. She said that in the last 2 months she has been observing him that he is listening to music therapy daily without fail and confirmed that he is completely out of alcohol addiction.
I can go on and on with thousands of such stories that I have witnessed during my R&D journey with Team Yaha and SRACT.
Challenges and Limitations
The current challenge faced by the world is the lack of music therapists. It is not easy to become a music therapist as it takes a lot of years of practice to become physically, mentally and emotionally aligned.
When one is able to align oneself, one also needs to learn to maintain one’s own wellbeing. Developing expertise in music therapy requires a high level of self discipline, humbleness and sincerity. Hence there is a difference between a music artist and a music therapist.
The second challenge and limitation is that one on one music therapy requires multiple sessions which is a lengthy and time consuming process as the world is facing a shortage of music therapists.
Looking at these two major challenges and limitations, Team Yaha designed the webapp as a solution. Currently we have covered 51 physical, mental and emotional diseases. Due to lack of music therapists, at least patients can receive this self-help music therapy which becomes an easier and cost-effective solution as it is a first-aid kit for physical, mental and emotional diseases.
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Conclusion: The Future of Music Therapy
Music therapy, if used diligently, drastically improves not only your physical health, mental health and emotional health but also the quality of life. You may have a first aid kit for your physical health, however for mental and emotional health, having such a first aid kit is essential in today’s stressful time. Usually most of us are highly focussed on taking care of our physical health and neglect taking care of mental and emotional health.
Music therapy is also like your mental and emotional immunity builder. You become mentally and emotionally safe from negative thoughts and emotions by inducing positivity into you. For this one must listen to music therapy on a daily basis.
Music therapy works as supplementary and complementary to medication. With any physical diseases one can use music therapy to come out of disease faster and avoid relapse. Use the music therapy webapp for at least 30 days daily to see definite results.
After reading this blog on Unlocking the Healing Power of Music: How Music Therapy is Changing Lives if you have any questions related to music therapy feel free to comment below.
My wellbeing prayers for you.