The Healing Sound of Music Incredible Benefits of MusicGuest article by Kate Mucci
A tiny infant lies in a neonatal ward. The heat of an incubator replaces the warmth of her mother's arms; tubes filled with nutrients replace her mother's milk. Every breath is a struggle. Her underdeveloped heart beats erratically. All around her are other infants in distress - the monitors attached to them bleep in time with their struggle to live. Fear is on the faces of anxious parents hovering as close as possible. Nurses scurry to and fro, dealing with crises every moment.
The peace and tranquility of their mother's wombs is replaced with the whoosh and hiss of respirators, bleeping monitors, parents crying, nurses giving and receiving instructions. Even though these infants are not fully conscious of their surroundings, these sounds affect their ability to relax and sleep. And sleep is essential to helping them gain strength and live.
In the midst of this, a harpist enters the ward. She begins to softly play an ancient lullaby. After a few moments, the monitors steady. Nearly all of the infants breathe more easily; their heartrates steady, and they rest. Many of them fall into deep sleep - the first they have had since the harpist last was here.
The nurses relax, and smiles of relief grace the faces of the parents when they see the tiny souls absorbing the healing power of this beautiful music.
A group of Alzheimers patients are gathered in the assembly room of a nursing home. One tiny, frail woman sits off to the side in her wheelchair. Her eyes are vacant - her mind somewhere far from her body and the room in which it rests.
The activities director introduces a young couple. He carries a guitar, and walks with his wife to the piano. The young woman sits down, and plays a few notes. Most of the residents have not even looked up - they don't hear most of what anyone says - or if they do, they cannot, or will not, respond. But the two volunteers are unconcerned; they smile at each other and the seniors, and they begin to play and sing. A rousing rendition of "Oh, Susannah" has several of the residents looking up - flickers of recognition cross their faces. A few choruses of "How Great Thou Art" inspires many of them to stand and walk or wheel their chairs toward the piano. Soon several are singing along to "Amazing Grace". A few country and western tunes bring several more residents into the present, and "In the Mood" has nearly everyone dancing along. Everyone, that is, except the frail, tiny woman in the wheelchair in the corner.
The guitarist is concerned, and calls over a nurse who tells him that the little woman is German, and doesn't know most American songs. She has also reverted back to speaking German - unable to converse any longer in English, for she cannot remember the words.
The young man smiles and signals to his wife. The next tune is the "Blue Danube." He watches closely, and sees that the frail old woman's eyes begin to focus. She watches as several of the residents begin to waltz together - wheelchairs and all. When "The Beer Barrel Polka" starts, this tiny woman, who hasn't smiled or connected in any way with anyone for months, wheels her chair toward the piano. Singing all the way. The other residents clap, and sing along with her, all of them excited to recognize her and each other. The party continues for an hour, when the young couple must go to their day jobs.
When the music stops, it isn't long before most of the residents retreat back into their selves. But the frail little lady continues to hum - she's remembered a tune on her own now, and hums the melody to "Liebestraum" until she, too, fades back into her own world. It was only for a short while, but the music gave these lonely patients a few moments of connection, happiness, and memory.
Everyone from tiny infants to octogenarians experience little miracles like this every day. Some are healed, some are given a few moments of relief from pain, still others are comforted in their passage to the beyond. It is the power of music which makes these little miracles possible.
Unfortunately, much of the western medical establishment refuses to acknowledge the incredible benefits of music. It is employed regularly in only about fifteen percent of American hospitals, and is not covered by insurance. Despite the overwhelming amount of anecdotal evidence that music heals, the medical establishment will argue that there is no "proof" of the efficacy of music - nothing which meets the rigorous requirements of the scientific method.
But healing isn't about science. Healing is about people. And real people are experiencing very real results from the healing power of music, often through the efforts of volunteers, in hospices, senior centers, and in cancer and children's wards. Stress is the number one indicator of the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke. More than diet, more than family history, more than weight.
Music Offers Relief From Stress
Stress kills. Music offers us relief from stress in many ways. It helps us to open ourselves emotionally and let loose with feelings that may be causing disease. It inspires us to examine ourselves, our lives and our relationships. Through our mind and emotion, music can reduce stress.
Music also has measurable physical effects on the body. Certain kinds of music actually lower blood pressure and heartrate, regulate breathing and lower cholesterol. For individuals with hypertension and related conditions, music can be much more powerful (and safer) than many prescription drugs.
Our immune systems are being challenged every moment. Stress, pollution in the air, our water, our food; new strains of antibiotic-resistent bacteria; they all take a toll on our body's ability to fight disease. Despite the millions of dollars being spent on research, cancer is rampant today. Tuberculosis is actually becoming a problem again, and countless viruses are attacking from all directions. What can we do to reverse the ravages of a weakened immune system? Listen to and make music. Research has shown that alkaline music (such as soothing classical, East Indian, harp music and chant) actually increases the body's ability to ward off disease.
People undergoing surgery require less anaesthesia, awaken from anaesthesia more quickly and with less side effects, and heal more rapidly when healing music is played before, during and after the surgical procedure. Patients recovering from heart attacks and strokes respond much more quickly to treatment when soothing music is played in their rooms.
Many studies have shown the incredible effects that music has on chronic pain. People suffering from back pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and pain from injuries; all benefit from using music. Physical therapy is much more effective when combined with music. And burn victims experience much less pain when music they choose and enjoy is employed during their treatments.
Individuals suffering from depression need less medication and have more success in psychotherapy when music is added to their course of treatment. Grief, loneliness, even anger; are all managed much better when appropriate music is added to therapy. Autistic children and children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder all react positively to music therapy. Kids with learning disabilities show remarkable improvement in mathematics, reading and reasoning skills when they are exposed to appropriate music. The results are magnified many times when these same children have an opportunity to make music.
That's true of anyone suffering from nearly any malady. Making music - the act of creating melodious sound - is an incredibly powerful healing tool. Physical, mental and emotional challenges are met so much more easily when one can make music! It doesn't have to be performance quality - it just has to be from the heart. Singing, humming, toning, whistling, beating a drum, playing a flute or harp or guitar or piano - anything. When music is made out of love, incredible healing occurs.
On the other hand, music that is negative, or filled with hate or fear, can be emotionally and physically damaging. It inspires more fear, and from fear comes imbalance and disease. And just as the sound of a jackhammer sets up painful vibrations in our ears, music with discordant frequencies or hateful lyrics sets up dissonant vibrations in our bodies and souls. We must be conscious of the negative effects of raucous sounds and negative music, and counteract them with positive music created out of love.
The health of the physical body is inextricably tied to our emotional, mental and spiritual health. Music is a powerful catalyst for healing because it touches the very core of humanity... our souls. With music, we can remember our connection to the Creator and the powerful Healer within. We can take control of our health and our lives as we enjoy The Healing Sound of Music.
About Kate Mucci: Therapeutic musician, harpist, and author. She and her husband, Richard, have written the book, and recorded the CD in "The Healing Sound of Music", published by Findhorn Press, 2000...
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