Music is good for health

Music before Entertainment

Just about every culture in the history of the human race has used music as a tool or medium to create wellness in individuals and communities.

The Chinese character on the left 藥 (yào,) is composed of two symbols . The upper representing herbs and the lower meaning music and happiness.

In ancient Chinese history the emperors created massive orchestras to play music with the intention of harmonising the energies of communities,villages and towns with the heavens.

And most other cultures used music primarily as sacred healing tools.The idea of music as commodity and for entertainment is relatively new in the history of humanity.

That is not to say that dance, song and all forms of musical engagement are not extremely good for you, but that the origins of music lay in a different perception of its primary purpose.

The grandfather of sound healing

For many, Pythagorus is the grandfather of sound healing.He understood that music related to mood and emotion and could change both and that influencing the psyche to alleviate stress was one of the best preventative medicines.

He also understood that music represented energy which could alter the state of matter, including the human body.The study of Cymatics shows the clear relationship between frequency and matter.

On a more complex level he perceived of the universe as a lattice of sound, after all, at an atomic level everything is in a state of vibration and therefore creates a frequency, no matter how small.This lattice of of sound, ”The Harmonic lattice,” offered a clue to how vibration and frequency could alter the state of matter in more specific ways.

Working with music and health

I became inspired to self-study music and healing in 1999. Reading, watching films ,attending workshops and seminars and of course starting to employ what I’ve learnt to record music that promotes health as well as playing music live in a number of different ways and settings.

I regularly play improvised live guitar at relaxation and yoga sessions and in my Creative Coaching practice use music in a variety of ways to help clients.