Music Therapy

[thanjavooran]

During March end there was a programme in Music Academy MIni hall sponsored by Nandalala Medical foundations in which a Thematic concert "Carnatic Music for curing ailments" by Aruna sai ram. I did not attend that function. Only yesterday I could be able to locate a brochure issued by the orgnisers. It is in Tamil. As I am not good in translation giving below the contents as therein in Tamil. Non chennites kindly excuse. As It contains some valuable information will be interesting to forumites.
குணமாகும் இசையின் குணம்
உணர்வுகளின் பாதிப்புத்தான் எல்லா நோய்களிலும் ஊடுருவி உள்ள காரணமாக அறியபட்டிருக்கிறது. பேச்சும் இசையும் உணர்வின் எதிரொலிகள். பேச்சின் இனிமை மனதை கவர்ந்திழுக்கும். இசை இனிமையுடன் கூடிய இதத்தை இதயத்துக்கு அளிக்கும். இந்த வலிமையுடன் இணைந்த இராகங்களின் ஆழம் அலைபாயும் மனதை ஒரு சீரான நிலைக்கு கொண்டுவரும் ஆற்றல் அமைந்தது.
பின்னிவரும் ஸ்வரங்களின் வரிசைக்கிரமம் பிட்யுட்டரி சுரபிக்குப் புத்துணர்வு அளிப்பது. இந்த சுரப்பியே எல்லா நாளங்களையும் இயல்பாகவும் திறம்படவும் இயங்க வைக்கும் சக்தி கொண்டது.
ஆழ்மனத்தின் பாதிப்புக்கு ஆளானவர்களின் [PSYCHOSOMATIC] மன நிலையை, தசையின் சக்தியைக்கூட்டுவதலும் குறைப்பதிலும் சமன் செய்துமூச்சின் அளவைச் சரியான நிதானத்தில்
நிலைப்படுத்தி நாடித்துடிப்பையும் இரத்த அழுத்தத்தையும் உரிய அளவில் வைத்திருப்பதற்கு இசைவழி மருத்துவம் அசைக்கமுடியாத நம்பிக்கை அளிப்பதாக அமைந்துள்ளது.

ஐந்தறிவுள்ள உயிர்களையும் தன்னோடு
நிலைப்படுத்தி வைக்கும் திறன் கொண்ட இசை, ஆறறிவுள்ள மனிதனுக்கு எத்தனையோ விதங்களில் அடைக்கலமும் ஆதரவும் அளிக்ககூடிய தென்பதை நாம் நன்கு உணரவேண்டும். உருக வேண்டும்.
உருவாகும் நோய்களைக் கருவாகும் போதே கலைத்துக் , களைந்து, காணமற்போகச் செய்ய வேண்டும். பயிற்சி களாலும் உணரப்பட்ட பலன்களாலும் முக்கியமான சில உடலுபாதைகளுக் குரிய இசையின் இராகப் பட்டியல் கிழே கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

.

மனமாசுகளைநீக்க மாயாமாளவ கௌள
நரம்புகள் புத்துணர்ச்சி பெற கலாவதி
இரத்த அழுத்தத்தை அகற்ற தோடி
நரம்பு சம்பந்தப் பட்ட எல்லா நோய்களின்
கடுமைகுறைய துர்கா
உயர் இரத்த அழுத்தம் குறைய ஆனந்த பைரவி
மனதை சாந்தப்படுத்த மோகனம்
ஆழ்ந்த உறக்கம்உண்டாக பாக்யஸ்ரீ
தெளிவுபெற ஆபேரி

ஆஸ்துமா குறைய தர்பாரிகானடா
குறைந்தஅழுத்தம்மாற ஹிந்தோளம்
தலைவலிக்கு குணம்காண பிருந்தாவன சாரங்கா

In this connection I recollect an interesting incident. 50 years back a Kumbakonam based Mirasudar in Aduthurai village focussed the loudspeakers towards his paddy fields playing TNR's nadawaram daily in the morning hours continuously . The yield was very high compared to the other area [out of this vicinity ]

Thanjavooran 25 05 10

[Nick H]

Even though I am not proud of my own linguistic inability, I can think of a carnatic musician (from Bangalore) who told me that, sorry, he could speak, but not read, Tamil.

Please may we stick to the forum language of English?

[mahakavi]

Let me pitch in to give a short gist of the Thamizh text into English.
Basically the hypotheis presented here is that the nervous system, cardiovascular apparatus, lymphatic system, and the hormone system are responsible for maintaining the health of an individual. Music, according to the proponents here, "tickles" the pituitary gland, which is tagged as the master gland. It is claimed that certain frequencies of sound can modulate the systems affected (by aberrations) back to normal.
-----------------------------------------------
The following is just my warning:
Be warned certain other frequencies (heavy metal) make be injurious to your health (especially to the ear drums)
-----------------------------------------------------------

Certain rAgams are proposed for certain illnesses. Here is the list:
1. For mental illness ---- mAyAmALavagauLai
2. Nervous system rejuvenation---kalAvati
3. Blood pressure mitigation (?)---- tODi
4. General nervous system malfunction--- durgA
5. Reduction of blood pressure--Anandabhairavi (no idea why tODi cannot do the same dual function)
6. Mental peace--mOhanam
7. Deep sleep inducer: bAgEshri
8. General tranquility---AbhEri
9. Asthma---darbAri kAnaDA
10. Low blood pressure---hindOLOam
11, Headache--brindAvana sArangA
What happens when you hear hindOLam, Anandabhairavi, and tODi simultaneously???

OK, folks, if music be the food of health, play on and listen.
I understand the physicians are planning a counter attack and planning to file a case in the supreme court to ban such music as being detrimental to their livelihood.

[ShrutiLaya]

Dear Mahakavi,

In what context does the one English word "psychosomatic" appear?

- Sreenadh

[VK RAMAN]

In other words - placebo effect!

[mahakavi]

>>ஆழ்மனத்தின் பாதிப்புக்கு ஆளானவர்களின் [PSYCHOSOMATIC] மன நிலையை, தசையின் சக்தியைக்கூட்டுவதலும் குறைப்பதிலும் சமன் செய்துமூச்சின் அளவைச் சரியான நிதானத்தில்
நிலைப்படுத்தி நாடித்துடிப்பையும் இரத்த அழுத்தத்தையும் உரிய அளவில் வைத்திருப்பதற்கு இசைவழி மருத்துவம் அசைக்கமுடியாத நம்பிக்கை அளிப்பதாக அமைந்துள்ளது. <<

Sreenadh:
If you are referring to the above, the word "psychosomatic" has been thrown here gratuitously, I think. Psychosomatic refers to mind-body interaction (mens sana corpore sana). It says here that music can modulate and steer away emotional disturbances from having an effect on the body.

[ShrutiLaya]

I know what it means .. but can you pl. translate the sentence literally, without any interpretation, so we can see what the original author said?

Of course, if this were even remotely true, musicians should be the some of the healthiest individuals .. unless there are counterbalancing ragas which cause high blood pressure, asthma, headaches etc., (I'm sure we all have our favourite candidates for the headaches ) ?

- Sreenadh

[cmlover]

The music and the diseases have been with us for centuries. If any music has a soothing effect which can control the symtoms. But etiological effect is highly questionable. Actually mantras (atharva veda has a number of remedies) may work better if one has faith! Diseases caused by organisms (bacteria/viruses/...) may never respond. It is risible to claim that a malaria parasite is subdued by listening to malayamaarutham It is like the myth of claiming the cobra being charmed by listening to Puunaagavarali...

[mahakavi]

Sreenadh:
I mentioned in my post that the word (psychosomatic) has been thrown in gratuitously. Didn't you catch that?
I summed up the meaning of that sentence as " It says here that music can modulate and steer away emotional disturbances from having an effect on the body".

[VK RAMAN]

Here is a study which will be of interest in this context.
http://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight ... _emoto.htm

[ShrutiLaya]

Sreenadh:
I mentioned in my post that the word (psychosomatic) has been thrown in gratuitously. Didn't you catch that?

Yes, I did. But that is your interpretation. I want to know what the original author said.

I summed up the meaning of that sentence as " It says here that music can modulate and steer away emotional disturbances from having an effect on the body".

Would you (Any other Tamil speaker please feel free to jump in) say the literal translation is :

"Music can modulate and steer away emotional disturbances (psychosomatic) from having an effect on the body"

Thanks
Sreenadh

[mahakavi]

>>Yes, I did. But that is your interpretation. I want to know what the original author said.<<

Sreenadh:
You have to go to the original author to know that.
Any other Thamizh speaker would still be able to give only what he/she gets out of reading it. It would still be an interpretation only. Even word-for-word translation would not make much sense. You have to make a cogent meaning out of it.

I have no problem if you seek the "Truth" elsewhere.

[Nick H]

It is risible to claim that a malaria parasite is subdued by listening to malayamaarutham It is like the myth of claiming the cobra being charmed by listening to Puunaagavarali...

A friend of mine once told me that the mosquitoes wouldn't bite if I explained to them that this upset me and disturbed my peace. I asked if she thought the same would work with a hungry tiger.

I can't feel black/white about this issue, though: I suspect that there may well be specific resonances to certain music with our bodies, and that that still-somewhat-mysterious thingy the pituitary might well be involved. Unlike cmlover, of course, I am not a scientist.

This kind of work is very often its own worst enemy. I wonder, for instance, what the sample size was that was used to determine the effects of these specific ragas? Sometimes, it can be not only a sample of just one, but also the very subjective "results" of a "researcher's" work on themselves --- worse than anecdotal. I say this because I've been there and done just that with things like the effects of semi-precious stones, herbs, etc. We can be our own guinea pigs, but nothing is proven until whatever it is works on others too.

We see the same sort of fallacious logic on travel sites: "I did/ate xyz every day and didn't get malaria/stomach upset, therefore xyz prevents malaria/stomach upset". It would be more convincing if they travelled with an identical twin who did not take the cure, and did get the complaint --- but they never do!

We know that music affects our emotions and mental state: we know (don't we, cml?) that our emotional and mental states affect our physical health. I don't think it is too far fetched to add music to the beginning of that chain, or even to relate specific scales/ragas/chords to different physical effects. Needs good research!

It is not enough to say that it made us better last Saturday, and it is not enough to say that it is referred to in some ancient writing and therefore must be true!

Many thanks for the translation!

By the way...

Can someone please establish:

The raga that builds muscles without exercise, and,
The raga that looses weight without exercise.

The first one is for me.

[cmlover]

Good critique Nick! The music is an 'anodyne' if you need a scholarly word for it

You gave me the idea to work on the raga 'mAmsavardhini' (muscle builder) as I am debating which mela it should be derived from

[vsarmaiitm]

Nick,
Every raga loses weight (and we lose it !) if the artistes do not exercise (practice)

Sarma

[Nick H]

Brilliant, Sama, and thank you, CML

Maybe the muscle builder should be based on a meal rather than a mela?

[rshankar]

Nick, what you are asking from a meal is for nutritional partitioning - i.e., to have the calories flow into muscle rather than say, fat. To date, no chemical has been shown to do this safely in man (pigs are another story where ractopamine is used as a nutrition-partitioning agent, IIRC); I am not sure that any rAga (from a meal, or a meLa, or a mela) will be able to achieve this!

[uday_shankar]

I asked if she thought the same would work with a hungry tiger.

A "hungry tiger" wouldn't touch you in a million years except in the extraordinary and rare instance that it turned a "man-eater" due to an unfortunate (and again, rare) set of circumstances. Normally, tigers are the gentlemen of the forest. In Indian jungles and grassland forests, you're in danger only from (in that order) a) Wild water buffalo (found only in pockets in Assam) b) Gaur (often mistakenly referred to as "bison") c) Elephant d) Bear e) wild pig f) king cobras ) other venomous snakes. As you can see, tigers and leopards don't even figure in the "danger" list.

[Nick H]

uday, I think my argument sounded good, even if it were not quite real. My point, which you probably recognised, is that humans are not the centre of this planet, let alone the universe, and a hungry creature does not stop to say please.

Mind you... Thanks for the list

[cmlover]

Uday
shouldn't the top of the list be a hungry homo sapiens ?

[arasi]

Uday,
I think Nick said it the way that bArati sang: tinna varum puli tannaiyum anbODu Sindaiyil pOTRiDuvAi, nannenjE, annai parASakti avvuru AyinaL, avaLaik kumbiDuvAi, nannenjE--at least, his friend must have meant it that way!

Nick,
Translation: praise with love in your heart the tiger which jumps on yo, wanting to eat you, good heart! Mother shakti is in him too, so bow down to him with folded hands...

[uday_shankar]

Nick
Sorry for the digression ! Your point is excellent and well-understood. I'm just on a crusade to fight urban Indian non-nuanced false stereotypes of animal behavior . This in an era when there's round the clock Animal Planet and Discovery.

Arasi
By the same token I am disappointed that Bharati wrote "tinna varum puli". A typical "puli" will slink away before you're ever aware of his presence.

Awareness of a factual misrepresentation takes away the punch from an otherwise excellent simile (or whatever the figure of speech is!).

[Nick H]

I'm just on a crusade to fight urban Indian non-nuanced false stereotypes of animal behaviour

That's fine: I'm trying to fight gender stereotyping over on the motoring forum!

By the way... I am not suggesting that music therapy has to satisfy the high standard of test that (at least in theory) drug therapy has to. There is very little harm to be done from dosing oneself with the wrong raga!

[arasi]

Uday,
Understood. bArati meant to say oru koDiya vilangu (any savage beast) in a word and chanced upon the tiger, I guess! After all, those were the days when one heard or read about them as man-eaters!

Nick,
If you want to listen to the lines coming from your old homeland, you may hear it in a BVB conert of Sanjay where he sings it as a rAga mAlikA. It's on his blog today. You can brush up your tamizh and have a taste of bArati's verses too!

[thanjavooran]

SYMPOSIUM ON RAGA THERAPY at BVB MIni Hall , Mylapore on 30th May 10

The programme was organised by Music Forum and started by 10 00 hrs and the hall was full with Neuro Physicians ,surgeons ,Psychiatrists.and other learned personalities. The invocation song was by Akshaya a differently disabled child [ visually impaired] Shanthi alithidum kanthimathi deviye by Thanjavur Sankara Iyer in Chenchuriti. He explained the activities of FREEDOM TRUST [Foundation for the Rehabilitation Education and Empowerment of the Disabled Of Madras ]
Initially around 12 such students were identified and trained .
One in 5 of the blind children had perfect pitch an ability found only in 10,000 of the western population as a whole.
This is a welcoming factor in this field. Sruthi alignment of these children is perfect and skill is exemplary.
MUZAC is an western company supplying pre recorded music to all companies since 75 years
Tambura sruthi resonance improves concentration
Music is an integral part of our culture right from child birth till the end, in different form
Some of the plans are 1 To start a center for Music Therapy, 2 To provide a musical atmosphere at the work place 3 To conduct research in music for therapy
Shri Ganesh honored Dr T V Sairam with a golden shawl.

Raga Therapy Lecture by Dr, T V Sairam President. Nada Centre For Music Therapy [Few interesting points are given below.]

Role of Indian Ragas in Human Health and well being
Dr. Sundar is a combination of Music and Medicine.
Left brain is utilised more by all
Mind should synchronise when one listens to sruthi and Nada develops then
' So -Aham ' meditation is an age old practice of balancing feelings and thinking.
To induce sleep-- the Tibetian way--Repetitive Tones, Phrases with oscillating frequencies varying rhythms and resonance
To demonstrate this a vessel brought from Buddhist monastery was made to resonate with a small stick
Raga : The melodic scale inciting feelings [ Right brain Activation ]
Tala: The units which are analytical [ Right brain Activation ]
Bhaava : The ultimate essence in raga Experience [ balancing both ]
LHS brain should be coordinating with RHS brain to understand a Raga
In young age itself music should be taught . In this time only balancing of LHS and RHS starts and the results will be immense
MSS' s Revathi was played and it was mentioned it is in between Karharapriya and Vedic changing.
Emotional Healing through Raga experience is possible.
Ragas are known to reflect all nuances in human feeling, in a positive way,
Alpha Ragas Absorbing, consoling Sattvic
Beta Ragas Active, stimulating, Rajastic
There are wake up ragas too, MSS's Venkatesa suprabatham was played

The entire session was very useful and interesting . Dr Sairam gave a nice lecture and the flow was free bringing out all his thinking in this vast subject. For the first time he mentioned that he is using the Audio Visual . The topics were displayed on the screen and he explained one by one in order. I could not note down the visuals as he was fast in jumping to the next topic for want of time and also the subject was too heavy. There was a Q and A sessions at the end. Most of the doubts were raised by Neurologists who were present in good number. Some of the guest have come from outside Chennai. MSS's clippings were played at appropriate places in support of his statements. To a question from the audience as regards to which Raga can cure which ailment Dr mentioned that it is still under Research /study stage and will come out with the results soon. A ten point Music Therapy of Dr Sairam is given below taken from the handout given at the venue for the benefit of our forumites. Definitely I would have omitted some important details and may need correction also .Kindly excuse.
1 Listen to music with all your heart, never with your mind
2 Enjoy music never analyze
3 Listen to Cheering /Activating /Beta Music at least for 10 mints continuously, whenever you feel dull or depressed
4 Activities such as driving, cooking, bathing or eating becomes more enjoyable with Cheering/Activating/ Beta music
5 During the bedtime, listen to Gentle /Relaxing / Alpha Music with lots of iteration, having monotonous rhythms, to get good sleep
6 When overwhelmed with disappointments in life or loss, listen to Sad /Soothing /Emotionally--rich music
7 Actual singing or playing at least one musical instrument enriches the quality of life
8 Let children develop a habit of co-existence with one or other forms of music, classical. modern, folk, filmy are all welcome
9 Have Gentle / Relaxing / Alpha Music available all the time around infants, children, elders and the sick
10 Avoid using ear-phones, if at all it has to be used. ensure that the volume is very low. Several adolescents using I-Pod with volume between 95 dB and 100 dB have reported temporary loss of hearing.

Thanjavooran 31 05 10

[Nick H]

I am sure that it would have been different being there, and it is, doubtless unfair to judge the occasion on the basis of a short write-up (for which, thanks), but, apart from some things that can be challenged, there seems to be a lot of generality there.

Most of the final ten points seem to be obvious ones.

None the less, I hope the research continues --- and that we get to hear more about it.

[thanjavooran]

Mr NIck,
I am unable to make out what you are trying to convey. I am very poor in understanding the language other than Tamil.

Thanjavooran 31 05 10

[mahakavi]

thanjavooran:
>>I am unable to make out what you are trying to convey. I am very poor in understanding the language other than Tamil.<<
You are kidding, right?
As for the obvious, sometimes they are not recognized unless they are repeated.
Nonetheless some statements are made as universal truths not proved by evidence (as in religious ones). To each his own.

[ShrutiLaya]

None the less, I hope the research continues --- and that we get to hear more about it.

I hope there is some rigorous research on this, but I don't think it will happen because it is in no one's interest .. I'm willing to accept (and it is probably self evident) that music relaxes you, in general, and relaxation is good for various ailments; But to narrow this down to a specific ragam curing a specific ailment is a leap of faith. (<tongue in cheek on> at the very least, one has to consider which language the krithi is in, or it might end up raising the blood pressure instead of lowering it <tongue in cheek off> )

- Sreenadh

[Nick H]

a specific ragam curing a specific ailment is a leap of faith.

It could be a hypothesis ...awaiting practical demonstration and confirmation.

I doubt that, if we did not accept the simple truths that bright music cheers one up, gentle music is soothing,a and so on, any of us would be here. We're music lovers, after all!

I would be delighted and fascinated to hear of a demonstrated link between a specific music and a specific physical effect. I don't care whether it is carnatic raga or innuit throat music!

[cmlover]

Brain imaging studies can reveal a lot on the effects of ragas on particular segments of the brain and hence their functions...

[mahakavi]

If the brain perceives the music as just a different sound (frequency-dependent) then the PET images will be more or less the same in all the people irrespective of their previous exposure. But if the brain has been pre-conditioned by listening to some particular kind of music then by playing the same will "light up" those regions which sensed such music before. Apart from this, the regions which are responsible for sensing and reacting to emotions such as joy, sadness, compassion etc., will also be responding to certain frequencies of sound which "tickle" those regions (be it western classical or Indian classical music). As for curing diseases it is an altogether different story. That is because, as in clinical cases invloving placebo, it is mainly psychosomatic.

The effects of drugs to "cure" or "treat" certain diseases manifest on the target tissues evincing a physiological reaction (although a small psychosomatic component may be included). It is highly unlikely that music waves will be able to elicit physiological reactions like the drugs do.

The largest drug company in the world, by the way, is Placebo, Inc.

[kssr]

We are already deep into superstitious stupidity. The therapy business is just wishful thinking- little short of total c**p. X'cuse the usage.

Effect of music on humans is a totally subjective matter. Even within our families there are people who would switch off the TV once anything connected with CM starts. Do you think they will wait till they are cured of diseases by continuously listening to this? Also, to be effective, it needs years of conditioning. It is better to start proven medication instead of first training the mind and then start the so called therapy.

Listening to mantras like gayathri or OM continuously may be better as it slowly dulls and numbs the mind, if that is what you want to achieve.

>>7. Deep sleep inducer: bAgEshri<<
I recommend "Calmpose" tablet.

>>11, Headache--brindAvana sArangA<<
I recommend "Anacin"- may be two tablets, thrice a day till the symptom subsides!!

My salutations to the vidwans, vidushis, doctors, psychiatrists,etc, etc.,....

[mahakavi]

kssr:
You seem to be throwing out the baby with the bathwater. While the general consensus is that "one rAgam--one disease" is a myth, the overall soothing power of music (especially at low decibels) is a given. As I pointed out earlier, music can be a placebo in a significant size of the population like a dummy pill can treat some ailments as well as the "real" medication without the side effects. Some people cannot get cured of their headache no matter how many tablets of analgesics they take. And there is a daily limit on taking those. They also have their side effects. Considering all these there is no harm in trying the "placebo" effect of music. The so-called prescription of one rAgam for a specific disease is more like going to the temple to pray for passing the exam or getting a promotion. Going to temple does not make you pass the exam or get that job--does it? People still believe--don't they?

[hariniraghavan]

Good critique Nick! The music is an 'anodyne' if you need a scholarly word for it

You gave me the idea to work on the raga 'mAmsavardhini' (muscle builder) as I am debating which mela it should be derived from

MAmsavardhini cannot be a derivative of any mela but a derivative of a proper meal (just adjust the spelling) Harini.

[kssr]

See below in red.

1. You seem to be throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
There is no baby at all, boss, to start with. Someone gets an embryo of an idea which is absurd and others keep building on it.

2. Considering all these there is no harm in trying the "placebo" effect of music.
Sitting summa also does not do any harm. I recommend that to waiting to get some cure which is not there. "Ivavu kaaththa kiLi"(parrot waiting for a cotton tree to produce fruit!). Even to get the placebo effect, needs long term conditioning. If I (a rasika) am made to listen to Shankarabharanam for a few weeks, I will go mad. But that is some effect, eh!!

3. The so-called prescription of one rAgam for a specific disease is more like Going to temple does not make you pass the exam or get that job--does it? People still believe--don't they?

That is exactly the point. We already do a lot of things without thinking- by habit. We, in this generation should not add to the list of such fallacies, trying hard to justify and believe in things that at the outset, we know very well to be untrue. Music has a soothing effect on people who like it. Simple. They can destress themselves whenever necessary, which we all do. Just like a cold bath at the end of a hot day or a nice meal. But, to attempt to "administer" it in "specified doses" as a therapy is downright........ Well, let me leave it at that.

[hariniraghavan]

kssr:
You seem to be throwing out the baby with the bathwater. While the general consensus is that "one rAgam--one disease" is a myth, the overall soothing power of music (especially at low decibels) is a given. As I pointed out earlier, music can be a placebo in a significant size of the population like a dummy pill can treat some ailments as well as the "real" medication without the side effects. Some people cannot get cured of their headache no matter how many tablets of analgesics they take. And there is a daily limit on taking those. They also have their side effects. Considering all these there is no harm in trying the "placebo" effect of music. The so-called prescription of one rAgam for a specific disease is more like going to the temple to pray for passing the exam or getting a promotion. Going to temple does not make you pass the exam or get that job--does it? People still believe--don't they?

Ofcourse music has the power to soothe but not to cure. When it comes to emotional problems music therapy may come in handy. Like if the head ache is due to some worries, listening to music may help, even here all types of music or al l ragas may not help. You will have to control a lot of variables.
However for physiological problems, music doesnot give curative effect.
Psycho-somatic problems may be dealt with, using music therapy to a certain extent. Even here there are limitations.

[mahakavi]

>.Sitting summa also does not do any harm. I recommend that to waiting to get some cure which is not there. "Ivavu kaaththa kiLi"(parrot waiting for a cotton tree to produce fruit!). Even to get the placebo effect, needs long term conditioning. If I (a rasika) am made to listen to Shankarabharanam for a few weeks, I will go mad. But that is some effect, eh!!<<

kssr:
1. Sitting "summa" (idle) will make you age faster. It has been proven scientifically that those on the rocking chair die sooner than those who walk or jog regularly.
2. "ilavu kAtta kiLi". Isn't that about the tall ilavampanjcu tree, where the pods will burst open in due course? The parrot sits on the tree waiting to see when the pod will burst. Here there is no waiting. The believers are wishing and the pod bursts.
3. This is a natural corollary of (2) above. The placebo effect is not about long-term conditioning. It is like a nATTuvaidyan (a country doctor) giving you a brown potion of toddy with jaggery and telling you it will cure your chronic stomach ache. You believe it would and it does after drinking it. It is that simple. That is placebo. You don't have to wait for it. Either it does have an effect or it doesn't. At least you get intoxicated and you forget your stomach ache temporarily.
4. SankarabharaNam makes you insane? Try Anandabhairavi soon after. It will cure the insanity.

[cmlover]

Here is a Case History or experiment in progress.

A relative of mine (male aged 61) who reecently retired from service (financial sector) started having 'panic attacks'. Briefly thinking that he was about to die. He was whetted throughly by the physicians who found nothing wrong with his physical conditions. Next the local psychiatrists tried their hand by giving him all sorts of medications especially depression oriented. They were ready to try 'electro convulsion therapy' (shock treatment) when it was brought to my attenton for advice. Being far away I could not do any physical examinations or interviews as also I am now away from active therapy for a few years. I also have a poor opinion about the psychiatrists in SI (pardon my personal views!) who always look for pharmacotherapy (drugs) and totally ignore Alternate medicine!

I knew from my earlier contacts with the patient that he was an avid Rasika of KV (violin). I suggested that he should listen to good violin concerts (especially LGJ and TNK..). I recommended the Thillanas (of LGJ specifially). Now after about a month the Pt is showing some improvement and a positive change in attitude.

We have to wait and see. This is an experiment in progress and you cannot generalize...

[mahakavi]

I read a news report a while ago on the following subject.
Medicinal Melody:
This is a favorite topic in alternative medicine--not only in India but in the West too. One Dr. Michael Miller (Center for Preventive Cardiology at University of Maryland) studying healthy non-smoking men and women in their 30s found that diameter of blood vessels in their upper arms expanded by 26% (don't you love those percentages when used by clinicians?) when the volunteers listened to their favorite music. A case of melody licking the plaque, perhaps?

In another study by a researcher in Brunel University in west London, it was found that physical endurance on a treadmill was enhanced by 15% (our kssr would argue the same percentage for sitting idle on the treadmill!) when the subjects listened to Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Queen (Rihana?). The subjects did not realize they were working harder. Distraction, perhaps?

Whether music pumps the body or not it might pump the brain. A Stanford University study indicated that listening to 18th century symphonies improved listerners' mental focus.

Anyway, listen to some lullabys (nIlAmbari) when you go to bed after a rough day at work. You might sleep better, I promise (until you wake up!)

[kssr]

In another study by a researcher in Brunel University in west London, it was found that physical endurance on a treadmill was enhanced by 15% (our kssr would argue the same percentage for sitting idle on the treadmill!) when the subjects listened to Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Queen (Rihana?). The subjects did not realize they were working harder. Distraction, perhaps?

You really underestimate me, my friend. I am quite positive that my "endurance" will positively get enhanced by even 30% whether it is in the treadmill (or elsewhere!). All I need is to look at the photos of the beauties mentioned - but make sure their music is switched off. Not distraction. It is atttttraction.

I would definitely like to believe all these stories. Pls. don't get me wrong. For this kind of "therapy" belief is a prerequisite- just like the vibhuthi from saamiyaars. Once again I reiterate that CM is very soothing and calming, even elevating. But I beg all "therapists" not to administer it to persons who are uninitiated in CM. Then you may be compelled to resort to the real therapy with the help of qualified psychiatrists

[Nick H]

I beg all "therapists" not to administer it to persons who are uninitiated in CM.

Just as we cannot fall off the edge of earth, we can also actually move beyond the horizons of carnatic music!

Whilst raga/effect research is a natural focus of interest among rasikas, I would hope that anybody who researches seriously in this area would not be a flat-earther, but be very much more inclusive! What is the effect of single notes? What is the effect of chords and harmonies? Whether or not there is any hope of ever finding any sound (being a more general term than music) to disease relationship, there must be a bottomless pit of possible research here.

cmlover: I hope your relative finds his comfort. By the way, I had a friend who suffered from panic attacks (later it progressed into obsessive compulsive disorder and agraphobia and she was very much in need of the medical attention she finally received, but hey, the beginning of the story...) and she told me that the most useful thing that any of the professionals said to her, at that stage, was, however much she felt she was going to die, the fact was that nobody ever had actually died from a panic attack. The rest of the story is long, painful in parts, and not relevant to the forum --- but she is now a healthy person and has been for some years.

[cmlover]

Thanks Nick!
My point is about not neglecting Alternate Medicine..Pill popping is not always the answer.
Thanatophobia (fear of death) is common among the aged for which there is no 'medical' cure!

[VK RAMAN]

Thanatophobia is common among aged -

Na Me Mrityu Shanka Na Me Jati Bhedah
Pita Naiva Me Naiva Mata Na Janma
Na Bandhur Na Mitram Gurur Naiva Shishyah
Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham

[Nick H]

One of my very favourite books is called Memento Mori by a novelist called Muriel Spark. Perhaps she might have considered the title Thanatophobia! I have read it several times. It might change its meaning for me in a decade or two!

[arasi]

After all, isn't the sound OM (Aum) theraputic...and musical too?

[VK RAMAN]

Dr BalamuralikrishNa established the "Academy of Performing Arts and Research" in Switzerland. He is also working on music therapy. Does any one know the present status?

[mohan]

http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/ ... epage=true

[hariniraghavan]

I too read the article in Hindu about music shaking a girl off her comatose state. The effect of music is amazing. This sounds so believable and acceptable than claiminging that specific ragas cure specific diseases and so on. One should understand how subjective the effect of music is and that it can certainly not be quantified..
Harini..

[Nick H]

Yes, I agree, and it is a lovely story.