Music and Healing
By Dudley Evenson

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A helpful summary of the Whys and Hows of music as used as a key to healing

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All cultures on every part of the planet, from ancient times to this day, have used music in some way to lift the spirit and to enhance the healing process. Music because of its nature is a link between the external and internal worlds, a bridge to the spirit and a doorway to the soul. Sound affects the vibratory rate of every part of the body and has a direct impact on the mental processes, muscles, nervous system, digestive system and circulatory system. It is no wonder that both mainstream and alternative health care practitioners have discovered the benefits of using music as a support for the healing process.

Why is it that music and healing work go so well together? In addition to the pleasant environment that music provides, there are many reasons why music actually supports and extends the benefits of the healing session. In his landmark book, The Mozart Effect, Don Campbell states that “by listening to music with longer, slower sounds, one can usually deepen and slow the breath, allowing the mind to calm down. As with breathing rates, a lower heartbeat creates less physical tension and stress, calms the mind, and helps the body heal itself. Music is a natural pacemaker.

Stress. The American Institute for Preventative Medicine cites it as a key role player and contributing factor in both heart disease and cancer, two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Best-selling author and physician Dr. Andrew Weil concurs, saying, "I am convinced that stress is the primary cause or aggravating cause of the majority of illness." Tension in the mind translates itself into tension in the body and can cause a state of dis-ease in the body¹s organs and systems.

How exactly does music support health and well being? Healing music, as we have discovered, is much more than just slow music with nature sounds. We have identified multiple reasons why the music has a positive effect. Some of them are listed below:

• Slow rhythms entrain bodily systems (heartbeat, pulse, digestive system, respiratory, muscles) to a more natural rhythm
• Natural sounds (if present) give sense of peace
• Tones are nurturing, clear, warm and gentle
• Pace is slow but with a sense of joy and beauty
• Music doesn¹t have hooks and repeated refrains that engage the mind
• Feeling is more like nature, flowing
• Sub-audio frequencies (if present) entrain brainwaves to alpha or theta state

A relaxed body and sense of inner calm are beneficial to restoring health and maintaining balance in the face of disease. Often, the mind needs an extra tool to assist it in letting go of disturbing or repetitive thoughts. Music has the ability to give the mind another focus and helps to lower stress levels, which in turn, helps strengthen the immune system.

Healing is about re-aligning the body with its own divine blueprint and returning to a dynamic state of balance from a temporary state of imbalance. A primary way sound heals is through physical and emotional resonance. Resonance occurs when two energy systems vibrate at the same frequency. Certain music will cause the body and its systems to resonate with it and help it return to a state of balance.

Another aspect of healing with sound involves slowing down the brainwaves. Our brains emit a continuous and often varying vibration reflecting the state of our consciousness and attention. When we are in a peaceful, calm and meditative state, our brains emit Alpha waves (7-14 hertz or cycles per second) and we are more receptive to healing. Theta brainwaves (4-7 hertz) are emitted in an even deeper and more dreamlike state. Music with very slow sub-audio frequencies can help entrain the brain to go into the desired states. Music that contains very low frequencies under the mix can extend the healing effect of the practitioner¹s work and support self-healing.

The level of healing gained by any musical piece is a function of the balance between the elements of intention, harmony, resonance, frequency, rhythm, and entrainment. Because music is a form of art, there are also creative and artistic levels to consider. Slow music that is morose and moody will not have as positive an effect on the healing process as music that is joyful and uplifting and carries a sense of beauty and spirituality. The good news is, there is much healing music available today that can support the healing process and help the individual return to a state of wholeness and harmony with oneself.

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Dudley and her husband, Dean Evenson, are sound healing pioneers and co-founders of their own record label Soundings of the Planet. They have been producing their popular form of healing music since 1979 with numerous albums reaching the Billboard charts. Many of their healing albums contain the Earth Resonance Frequency which encourages the Alpha brainwave state. Their music is endorsed by leaders in the field of mind-body medicine such as Dr. Deepak Chopra, Joan Borysenko, PhD, and Dr. Larry Dossey. The Dalai Lama of Tibet appears on one of their albums. The Evensons are working on their autobiographical journey, Living the Dream. They do interactive workshops on music and healing around the country and are appearing in the Chicago area this month. On Friday, October 25, they will be doing a concert at Healing Earth Resources (healingearthresources.com). On the weekend of October 26-27, they will be teaching their Sound Healing workshop through Infinity Foundation (infinityfoundation.org).

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