MEDICINE MUSIC  - The Yoga of Sacred Sound

WORKSHOP – A BRIEF SYNOPSIS  (Ron Ragel and Vicki Hansen)

During a typical Medicine Music workshop, Ron and Vicki explore the origins of sound with particular reference to Indian Classical music, which they believe hold the greatest potential for therapeutic benefit.

“ There are seven major nerve centres in the body, each of which vibrate at a particular frequency”,  says Ron.  The participants are encouraged to listen with their hearts, not their heads.  Music has the power to open hearts, uplift and heal.

Ancient Sanskrit sounds are made for the heart; soon the participants are laughing loud and heartily, but this is not to be mistaken for a ‘laughter yoga’ session! Nevertheless laughter, fun and joy are very much part of a Medicine Music workshop.

  The Hindi/Urdu word "rag" is derived from the Sanskrit "raga" which means "that which colours the mind" (Ravi Shankar).  Ancient songs and ragas are sung live during the workshop by Vicki and create a healing effect on the listener. Certain notes have a specific meaning and affect certain emotions. The note “ga” in the Indian scale or “e” in the western scale has a frequency, or rate of oscillations per second, of 300Hz, giving us a sense of satisfaction, tranquillity and mental peace.  In our busy and often chaotic lives, these natural frequencies are usually ‘out of whack’. When the frequency of the raga matches the natural frequency of the chakra (Sanskrit for wheel, or disk, a subtle energy centre in the body), realignment occurs and a healing effect is created.  Different ragas possess specific qualities that can affect and alleviate certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure or arthritis.

The specific ragas Ron and Vicki play or sing during the workshop are particularly curative, for example, Raag Darbari is good for relieving tension and headaches.  Particular instruments and sounds are played at certain times of the day for optimum results; during the workshop we explain how different instruments emit particular frequencies. The sitar is known as the ‘king’ in Indian classical music and relates to the seventh chakra or the sahasrara. It is the point of integration. It is the point where we can achieve bliss. 

At times we decide which ailments, frequencies and emotions we are going to tackle.  Sometimes it maybe the heart, or it may be the nabhi, or manipur chakra, situated in the solar plexus area, that needs healing.  This is the area of satisfaction, peace and contentment.

During pregnancy women are encouraged to listen to the pleasant strains of stringed instruments such as the veena (an ancient instrument from the lute family), or the tanpura (stringed drone instrument). Stringed instruments, it is said, can penetrate the skin more powerfully. The unborn baby is able to hear the pleasant strains of the instrument, which produce a positive impact on the child.

  In times when our lives are stressful we look for various modes of relaxation. What better way is there but to unwind and listen to music that can uplift, heal and awaken. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, perhaps listening to good music every day will also keep the disease at bay.

More About Medicine Music

The western focus on yoga to date has been the physical and measurable health benefits that result from a prolonged practice of this tradition. The postures or asanas often presented as yoga represent only a proportion of what is described as a psycho spiritual technology.

Whilst Medicine Music is not aligned to any particular religion, it is nevertheless rooted in the spiritual dimension of life. One's relationship to oneself and fellow beings, inner conflicts, destructive habit patterns, all have as their final destination the realisation of the self beyond the ego self.

Our western history is rich in the examples of the fruitfulness of bringing two sets of techniques, two sets of ideas, developed in separate contexts in pursuit of truth in contact with each other.

Whilst  MM workshops explore music and yoga as the main modalities it utilizes a multimodal approach whilst still following  a path that is thousands of years old.

The term yoga is derived from the sanskrit verb "yuj" meaning to yoke or unite and is often referred to uniting the body, mind and spirit. Yoga is an ancient tradition that began in Indian prehistory as a system of mental, physical and spiritual exercises. 

In approximately 500 BC the physician and sage Patanjali formalised this tradition into a science with four major and four lesser branches involving ethical restraint, self discipline, mental focus, physical exercise and meditation. The entire system was used in and integrated fashion to attain one's maximum potential

When we look at the origins of music we observe the sages and rishis of ancient India were very wise and respected, they were great philosophers and men of religion. They lived a pure life in the forest close to nature and spent hours in meditation on many subjects from medicine, music, astrology, astronomy along with the practice of yogic traditions.

  The ancient rishis studied the sounds of the animals and the birds and discovered they made musical sounds and here we have the origins of the musical scale on which it is founded.