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Swamiji's Music therapy:
Swamiji would know what Rhythm is needed for a particular individual in his trouble and despair and what tone, what pitch and what notes are required for a person's soul to be raised. Since each individual represents an 'AURA' and each musical note, a dimension of spiritual energy, Sri Swamiji would produce such a music which would incorporate and integrate aspects of human nature, planetary position and, correspondingly, choose the most suitable ragas capable |
of producing the desired musical vibrations for healing and meditation.
Sri Swamiji's therapy lays great stress on Ekagrata (Deep Concentration) on the part of the Healer/Musician and the listener/patient. Listening, he elaborates, is a technique requiring sense control or Indriya Nigraha. Listen with your heart and not with your Intellect, is his instruction. "Cerebral sounds are aroused and long concentration on a Raga creates a healing effect on the listener," says Swamiji, going on to explain his use of different ragas for different health conditions. These are available on audio and video cassettes and can also be bought on 'Prescription'. Certain Ragas are particularly curative such as the Sritanjini, Keeravani, Amruthavarshini and Hamsanandhini.
Naama Sankeerthana - But what about vocal music? Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji is an ardent votary of Namasankirtana. He has himself composed several bhajans that are also said to be replete with curative powers for as he says, "The lyrics of my bhajans incorporate several Beejaksharas (Mystical Syllables) in them". Swamiji bases his compositions mainly on the Ragas of Carnatic Music - Its 72 melas (Parent Ragas) and their innumerable off spring. "Incidentally", says Swamiji, "I come in the lineage of the father of the 72 Melakartha scheme - Venkatamakhi", although not a direct descendant.
Benefits of listening to Music
Sri Swamiji's therapy lays great stress on Ekagrata (Deep Concentration) on the part of the Healer/Musician and the listener/patient. Listening, he elaborates, is a technique requiring sense control or Indriya Nigraha. Listen with your heart and not with your Intellect, is his instruction. "Cerebral sounds are aroused and long concentration on a Raga creates a healing effect on the listener," says Swamiji, going on to explain his use of different ragas for different health conditions. These are available on audio and video cassettes and can also be bought on 'Prescription'. Certain Ragas are particularly curative such as the Sritanjini, Keeravani, Amruthavarshini and Hamsanandhini.
Naama Sankeerthana - But what about vocal music? Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji is an ardent votary of Namasankirtana. He has himself composed several bhajans that are also said to be replete with curative powers for as he says, "The lyrics of my bhajans incorporate several Beejaksharas (Mystical Syllables) in them". Swamiji bases his compositions mainly on the Ragas of Carnatic Music - Its 72 melas (Parent Ragas) and their innumerable off spring. "Incidentally", says Swamiji, "I come in the lineage of the father of the 72 Melakartha scheme - Venkatamakhi", although not a direct descendant.
Benefits of listening to Music
- Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster beats bringing sharper concentration and more alert thinking, and a slower tempo promoting a calm, meditative state.
- Music can also be used to bring a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay. This can help prevent the stress response from wreaking havoc on the body, and can help keep creativity and optimism levels higher, bringing many other benefits.
- Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure (which can also reduce the risk of stroke and other health problems over time), boost immunity, ease muscle tension, and more.
- It is believed that music stimulates the pituitary glands. Pituitary glands are governing the entire body functions. Stimulation helps gland secretions, affect the nervous system and promotes efficient flow of blood in nerves.
- It is believed that the healing process vibrates the ill cells of the body and it is through these vibrations that the consciousness of a person suffering from a disease can be changed effectively to promote health.
- The right kind of music helps one relax and refresh. Even during the course of working, light music improves efficiency.
- Listening to music helps control negative aspects of our personalities like worry, bias and anger. In addition, it can help cure headache, abdominal pain, tension, controlling emotions, blood pressure and restoring the functioning of the liver.
- Music has frequently been used as a therapeutic agent from the ancient times. Music is a kind of yoga system through the medium of sonorous sound, which acts upon the human organism and awakens and develops their proper functions to extent of self-realisation. This is the ultimate goal of Hindu Philosophy and Religion.
- One obvious use of music is that of a sedative. It can replace the administration of tranquilizers, or at least reduce the dosage of tranquillizers... ......Contd.....