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Music As Medicine

Written by Kim A. Patra

The Holy Day of Silence and Respect to the Environment

Music As Medicine: How Sound Heals

Music as medicine is more than a metaphor — it is a practice with documented physiological and psychological effects that this article explores through personal experience. Several years ago, shortly after the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic, I had my first taste of what it was like to suffer this dreaded virus, and it was my encounter with music as medicine that helped me through the recovery.

Yes, I had the fever, the body aches, the energy of a dehydrated garden slug, and a slight cough, but the “head-thing” was the worst!

It was called the “Covid brain-fog”, but to me it felt more like a skull full of murky water, the likes of which you would find in a goldfish bowl, after the gold fish had long since passed.

Nothing helped. Not the headache pills, nor the copious amounts of fluids, or the handfuls of vitamins that I shoved zealously into my mouth. Day to day life was a misery.

I have always had a fascination in what some call alternative health care — and the concept of music as medicine in particular drew me to sound therapy. During that brief hiatus I had purchased some tuning forks. Ohm (136.1 Hz) frequency to be precise.

Those tools, my introduction to music as medicine in practice, had been resting silently on my bedside table for months, perhaps even years as “life happened” and I never seemed to have the time to pursue this path into music as medicine modality of healing.

Then in a moment of brain-fog desperation I decided to strike the forks and see if they really would help in any way at all.

As I rested the feet of the forks on my head, I was amazed! The fog began to melt. I felt the best I had felt in a long time. I continued to use the forks several times a day, and slowly I began to improve.

As a qualified allopathic health professional (what some would call normal health practice), with a scientific mind, this did not make sense to me at all. How did placing something that looked like a pair of fused steel Siamese chopsticks on my head, improve my symptoms so much?

With almost two years of the pandemic left to go, I had plenty of time to find out why. Numerous days in lockdown and quarantine gave me plenty of time to study, so I now have a Diploma in Sound Therapy. I continue to expand my knowledge in this field, and I never cease to be amazed at how effective this is.

I have now combined sound therapy with hypnotherapy, to become a healing modality that I call Hypno-Harmonics.

Music As Medicine

So how does Sound Therapy (also known as Vibrational Therapy or Energy Healing) work?

Let’s look at a few facts before we start to build on how we can understand this.

Firstly, sounds are waves that are produced by vibration that causes molecules to form high and low-pressure fronts. These waves can travel through solids, liquids and gases.

So, what is vibration? The Law of Vibration states that “anything that exists in our Universe—whether seen or unseen, broken down into and analysed in its purest and most basic form—consists of pure energy or light which resonates and exists as a vibratory frequency or pattern”. Basically everything, no matter how solid it seems, consists only of vibration resonating at different frequencies, even us.

All this taken into consideration, it is feasible to surmise that if our bodies cells are not vibrating at a favourable or “healthy” frequency, the we might not be in optimal health.

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”
― Nikola Tesla

Ancient sounds

Sound has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal and spiritual tool.

One of the oldest instruments documented in sound healing is the didgeridoo, which was, and still is used by indigenous Australians. In ancient times the instrument was used to heal bone and muscle, as well as to achieve trance like states and even cast spells!

In modern times it has been shown to improve asthma and other chronic lung conditions by specific breathing techniques used to play the didge.

The didgeridoo is also beneficial for a variety of mental health conditions, for meditation, and the infrasound vibrations (very low frequency in audible to humans), have been shown to promote healing in soft tissue and bones.

Bowls, Gongs and Bells

These days I think most people are familiar with the good old Tibetan brass signing bowl, although they are usually made of a combination of at least 5 metals and may have originated as a metal rice bowl many years before they were used as a therapeutic instrument.

Bowls, gongs and bells are all part of the gong family, and some have a much more pleasing sound than others.

Buyer beware if you would like to invest in a singing-bowl of your own.

A bowl that you pay a few hundred thousand rupiah for at one of the local shops in Ubud will probably not “sing” for you at all, but rather make a dull “clunk” sound when you strike it.

Always do a bit of research before you invest, as you may indeed be throwing your money away on a useless bit of junk.

Crystal bowls have an amazing sound, but be cautious before you buy these also.

I recently saw some beautiful crystal bowls for sale in a shop in Canggu, but when I tested them (this is easy to do with a tuning app on your phone), not one of them corresponded with the frequency / cakra on the ticket.

The Voice!

Yes, the voice! You don’t have to be Pavarotti to benefit from the sound of your own voice. The vibrational healing qualities of singing and humming at various frequencies has long been known to be, at the very least, soothing.

Most ancient cultures have used voice in the form of Mantra or chanting to heal or connect with the higher self for thousands of years.

Just think about it, how good do you feel when you’ve belted out a song when you have needed to express yourself a little bit!

Forks

Forks, yes, those metal, prong like things. Tuning forks are really something special as their tone is very pure.

A skilled sound therapist that is trained in the use of tuning forks, can actually diagnose and treat certain illness just with by striking the correct frequency, fascinating right?

You could even invest in your own, and just rest the foot of the fork on your head for quick pick-me-up if you are feeling a little out of tune.

You will need to invest in a weighted for this. (128Hz or 136.1Hz would be the best).


How to choose a Sound Therapist?

Firstly, ask yourself what you are trying to achieve? Do you want to address something specific or are you looking for an excellent way to de-stress and relax?

Group or individual sessions are a great way to achieve a deep state of relaxation and there are some very impressive locations that have organized sessions that you can attend. Individual therapists like myself, can also provide group ‘sound-showers’, and can even design a session specific to your needs. For example, I have recently performed at birthdays, pre-wedding (bridal showers), baby blessings, and even a group ‘grief release’ session (after the passing pf a loved one).

If you are trying to address something specific as an individual, whether it be physical or emotional health, then you need a professional qualified sound therapist that really knows what they are doing.

Always do a back-round check on your chosen therapist. What qualifications do they have? How experienced are they? Are they qualified in other health modalities? Then once you have experienced music as medicine through Sound Therapy, I am sure you will be just as amazed as I was.

“The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.”
― Nikola Tesla

Kim A. Patra SRN/RM:OAM, Dip. Sound Therapy — practitioner of music as medicine

  • Music As Medicine

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