Sound Healing & Indian classical music
Indian Classical Music used for mindfulness has been found to be beneficial in treating the symptoms of a multitude of conditions ranging from Autism and ADHD to stress, blood pressure, depression, and dementia.
Indian Classical Music affects the human body through Chakra System. The human body chakra system and Indian classical music both have their origins in ancient India and are mentioned in Veda compositions dating back to the period 1500–1200 BC. In Sanskrit one of the World’s oldest languages, the word “Veda” means knowledge. The Veda sages, also known as Rishis, wrote the texts after intense meditation. The four major Vedic text groups are the Rigveda, the Samaveda, the Yajurveda, and the Atharvaveda. The last section of the Vedas are Upanishads. Evidence of chakras is found in the Shri Upanishad, the Cudamini Upanishad, the Yoga-Shikka Upanishad and the Shandilya Upanishad.
In ancient India, people denoted various parts of the nervous system in human body through chakras. The word chakra is defined as a spinning disk. Chakras were visualized as circular vortexes of energy that are placed at different points on the spinal column, and all the chakras are connected to the various organs and glands within the body. The vibration of each chakra stimulates the body through the nervous system. These chakras are responsible for disturbing and adjusting life energy. Each of the 7 chakras has its own quality and acts as a confluence of many different aspects of the human body.
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The seven basic notes of Indian classical music Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni on a musical scale correspond to the 7 chakras in the body. Similarly, western classical music also has seven basic notes Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti which has the same sound as the seven notes of Indian Classical music. Languages may be different across the East and West, but vibration produced by the base fundamental notes is the same. The sounds of these notes vibrates in our brain. The pitch and frequency may be different but when we hear those sounds then our brain analyzes the sounds and sends input to the nervous system.
When a chakra goes out of balance it can create conditions of stress, anxiety, anger, depression etc. For example, if the chakra related to anger goes out of balance, then not only are there outward manifestations of anger such as facial expression changes but there could be internal harmful effects such as acid reflux, headache, heart rate acceleration etc. These imbalances cause us not to feel well.
Ragas (melodies) and the talas (rhythms) using the seven notes can bring the chakras back into balance. Adjustment of sounds in the Ragas can create meditative states which can reduce anxiety, stress, anger, depression. So, they serve as a sound healing process.
The 7 chakras and corresponding locations in the body
The Raga, notes and pitches used these Ragas are shown along with the associated qualities promoted by the Chakras.
Chakra System and Connection to Indian Classical Music Ragas.
Mooladhara or Root Chakra :--
NOTE :-- Sa / Do;
Pitch:-- C
Qualities: Confidence, Desire to live, Energy
Body Location :- Pelvic plexus, Adrenal glands, Coccyx
Raga for Balance:- Shudh Kalyan, Hamsadhwani, Yaman.
Swadishthan or Sacral Chakra :--
NOTE :-- Re / Re;
Pitch:-- D
Qualities: Pure knowledge, Creativity
Body Location :- Sacral plexuses, Ovaries, Intestine, Bladder
Raga for Balance:- Shyam Kalyan, Basant.
Manipur or Solar Plexus Chakra :-
NOTE :-- Ga / Mi;
Pitch:-- E
Qualities: Satisfaction, Power of attention, Fearlessness
Body Location :- Stomach, Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas, Spleen
Raga for Balance:- Malkauns, Behag.
Anahat or Heart Chakra :-
NOTE :-- Ma / Fa ;
Pitch:-- F
Qualities: Love, Responsible behavior, Acceptance
Body Location :- Heart, Cardiac plexus
Raga for Balance:- Bhairav, Kedar,
Ahir bhairav
Vishuddha or Thorat Chakra :-
NOTE :-- Pa / So ;
Pitch:-- G
Qualities: Communication, Respect for others
Body Location :- Cervical plexus, Throat
Raga for Balance:- Tilang, Shudh sarang
Agnya or Third Eye Chakra :-
NOTE :-- Dha / La;
Pitch:-- A
Qualities: Forgiveness, Mercy, Intuition
Body Location :- Pineal Gland, Eyes, Ears
Raga for Balance:- Purya Kalyan,
Sahasrara or Crown Chakra :-
NOTE :-- Ni / Ti ;
Pitch:-- B
Qualities: Spirituality, Inner Wisdom, Harmony
Body Location :- Upper part of the head, Brain
Raga for Balance:- Bhairavi, Kirwani, Durga.
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Raga for Balance:-
From my research, Raga Kedar has shown beneficial effects in healing anger issues and stress. The Raga incorporates different levels of tempos from slow to rapid. The adjustment of this Raga depends on notes.
When a person is angry or has stress, then Crown Chakra is imbalanced. While singing the Kedar raga, when the singer hits the note Ni correctly, then the vibration produced by the note acts on the listener’s Crown Chakra which responsible for consciousness and spirituality and is located in the pituitary gland. and contributes towards bringing it back into balance.
Note Dha is connected to the Agnya Chakra which promotes qualities of mercy and forgiveness and is in the pineal gland in the human body. When a person is angry the Agnya Chakra goes out of balance and the person moves way from mercy and forgiveness. When raga Kedar is performed, if the singer hits the note Dha perfectly, then the vibration of the sound created by the artist acts on the unbalanced Agnya Chakra of the listener and starts restoring its equilibrium.
Note Ma is connected to the Heart Chakra. This Chakra represents the quality of responsible behavior. Anger can push this Chakra into imbalance. In the course of singing raga Kedar, if the singer can hit the note perfectly then the note can restore the equilibrium of the listener’s Heart Chakra and starts calming the angry state of mind, bringing back responsible behavior.
Similar to the connection of the previous notes to the Chakras, the note Ga is connected to the Manipur Chakra located in the stomach. If someone gets angry, then the Chakra gets unbalanced, and the stomach starts getting affected. This sometimes gets manifested in the form of acid reflux. If the note Ga is sung perfectly in the performance of raga Kedar then the listener’s Chakra’s balance gets restored, and the stomach is soothed.
In the performance of raga Kedar the combination of the note Sa, Ga, Ma, Dha and Ni restores the equilibrium of the associated Chakras and results in the transformation of an angry person to a calm one and the relief of harmful effects in the body such as stress and acid reflux which are associated with anger.
Different Ragas, combinations of notes and tempos act in different ways to restore equilibrium of the chakras and in this way the body is healed during mindfulness sessions using these Ragas. When these notes are used in composing a melody, they can affect the chakra corresponding to the notes used. Ragas help to activate specific chakras, allowing the vital energy to rise and energize and nourish the chakras. Ragas influence the chakras helping them to maintain or restore their balance, producing balanced energy supply to different organs, connected to the specific chakra.
When a raga is used for mindfulness with a combination of pitch, beat and improvisation, then these create a positive impact on the listener’s brain and body. The agitated mind and body experiences peace and harmony through mindfulness.
