Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091 MUSIC THERAPY BASED ON INDIVIDUAL’S ‘BIOLOGICAL HUMOR’ – WITH REFERENCE TO MEDICAL ASTROLOGY: A REVIEW Nagarajan Karuna1, Srinivasan T M2 Nagendra H R3 Assistant Professor, Ph D, Dean, M.E., Ph D, MSc, MBA (PhD Scholar), Division of Yoga and Chancellor, Division of Yoga and Life Physical Science, S-VYASA University Sciences. S-VYASA University ABSTRACT Ayurveda is an ancient science which mainly focuses on preventing and treating diseases based on the knowledge of the dosha or humour or constitution of the person. In Ayurveda, the constitution is known through questionnaires, Nadi Parisksha or pulse examination and physical examination. There is also a method of knowing the predominating dosha or humour by examining the birth chart which gives the planetary position and the constellation (Nakshatra) of an individual. This constitutes an important aspect of Medical Astrology which also gives disease propensity of a person. However, for healing purposes, we must also consider individual’s habits, tendencies, influences and desires, which create the pattern of our lives down to the subconscious and instinctual levels. We must will- fully change the way we live, breathe, see and think, altering our very ego or sense of self in a positive way. This may be done through various tools provided in our ancient scriptures such as Yoga, Music and Mantras. Music therapy is one of the complementary methods of healing as prescribed in Ayur- veda, which works as Mind-Body Medicine. The Indian melodies or Ragas which brings out positive emotions, warding off the negative ones, helps to change one's thought patterns. In this paper, we have attempted to connect the three ancient systems of healing – Ayurveda, Medical Astrology and Music therapy. We have listed the Ragas based on Biorhythm theory depicting particular aesthetic mood or positive emotions as a part of music therapy. These Ragas are correlated with that of the constitution or Prakriti of an individual, based on constellation or Nakshatra. Keywords: Ayurveda, Medical Astrology, Doshas, Music therapy, Constellation or Nakshatra ginated from Gandharva Veda, thousands INTRODUCTION of years ago. Even today its basic Music and other sounds have a significant effect on the body and mind. Along with principles of depicting aesthetic mood, the other benefits of music nowadays it is lead to the stunning creativity by its master used as a therapy also. It is an emerging musicians. 1 field in health care system. The Greeks, Music therapy is the use of music and Hebrews and Persians used music syste- musical elements in a process designed to matically as a therapy. In India, music ori- facilitate and promote communication, re- lationships, learning, mobilization, expres- Nagarajan Karuna Et;Al: Music therapy for Dosha Balance sion and other relevant therapeutic objec- light, it imparts faith, honesty, modesty tives, in order to meet physical, emotional, and truthfulness which lead to purification mental, social and cognitive needs. 2 of mind and body, including our emotions. Rajas give rise to change, disturbing equi- In Indian Classical music, music therapy de- librium with passion and agitation giving pends upon the correct intonation and right use rise to emotional conflicts. Tamas leads to of the basic elements such as Nada, shruti, dullness, inertia, heaviness and emotional 3 swara, raga, tala and laya. clinging. 6 A close interdependence among the physi- Our ancient healing method like Ayurveda cal and psychological components exists; suggests music therapy as one of the heal- if one component is out of balance, the ing methods. Ayurveda constitutes a whole others are also out of balance. Health care complex approach to health that may in- in Ayurveda is essentially aimed at ba- clude meditation, diets, purification tech- lancing the dosas and gunas, bringing niques, Yoga, Music therapy, Aromathe- them into equilibrium. 5 rapy and herbal remedies tailor made to Medical astrology is concerned with heal- body type and personality. In Ayurvedic ing body, mind and spirit using the tools of medicine, health comes when the forces of the entire universe, the foremost of which the body and mind are in balance, and is the light of the stars and planets. Each restoring balance begins with the know- individual is genetically different and has a ledge of the patient's mind-body type. 4 unique constitution (Prakriti). Therefore The human body according to Ayurveda is our ancient Indian scriptures suggested made up of physical doshas (Vata, pitta casting a birth chart of the person. The as- and Kapha ) and psychic components trological information has been used along (satva, rajas and tamas), body tissues with the knowledge of person’s predomi- (dhatus), and waste products (malas). The nating dosha or humour.7 It shows by and three physical doshas vata, pitta and kapha large our disease susceptibility, indicating corresponds to wind, fire and water re- the types of health problems that we are spectively. The solid material substrate most likely to be vulnerable to. 8 referred to as kapha; chemical activity Here in this article, we attempt to integrate (metabolic factor) referred as pitta and an the systems of Astrology, which forecasts energy pool of motion and movement re- body dosha or constitution of a person ferred to as vata. These three dosas coexist through his/her constellation and Ayurveda in a preset proportion and function in a indicating the disease and the mindset balancing manner to overall function of most likely to be present for the particular the total organism in spite of their opposite dosha or constitution. The remedial music properties and functions. The imbalance or therapy used to treat doshas of mind and vitiation of vata, pitta, or kapha is consi- body thereby using the concept of rasas dered a major factor in the causation of a (aesthetic mood) and ragas (Indian melo- disease. 5 dies). The three psychological components are Music therapy: Music therapy can be satva guna, rajas guna, and tamas guna used effectively as a preventive measure, which can be correlated to balance, dy- and it can be used as a supplementary to namic and lethargic personality traits re- the main treatment after the onset of pa- spectively. Satva is the quality of love and thological conditions. The appropriate type www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 2; Issue 4; July - August-2014 Nagarajan Karuna Et;Al: Music therapy for Dosha Balance of music, with specific tonal quality, fact Komal or teevra gives indication of the played at suitable time, the helps to drive position of a note - either higher or lower than out negative feelings like dependency and its original position. Shadja (Sa) loneliness. Music creates an atmosphere of and Panchama (Pa)are two steady notes hav- harmony and well-being. 3 ing no distortion or displacement. Rishabha (Ri), Gandhara (Ga), Madhyama(Ma), Dhai- Music is among those lifestyle choices that vata (Dha)and Nishada (Ni) are accepted as may reduce stress, protect against disease, 9 having two forms as stated above, namely, one and manage pain. Music-therapy during high and one low. We have a total of 12 notes. 10 labor decreased sensation of pain. Music 14 could also produce some physical effects Rhythm: Rhythm has three aspects: Tala, by inducing the peripheral production and Laya and Matra. Tala is a complete cycle of release of nitric oxide (NO). NO is well Metrical phrase composed of a fixed number known to possess antibacterial, antiviral of beats. The Laya is the tempo, which keeps and immune-modulatory function. 11 Many the uniformity of time span, and it has three studies in the recent years have shown that divisions – Vilambita (slow), Madhya (Me- music listening may give rise to physio- dium) and Druta (fast). The Matra is the smallest unit of the Tala. 14 logical reactions similar to those shown to Tonic and the Drone: One distinguishing other “emotional” stimuli, including characteristic of Indian Music is the rela- changes in heart rate, skin temperature, tionship of each swara (note) with the electro-dermal response, respiration, and Shadja (tonic) which determines the plac- hormone secretion. 12 ing of the swaras and the expression of We introduce first the basic structural ele- each swara in the saptak (scale). Hence ments of Indian Classical music which are the constant playing of the drone is neces- – Nada (sound), Swara (note), Shruti a sary. A singer is always accompanied by (musical interval), Rhythm and Drone. In- an instrument called tanpura which is dian classical texts on music have also tuned to suit his key note. 14 given the effective use of these elements Raga or Melody: Raga is the sequence of for therapeutic benefits. selected notes (swaras) that lend an appro- Nada: The friction of air (Vayu) with heat priate mood or emotion in a selective (Agni) is the cause of sound or nada both combination. Depending upon its tonal musical and non-musical. The seven tones quality, a raga could induce or intensify are the real basis of music of all nations of joy or sorrow, exuberance or peace, and it the world. 13 is this quality, which forms the basis for Swara: The Indian musical scale is said to therapeutic application. By activating have evolved from 3 notes of singing Vedic hymns, to a scale of 7 primary notes, on the emotions and controlling brain wave pat- basis of 22 intervals. The scale is divided into terns, ragas could be used as a powerful 22 shrutis or intervals, and these are the basis tool for alleviating the most common ail- of the musical notes. Shruti is conceived both ments of the modern society. 15Every raga as a "musical interval" which makeup the has a fixed number of komal (soft) or tee- notes of the octave and as a pitch position.