The history of music therapy can be traced right back to the origins of mankind and its process of socialization… even though it definitely wasn’t called music therapy back then. It could have been called Ook, or perhaps it was called Tum Te Tum. Whether it was beating of sticks on rocks in the Stone Age, or the splendid compositions of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Vivaldi, music has touched all of us in ways that are beyond words.
"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." Victor Hugo
Ancient cultures and civilizations would use music therapy in the form of chants, drums, dance and various other cultural musical instruments to induce states of trance, meditation or to initiate healing.
The history of music therapy spans across all ancient tribes and modern civilizations: The Aboriginal Traditions and the Digeridoo; the Chanting of the Native American Medicine Man; the Pagan druids and their drums, the Buddhist traditions with their ohm’s and mantra’s, bells and gongs, etc. All exploring and summoning the power of sound, music and dance to access realms beyond the physical world. Reaching and stretch for something more, beyond the limited intellect.
Music has always been a part of celebration. Let’s not forget that no party would be complete without the appropriate tunes to set the mood. Music has always been part of celebration in the social or divine context.
Music and Therapy in Today’s Society
In today’s society the endless myriad of styles in music permeates the whole spectrum of cultures. Different music creates different emotions and feelings within us, from love ballads and classical to techno and metal. Each of us have personal preferences as to what we feel is pleasant listening and what we consider downright chaos!
As time has passed our cultures and civilizations have evolved in various ways, and so too have the afflictions and diseases that affect us. With such a wide variety of illnesses and treatments, health and wellbeing can often be overlooked. Instead attention is paid to what can possibly go wrong. A simple and effective healing tool that has been used outside of traditional medicine is meditation music therapy.
Modern advances in technology have really influenced the course in the history of music therapy. Meditation music is now available to everyone with access to the internet. You don’t need to climb the Himalayas in search of a monastery.
Advances in music technology
have increased the reach, potency and effectiveness of this most ancient of healing practices. Today you can relax and shift your state of awareness wherever you are at the push of a portable button.
Pathways to Healing
Meditation Music and Therapy
Modern medicine has excelled in diagnosing and treating symptoms. The more you work with meditation the more you’ll realize that many of these symptoms have a cause. This is the result of an emotional, mental and/or spiritual imbalance. Meditation assists in uncovering what imbalance is causing the physical symptoms you are experiencing.
Fortunately, there are many
pathways to healing.
Music Therapy is one such pathway. Meditation music has numerous positive side effects. It is gentle, it is pleasant and can be used to purposefully induce a specific state of being. The history of music therapy is a constantly evolving and unfolding process.
Below is a sample of one of the meditation tracks, just click play and enjoy! The links below will take you to the other music samples on the website.
The Australian Didgeridoo is arguably the worlds oldest wind instrument. The sound it produces easily shifts the listener into a more relaxed and alert space. DidgeriDreams is a homage to the Aboriginal 'Dream Time' and Altjeringa.
