The Healing Power of Music
By Rebecca Lytle

Music can have a profound effect on our emotional and physical health and its therapeutic use has become more widely recognized as a complementary therapy for those who are being treated for cancer and other diseases. It is commonly accepted that a person’s emotions, attitudes, faith, and feelings of hope or hopelessness are several factors that affect one’s ability to cope with serious problems. When one or more of these factors are out-of-balance coping becomes more difficult. By listening to healing music, the body, soul, and spirit work together to create balance, or wholeness, which often leads to feelings of peace and acceptance. Healing in this sense is quite different from curing. Healing music is used in conjunction with medicine, not in place of, to help make a person whole – it is not used to cure the physical symptoms of disease but to go much deeper into the inner person to do its healing work there.

Having said that, there are many physical, as well as emotional, benefits to therapeutic music of which the following are just a few:

• Reduce tension and stress by affecting the body’s natural rhythms of heartbeat, respiration, pulse rate, and blood pressure

• Reduce pain and the need for pain medication by increasing endorphin levels and decreasing the level of stress hormones

• Boost immune system by oxygenating cells and allowing the body to help itself resist disease

• Stimulate digestion

• Reduce nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy

• Disorganize the structure of cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact

• Change perception of space and time reducing feelings of restriction and confinement

Therapeutic music, when done correctly, is non-invasive, safe, and pleasant. Live music (dynamic) is more beneficial to healing than recorded (static) because it can be adjusted to meet the changing needs of the listener but if you have the ability to make music, by all means grab your instrument, as this is the best therapy of all! Many instruments are suitable for this type of music but the harp has long been revered as a healing instrument due to its pure tones and natural acoustics. The plucked string has a long sustain, or continued vibration, and is pleasing to the ear. Woodwinds are also a good choice because they tend to create a natural soothing resonance. Some electronic keyboards can work but lack the overtones that resonate in acoustic instruments.

Music continues to transcend all cultural, geographical, language, and time boundaries to bring balance and healing to those who are suffering. If you are interested in using healing music to help you through your cancer journey there are many CD’s available.
Suggested Music List