Music on prescription could help treat emotional and physical pain

"The impact of a piece of music on a person goes so much further than thinking that a fast tempo can lift a mood and a slow one can bring it down. Music expresses emotion as a result of many factors," says audio engineering specialist Dr Don Knox, project leader. "These include the tone, structure and other technical characteristics of a piece. Lyrics can have a big impact too. But so can purely subjective factors: where or when you first heard it, whether you associate it with happy or sad events and so on. Our project is the first step towards taking all of these considerations -- and the way they interact with each other -- on board."

I have known this since I was a child. I was acutely aware at an early age of how music of different types affected people in different ways at different times. Many people I have known have turned to music at some time in their life for comfort and as a way of understanding what was happening to them. The scarcity of music in mainstream education is disturbing and has had a major effect on the social fabric of our society. I challenge anyone to sit a child in the middle of a symphony orchestra and watch how that child is moved and changed by the sounds and emotions.

Let us all hope that this research encourages more people to go out and make music and get involved.

The Portal of Healing.

BBC News - Music therapy may help cut tinnitus noise levels

BBC News - Music therapy 'may help cut tinnitus noise levels'

It could significantly complement widely-used and rather indirect psychological treatment strategies

Dr Christo Pantev
Westphalian Wilhelms University

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Music therapy: Teachers strike an emotional chord with disabled students -- chicagotribune.com

Music therapy: Teachers strike an emotional chord with disabled students -- chicagotribune.com

"music teachers understood long before being validated by research that playing an instrument offers much more than simple pleasures and emotional release. For children and adults with disabilities, music can unleash especially powerful gifts, helping them communicate or process information in new ways"

From the Portal:

At this time of celebration for many around the world, let us remind ourselves that there are people who are struggling in life especially those with special needs. Having worked with and derived great joy from these people, I am reminded by the article above of how music can help them cope in life and how it can help us all.

I can only encourage you all, over the holiday season, to go out and see some music being performed especially in your local area. It does not have to be anything grandiose like a symphony concert although that would be nice but even just a simple local get together of people singing carols or folk songs or whatever they fancy.

Singing especially in groups is a powerful and positive experience for all people and has been for thousands of years. Don't be put off by saying "I can't sing" or "I am tone deaf", just the taking part and listening will have an effect on you and others and I am sure you will come away feeling better and more positive than before.

I aim to practice what I preach, I have been practising my violin, I have put some new strings on and intend to go out and make music this week. Enjoy music, that is why people make music, to be enjoyed, to move and to inspire.

The Portal of Healing.



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Kodō japanese drums

Kodō is an elite taiko drumming troupe. Based on Sado Island, Japan, they have been a major force in the post-World War II revitalization of taiko drumming, both in Japan and abroad. They regularly tour Japan, Europe, and the United States.

In Japanese the word "Kodo" conveys two meanings: "heartbeat" the primal source of all rhythm and, read in a different way, the word can mean "children of the drum," a reflection of Kodo's desire to play their drums simply, with the heart of a child.

Stomp- Stomp Out Loud

For those of you who like drums and rhythm, this video is for you. It is also very good therapy for anyone else that might be feeling a little down. This drumming is infectious, it makes me want to get up and dance.

I love the drumming, the choreography and the sounds they make. Drumming is very good for the spirit and a very good workout too! These guys are having fun and it shows.

The Portal of Healing.

In Harmony

In Harmony is a community development programme aimed at using music to bring positive change to the lives of very young children in some of the most deprived areas of England, delivering benefits across the wider community.



The programme encourages participation in music – in the form of the Symphony Orchestra – which can have huge personal benefits for the children involved, providing opportunities to grow and develop, both socially and musically. In Harmony is inspired by the hugely successful Venezuelan project El Sistema and is chaired by world renowned cellist, Julian Lloyd-Webber.

(Photo Courtesy of Paul Lewis Daily Mail)

From the Portal:

In Harmony is a project that we should all encourage as much as we can. The power of music on people and the benefits it brings are clear for all to see. I personally have used music as a means of therapy when working with people with special needs and the effects are quite wonderful to see, especially with the power and subtlety that a symphony orchestra can create.

I am sure most of you can remember going to see a concert or gig somewhere for the first time and felt your body, spirit and emotions moved by the sound. This is exactly what people need in their lives, that exposure to music and the vibrational, spiritual and emotional benefit it brings.

The Portal of Healing.

Venezuela Youth Orchestra - Bernstein - Mambo

A wonderful sight to see so many people having fun all at once - yet again, this is a powerful example of how music and creative activity can bring people together and promote healing, wellness and sheer enjoyment - this mambo will get you dancing!

The Portal of Healing.

The Portal of Healing

An Introduction

As with most things in life, chance played a part in the formation of The Portal of Healing. One day, some people met and decided that they wanted to make a difference in the world so The Portal of Healing was created as a gateway to promote healing, interactivity and access to more information about healing the self.

There are already a wide number of websites and companies out there promoting their services and products and this is where we will differ from the rest - you will find information, articles and contacts plus ways to interact with others seeking new and alternative ways to promote self healing.

To begin this journey, I have selected the subject of Cymatics. I am not going to attempt to define it as such but there are many links out there already on the subject. Safe to say that Cymatics is the study of wave phenomena or a study of how and what sound is and does in the real world.

It's creator or author so to speak is Hans Jenny (1904 – 1972) whose images are quite awe inspiring and give rise to many questions. How did sound come to be is one that I think of i.e. where does sound come from and how and why does it affect us in the way that it does? Cymatics will help to understand a little more the world in which we live and hopefully allow people to access a very natural and free form of therapy.

For those of you interested in seeing cymatics in action, what better place to start than that of the original video made by Hans Jenny which can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Io6lop3mk


Another good source of information can be found here at Cymatics Source

Thanks,

The Portal of Healing.