Reflections and future directions in medical ethnomusicology  

by Dr. Benjamin Koen (China)

Origins and Expressions

To say that the relationship between music, health, and healing is as ancient as music itself, perhaps creates a false dichotomy that, in their origin, music and healing were separate or unrelated entities, and could therefore be combined into a relationship. Rather, perhaps in the earliest human experience the two were one unnamed reality and practice—what we might today call musichealing, musicwellness, or musicmedicine. In one track of contemporary research that explores the dynamics of music, prayer, and meditation in cultural and clinical contexts of health and healing, a similarity exists where, although music, prayer, and meditation can have independent and combined expressions to effect healing, they also very often are one and the same—an indivisible whole.¹

Reaching into the past to unearth some semblance of the origins of things, or to answer contemporary questions that relate to the human condition, always brings with it even more questions to fuel our inquiry—the path can be endless, albeit a great adventure. To provide a detailed account of music and healing (musichealing, musichealth, musicmedicine) in the human experience, moving from the mist of speculation about origins and pre-history, into ancient and modern history, and finally the present, and future directions would be an impossible task in the space provided here. Indeed, the ethnomusicologists, anthropologists, musicians, healers, researchers, practitioners, therapists (e.g. music, dance, drama, and expressive arts therapists), physicians, social and health scientists, among others that have in various degrees contributed to laying the foundations, the creation, establishment, and development of medical ethnomusicology are far too numerous to mention here.

Moreover, medical ethnomusicology is certainly not the only discipline concerned with the subject of music and healing. There are multiple areas and disciplines within and without academia, research, and applied practice that often share goals and approaches with medical ethnomusicology—indeed, at times there is such a common ground between disciplines or people involved in this work at the levels of research, application, and practice, that differences become secondary, if not irrelevant. This is often, but not always best seen in people who have significant experience, have studied, or hold degrees or certifications in more than one area, or who have in-depth study and practical experience apprenticing or learning from culture-bearers and traditional teachers. At the same time, many programs are increasingly approaching their discipline-specific education and training from an integrative or holistic knowledge perspective—that is, significantly drawing from any and all areas of knowledge that directly inform any given subject within their discipline.

In addition to medical ethnomusicology, the areas that are concerned with music, sound, health, wellness, prevention, and healing are increasing and include medical anthropology, the medical humanities, cognitive ethnomusicology, applied ethnomusicology, applied anthropology, music performance, social medicine, medical sociology, global health studies, music therapy, dance therapy, expressive arts therapy, art therapy, arts in medicine, drama therapy, poetry therapy, sound therapy, sound studies, sound healing, the arts, and several disciplines across the research, scholarly, and professional areas in medicine, including holistic, integrative, complementary, and alternative medicine (HICAM), psychology, psychotherapy, neuroscience, cognition, the social and health sciences and allied fields. Additionally, new tracks within music studies are increasingly including similar concerns in their endeavors—this can be seen for instance in the new tracks of music and community engagement and music and wellness.

Notably, as this list expands and becomes more diverse, there is a corresponding increase in unity of thought with respect to an awareness and acceptance among scholars, researchers, and practitioners that music and related practices can play a significant role in human health, wellbeing, prevention, and cure. Now, the time is propitious for this journal’s readership to significantly advance endeavors within and across disciplines, within and without academia, in research, applied practice, and treatment with respect to music’s multiple and diverse beneficial, functional, therapeutic, medical, preventive, wellness engendering, and healing roles for human beings.

01-05-2015, 20:12 geschreven door catherine wheels  

"I am Dr Ravindra Gangwani practising alternative medicine Ayurveda for last 18 years in Pune (India). I have been benefitted greatly throughout my career from the professional development and rich and supportive environments, where I have been fortunate to able to develop my practice. I have behind me a wealth of experience which I feel has contributed to my expertise in the field of Healthcare. I am thankful to share my experience of Healthcare in the western countries. I was asked by my friend from Belgium Anne Marijn Somers, who is a writer, to write about my personnel views and experience about Healthcare in the western countries. Last year I was fortunate to travel to Belgium for three weeks and this year in Germany for four weeks. After doing health consultation with many people here in Europe I developed my views to understand about Healthcare. Also many people from Europe as well as from different countries come to me in India for the treatment in my MBS Ayurvedic Center (Mind Body n Soul) in Pune. While describing about the healthcare in Europe it will be easy for me to describe about the illnesses that people are suffering in Europe. The commonest illness was like Cancer and Nervous Disorders like Alziheimers, Parkinsons, Neuralgia etc. When we refer the textbooks of western medicines the cause of the diseases is unknown. When we don’t know the cause, how can we cure the illness? So yes this is the big question mark and challenge for today’s Healthcare system. So when we treat the illnesses like this we take the pills which work on the symptoms and that is not the cure. In short people have to bear it rest of the life. Also at the same time people start searching Healers and Alternatives medicines from country to country, but where this journey come to an End?  Yes my friends it ends at HOPE. During their journey of Hope some of them come to me with Hope. OK! Now you will be curious to know how I treat these people. Yes sure I will tell you. I show them the way of Life, the path of Health along which they will reach their destination. We all know “WHEN THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY” So I increase their will power to fight and conquer against their illnesses. Yes this is called Holistic way of Healing with Nature. 

Above all in today’s jet age, no time, everybody wants to run the race of Life at the cost of Health and they stop only when something goes wrong with their Health. Why not people follow the Quote which all of them have learn in the school when they were young. Yes you are Right. “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE” As in the above conditions there is no cure, but there is of course Preventions of the illnesses. So am the Doctor who beliefs and practices Preventive Healthcare Systems. So for you and your children you should follow Preventive Healthcare System which is not expensive and affordable as compared to the cost of illnesses and Painful sufferings. As you pay your bills regularly like insurance etc. kindly make a small bill for Preventive Healthcare on regular basis.

So know all get ready for the Change in Life, I would like to share some Healthy Guidelines to follow for Healthy Future:

1) Routine or Regime: First and foremost important thing one should follow is proper routine or regime designed by one own self. The basic rule is “whatever we can do for ourselves to improve our own health is more effective in the long run than what another person or doctor can do for us” Only when we have failed in our own efforts does the healthcare professional or clinical facility become necessary. Even then their value is temporary, to bring us back to the point of properly caring ourselves. Often small things we do for ourselves, such as giving up wrong foods, do more than taking many medicines or consulting many doctors. In short there is no substitute for our own right living. One has set him/her self to right regimen of particular body type covering all aspects of our nature, physical, psychological and spiritual.

2) DIET: Diet can be an effective treatment in itself. Dietary treatment is usually the safest therapy. Right diet is the main factor in the treatment of the physical body that is built up by food. Without changing our diet we cannot expect the body, which is its product, to change fundamentally whatever else we may attempt. Wrong diet is the main physical cause of disease. By correcting the diet, we eliminate the fundamental cause of disease. “We are what we eat” What we eat affects our emotions and can create a predisposition for both psychological and physical disorders. Just as wrong emotions can upset our digestion, so wrong digestion can upset our emotions.

Ayurveda has described the origin for all the diseases is “LOW DIGESTIVE FIRE”. In Sanskrit language it is said “ Sarva Roga Appi Mandaagni”  This means all disease have their origin from low digestive fire that is “Indigestion” and “Indigestion” is because of wrong food. So my experience in the practice about diet was all opposite what was mention in Ayurveda. Many people are having habit to eat cold storage food, bread etc. which is very low in digestive fire energy, which over the period of time leads to indigestion, the starting point for the process of illness.            Many people had habit to cook once a week and eat the same food for whole week and this is one of the predisposing factors for Cancer.                                                                                       In females use of hormones beyond certain limits in their younger age also increases the chances of Cancer. It was shocking for me when the females in their teenagers are given contraceptive pills right from the age of 12 to 14 years for a very long period of time, like 10 to 15 years.  There are many such more experience which I got during my practice with the western population. 

3) Deficiency of Vitamin B12 leads to many nervous disorders like Alzihmers  which is also on the rise in the western population and again the cause is related to your diet habits and metabolism.

So now you all got the idea how indigestion leads to the all the diseases. So we at our center do all the detox programs. {Panchkarma } Panch means Five and Karma means therapies, so there are five different Purifications therapies described in Ayurveda for detoxifying your Body and Mind. One of the detox program which we do for Indestion (Low in Digestive Fire) is colon cleansing. Most of us suffer from an accumulation of toxins, undigested food particles or waste materials, called Ama in Sanskrit. Ama (Toxins) not only causes diseases, but also blocks the assimilation of nutrients. Without first clearing this accumulation, the right herbs and foods cannot be absorbed properly. Most diseases are Ama-caused or Ama-related, including chronic disease like allergies, arthritis and cancer.Ama weakens the immune system, causes the body to attack itself, and imbalances the metabolism. Ama is opposite in qualities to Agni or Digestive Fire. When the Agni is good, Ama will not be formed. When Agni is Low Ama easily increases.   

So for preventive and curative purpose one should do Ayurvedic colon cleansing.                                                                                                                                

Of all the vital organs in the body, the one that suffers the most abuse from modern dietary habits is the colon. A healthy colon will completely eliminate feces, toxins, parasites, bacteria, and dead cells. In many instances, though, this waste accumulates over months and years, becoming impacted over time. Astonishingly, it’s estimated that many people have 10-12 pounds of rotting and undigested feces and food in their digestive tracts.            Colon cleansing is done with Ayurvedic medicated enemas.

Why is the colon so important? (small story)

One day the body got together and decided to have a board meeting. Here’s what went on behind closed doors. There was intense discussion to determine:

WHO WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BODY?            

The BRAIN was the first to speak. “Without me, nothing would be accomplished.”
Then the HEART spoke up. “Without me, pumping blood to your brain you could not function.”
The ARMS laughed. “You’re both wrong, without me to put food in the mouth, nothing would work.”
The LEGS quickly added. "Without me you couldn't get your food"
The STOMACH said, “Without me, your food would not digest.”
The LUNGS bellowed back, “Without me, you couldn’t breathe.”
The EYES blinked, “Without me you could not see.”
The KIDNEYS snorted, “Without me, you could not detoxify and eliminate.”
The COLON meekly spoke up. “I am important. You need me to eliminate all of the garbage from your systems.”
Everyone laughed and made fun of him. “How can you be as important as we are. You’re just a smelly old sewer.”

Diet modifications

Drink pure water. Reduce coffee and all other caffeinated beverages, carbonated drinks, high-protein animal foods, refined sugar, frozen food and processed food. Eat lots of fresh green vegetables, fruits and fruit juices. Include whole grain cereals - they promote the production of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin, which induces a greater sense of well-being. More diet can be plan individually according to the Body Type described in Ayurveda.

So my dear friends  there is no end to my writing about my experience in the field of healthcare. So to conclude with the note CHANGE in Diet and Lifestyle is the need of hour to Live Healthy and Beautiful Life. So if you follow Preventive Healthcare Model you can LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST. know your health, you are your own Doctor. Talk to yourself, listen to your Body, and Love yourself.       

BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY.

Dr. Ravindra Gangwani (BAMS,PGDHHM,PGDEMS,PDCR).

29-04-2015, 11:14 geschreven door catherine wheels