Most of the western world has considered music or any performing art as entertainment only. Originally, music, rhythm and dance were tools for wellness, bringing the community together, reducing pain, easing childbirth and other transformative experiences.
Dr. Oliver Sacks said," Music" has always been one of the first things I look up in the index of any new neurology or physiology textbook."
So, it was no surprise to me as a CMP (Certified Music Practitioner - Therapeutic musician working in a local hospital, that after playing "persciptive" music for 30 minutes at the bedside of a patient, his heart rate , blood pressure and oxygen uptake improved dramatically. A trained technician came by to test the vital signs of the individual and reported to me, " What happened, we have tried all day to lower his blood pressure and normalize the heart rate. His blood pressure was 133/73 and now it is 104/63. His oxygen uptake is 100%. "Did you give him some drugs??? "No I replied, I played the music in a particular manner according to his current condition." That is what is meant by Live Therapeutic Music or "perscriptive music."
I have had many of these kind of experiences with individuals at the bedside and have written reports for the Healing Arts department in a local Orlando hospital. However, you don't have to be laying in bed unable to function to benefit form a Live Terapeutic music session. You ccan be a stressed out executive living in 2016, who just needs to slow down and regroup. You may be the stressed parent of a special needs child and both of you can benefit from a session. This is not a performance it is an act of self care, music as caregiving.
According to the UK-based Journal of Advanced Nursing, "Listening to music can reduce chronic pain by up to 21% and depression by up to 25%.
So, even if you are a person who just likes going for massage or other holistic health service, having a session like this can help to rewire your circuits! RELAX, BREATHE AND ENJOY!