• A review of ‘The Miracle of Music Therapy’ by Rajendar Menen.

Music is holistic and universal and does not restrict to  any particular country or region. Music, as a therapy, can be used to  cure psychosomatic diseases. It is now an established fact that music helps all living creatures - from plants to birds and animals and man - to grow and rejuvenate. Music permeates the cells of all living beings, alters mood swings, cell division, heals the ailing, induces sleep, creates wakefulness and dances with the mood, the mind and the soul.

Internationally acclaimed writer Rajendar Menen's book 'The Miracle of Music Therapy" is a brilliant book that covers a wide spectrum and perspective pertaining to the significance of music and how music is extremely useful as a therapy to cure many diseases,  especially psychosomatic that concerns the hearts and the emotions of human beings that needs to be maintained for a harmonious life span and well being. The book is published by Pustak Mahal and is very nominally priced.

The healing powers of sound and music reduces anxiety, stress and pain, boosts emotional and physical well being, helps children with learning disabilities, cures insomnia, depression, epilepsy, strokes etc, eases labour pains, facilitating smooth delivery and promotes physical rehabilitation.

Music allows us to transcend the everyday states of consciousness and travel to places that we either have a memory of or create in our imagination. This process of transcending the mundane evokes psycho physiologic responses when people shift to altered states of consciousness. When an individual uses music for relaxation, their abstract thinking is slowed down as they remain in a normal waking state. As they continue with the process of relaxation, the individual moves to the remainder of the six states of consciousness, expanded sensory threshold, daydreaming, trance, meditative states and rapture.

In these states of consciousness, time takes on a different meaning for the individual. Often during music therapy sessions, people will lose track of time for extended periods, which in turn helps them reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, fear and pain which indeed is the need of the hour. Hence music therapy is indeed the best way to rejuvenate, energise, recreate and focus on your life for better health and well being.

Rajendar Menen is a celebrated award winning journalist and writer, who has been published in several countries. He began his career, which spans over three decades, with The Times of India in Mumbai. He has launched and edited journals and has written four books on different aspects of healing. Has also freelanced for the BBC, UNFPA, France 2, Ray of Hope,  Kathmandu,Nepal,Teacher's Training Centre, Tralee, Ireland and several other international media organisations. He has co-authored books on AIDS and prostitution in South Asia, been executive Editor of three journals on the technical and human aspects of HIV and AIDS and written extensively on the subject. The street is his muse. He lives and works in Mumbai.

Guru Vijay Shanker is a professional Kuchipudi, Kathakali exponent, dance teacher, choreographer, actor and arts critic for over four decades, contributing for national and international publications. He is particularly credited for his lecture-demonstrations on Indian classical dancing which is a fine combination of both education and entertainment.

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Also read The Power of Music Therapy