Context
On International Yoga Day 2024, a national seminar titled ‘Harmonious Healing: Integrating Music and Yoga Therapy for Wellbeing’, was organised and hosted by Advanced Centre for Yoga Therapy Education & Research (ACYTER), Department of Physiology, JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research), Puducherry, an institution of national importance and a tertiary care-referral hospital under The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India.
The national seminar was inaugurated by the top management of JIPMER led by Dr. Rakesh Aggarwal, Director, JIPMER.
As final speaker, Arnab presented an oral paper titled ‘Heal Through Rhythm: Where Yoga of Music meets Medicine’ followed by a concluding workshop as practicum titled, ‘Know Your Rhythm — training programme blending Music Therapy and Yoga Therapy’.
Scientific conference brochure: https://ninad.in/IYD-2024-JIPMER-Brochure.pdf
Abstract: ‘Heal Through Rhythm: Where Yoga of Music meets Medicine’
We are told by our RRssis that the universe started with a cosmic sound vibration called, AUM or OM. They experienced this primordial sound during heightened states of awareness attained in deep meditation. The Aitareya Brāhmanna of the RRgveda, in section 5.32, suggests that the three phonetic components of Om (a + u + m) correspond to the three stages of cosmic creation, and when it is read or said, it celebrates the creative powers of the universe. Each letter A, U, M indicates one of these three in ascending order and the syllable as a whole brings out the fourth state, Turīya, which rises to the Absolute. The RRssis believed that mantras consist of elementary sound vibrations that reflect various aspects of the Universe. Etymologically, the word mantra consists of two syllables: “man” - which goes back to the Sanskrit word for “mind”, and “tra”, which means “instrument”. Thus, a mantra is a tool of the mind that helps a person to know himself. It is known that mantras have several levels of interpretation. The depth of their understanding depends on the diligence of the practitioner of Mantra Yoga. AUM is one of the bīja mantras mapped to cakras, which are essentially the intersection of 108 meridians. Similarly, we have musical phonemes SĀ, RE, GĀ, MĀ, PĀ, DHĀ, NI mapped to chakras too. A superset of SARGAM is the Rāga or Rāgam, which can be defined as melodic modes with healing potential. This healing potential comes from the associativity of Rāgas to Nava Rasas, emotional archetypes which are Rāgas can also be mapped to Prahars, i.e. unit of time across the day and sometimes specific Ritu or season. Tāla or Tālam, consists of complex rhythmic structures vocalised and played with phonemes such Ta, Ka, Dhi, Mi, Dha, Dhin. Raaga and Tāl working hand-in-hand and determine the important notion of Laya, tempo, defined in Beats per Minute or BPM just like our pulse rate. Laya, Rāga, Tāla and Rasa have the power to influence us as Rasikas or receivers of Rasa, or Srota or listeners, creating significant changes to our physical health parameters and mental-health parameters including haemodynamic parameters such as pulse rate, blood pressure, cortisol levels and assessment via psychometric questionnaire.
In a clinical setting, a Rasika or Srota could be either the patient, i.e. care receiver or even the care-gives or both. In this oral paper, evidence-based case studies from Know Your Rhythm illustrated how integrating Music with Yoga Therapy can benefit the well-being for the care receiver. Know Your Rhythm blends the paradigms of Yoga of Music and Mantra with Yoga Therapy which includes Mudrā, Prānnāyam and Yoga Nidrā. Two case studies were presented from evidence-based published studies where Know Your Rhythm played a critical role.
The presentation concluded with the release of the video focused on Śānti Mantra from Garudda Purāna (35.51). Śānti Mantra is dedicated to peace and well-being and is the closing mantra for Common Yoga Protocol, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India. Śānti Mantra is a mantra and music production by Know Your Rhythm, led and chanted by Arnab: https://youtu.be/5DZFNIq0Qs4?si=1RhlKd5XiEslNQxj
