The Power of Sound: A Brief History of Music as Medicine
From ancient Greek temples to Indigenous healing ceremonies to modern music therapy, the use of sound for healing is one of humanity's oldest practices. Here's what history tells us.
Long before the development of modern medicine, healers around the world understood something that science is only now beginning to quantify: sound has the power to affect the human body and mind in profound ways.
Ancient Greece
The ancient Greeks built healing temples called Asclepieia where patients would undergo a process called incubation — sleeping in the temple while music was played, in the belief that the god Asclepius would appear in dreams and prescribe a cure. Pythagoras also developed a system of "musical medicine" using specific modes and rhythms to treat emotional and physical ailments.
Indigenous Traditions
Across cultures, from the Aboriginal Australians' use of the didgeridoo to the Tibetan singing bowl ceremonies to the drumming practices of Native American healing rituals, sound has been central to ceremonial healing.
Modern Music Therapy
Today, music therapy is a recognized clinical discipline used in hospitals, hospices, rehabilitation centers, and mental health settings. Research has documented its effects on pain perception, anxiety, blood pressure, and quality of life in patients with a range of conditions.
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