Using Sounds & Music for Healing, According to Ayurveda

by Madeline Kim on Nov 06, 2022

Music and Your Wellbeing

We've all used music in some form to manage or uplift our mood, or enhance the quality of certain activities - work, play, sleep and more. Music is processed directly by the amygdala, which is the part of the brain involved in mood and emotions.

Ayurveda advises using all of your five senses to heal and according to Ayurveda, music can be used as medicine. Music holds an eminent place in the Vedas as well. We can tell by the fact that an entire Veda known as the “Samveda” is dedicated solely to music.

What is the Samveda?

Sama means "melody" while Veda means “knowledge". The Samveda is also known as the "Book of Song" or the "Veda of Chants," and it is a collection of tunes and chants. Nearly all of its 1,900 verses are drawn from the "Rig Veda."

The Samaveda is thought to have been put together around 1200 or 1000 BCE. When performed properly, the hymns of the Sama Veda help you comprehend the eternal truths. It is believed that the vibrations of the universe were used to create the musical patterns in the Samaveda. Samveda is believed to establish the foundational elements for Indian classical music.</p>

How can music help you heal, according to Ayurveda?

According to Ayurveda, listening to music that is opposite to our personality can help us achieve a balanced state of health and wellness. The dosha dominates your physiological and psychological processes determines your Ayurvedic dosha type. Finding the ideal music for you to play, produce, or simply enjoy begins with determining the dosha that characterizes your mind-body type. Following this, you can use these recommendations to choose the kind of music that will most likely promote your general wellbeing.

Music for Vata Dosha
Fear and anxiety can be two of the most prevalent characteristics of vata types. An excess of lightness or movement—erratic thoughts, concerns, obsessions, confusion, and difficulty focusing—signifies a mental Vata imbalance. Additionally linked to excess vata is a hyperactive nervous system and difficulty sleeping.

In general, it's preferable to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere in a room when Vata is overactive by playing meditation music with a mild and melodic tone. A flute or other well-balanced wind instrument, such as bass guitar, with a deep tone, will have a grounding effect and counteract having an excess of vata. Vedic instruments such as the harmonium and sitar are believed to produce music and sounds that can pacify vata.

Music for Pitta Dosha

The pitta constitution has a dominance of fire and water elements, and is oft linked to a stubborn mentality. Pittas have a lot of motivation and are competitive and goal-oriented. This capacity to control willpower is swiftly transformed into anger, irritation, judgment, and criticism by an excess of Pitta. If you've been feeling unduly impatient or dissatisfied with your life, it's probably wise to balance your pitta.

Music is a wonderful approach to balance Pitta on a daily basis, and calm the mind. Pitta can be quickly tamed in the mind by listening to nature sounds, especially music that features running water or the ocean, sounds of rainfall, and crickets chirping at night. Pitta will respond favorably to music with mid-range tones and instruments like the saxophone or any kind of slow, rhythmic percussion or drums.

Music for Kapha Dosha

Kapha's intrinsic elements are earth and water. It is steady, hefty, slow, frigid, and soft. Kapha dislikes change, especially when it is imbalanced. There is too much steadiness and a propensity to cling to things that no longer benefit you when Kapha in the mind becomes excessive. Kapha manifests as depression or the unwillingness to move on when faced with change. A dislike for change can cause congested living, stagnation, or a sense of being stuck.

Kapha is balanced by upbeat and energizing music. Research has shown that listening to music—specifically classical music mixed with jazz—can help reduce the symptoms of depression. Drums, chimes, electric guitar, keyboard, and piano are the ideal instruments to use in higher-toned music to balance and re-establish the flow of the sometimes sluggish and dull Kapha energy. Turn up your favorite upbeat music: whether it's rap, rock, Latin, Jazz, or dance music to balance the Kapha in your system.