Music and Healing

the Soft Power of the Sonic Essence

Abstract

A lot of people and cultures hold firmly to the belief that music has the power to heal sicknesses. These
people and cultures generally do not bother with the burden of proof. Somehow, they ‘know’ they are
right. This conviction is a very old one. This paper is an attempt to look at the source of music’s power to
heal, the dimensions of healing, the type of music that heals, instances of healing and why this discussion
is still attracting a lot of interests today. The conclusion is not farfetched. Music has power. The artful
manipulation of the power of music through learning, revelation, association, tradition, cultic rituals,
worship, and science can lead to an inexhaustible and manifold experiences including healing.