There is no doubting the powerful influence of the vibration we call music. In fact, there is an ancient story that relates that the soul did not want to enter the physical body, until music was placed inside the body and the soul entered to hear it. It is the internal vibration of our bodies that makes us so connected to the external sounds we hear.

When you place your hand over your heart, you can feel your body vibrate to its rhythm, your breathing creates another pattern that affects the functions of your body. Your heartbeat sound is attuned to a specific note on the scale, each person's is different.

Because our own bodies make "music", our health is very much affected by vibrations of all types. It is the patterning of music that makes it effective in treatments. The type of music that you listen to consistently can tell a therapist a great deal about your state of well-being.

In ancient China, the emperor would review music reports from each province, when all the provinces were in harmony, peace reigned in the land. But when the music became discordant, it was a sure sign that the people were discontent and attention to the situation was needed. There are many other examples throughout history, where music has been used to maintain well being in societies.

Next we will look at Using Music for Healthy Living.