Ayurveda & Music: An Overview
Did you know music in Indian culture has always been deeply connected to spirituality? In fact, the wisdom is ancient! The sounds we sing, the mantras we chant, and the melodies in Indian classical music, according to yogic culture and Ayurveda (the ancient Indian system of medicine) can heal you.
Let’s find out more about this deep philosophy of music!
Written by: Ananya Bhatt
Understanding the Five Elements in Ayurveda and Their Connection to Music
According to Indian spiritual traditions, the universe began with a sound: Aum. ‘Aum’ was the primordial sound. From this subtle vibration, the five basic elements were created—Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. These elements make up our entire universe.
Everything in Ayurveda comes down to these five basic elements. Dr. Vasant Lad, the founder of the Ayurvedic Institute and a renowned Ayurvedic physician, says, “Man is a microcosm of the universe and, therefore, the five basic elements present in all matter also exist within each individual.”
Ether (Aakasha): Ether is present in every space in our bodies
Air (Vayu): Air is the governing force behind our movement, from walking to the pulsations of the heart.
Fire (Agni): Fire is our metabolism & digestion
Water (Jala): Water is present as all secretions
Earth (Prithvi): The Earth manifests as every solid structure holding our body together.
The Connection Between Music and the Five Elements
Not only can you see these elements in your body, each element is also reflected in music & sound. Sound is considered a vibration of Ether, so every sound and note is related to the Ether element. But each note in music is also made of one or more of the other elements:
'SA': Related to Fire
'RE': Tied to both Air and Earth
'GA': Corresponds to Earth and Air
'MA': Associated with Fire and Water
'PA': Connected to Water
'DHA': Reflects both Fire and Water
'NI': Related to Earth and Air
How Ayurveda and Music Promote Wellness
According to Ayurveda and yogic philosophy, our body has seven energy centers called chakras - each of the seven chakras is also connected to a mantra. When you meditate on these mantras and sound vibrations while concentrating on these chakras, Ayurvedic wisdom teaches that it helps you in different ways. For example, the sound ‘LAM’ is connected to the root chakra. To bring grounding in your life, you can use this mantra. Another example is the mantra, ‘VAM’. It’s connected to the sacral chakra (Svadhisthana), and can be used for cysts, kidney stones, and urinary system problems. These sounds are able to activate your parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. Slowly, mantras have the ability to heal you.
Music has the power of expression, communication, love, devotion, and healing. Sound healing is an ancient practice; sound is restorative, it brings inner tranquility, and unfolds cellular awareness. Every person has a prakruti sound, unique to their constitution and when they sing or say that mantra, their cells are able to recognize it.
Ayurveda talks about how sound healing is especially used for those with anxiety, insecurity, and a hyperactive mind. Because they are related to the Ether element, music and mantras are able to calm the mind instantly. They also serve as a channel to access a deeper state of consciousness, and heal your mind, body, and soul.
There are many connections between music and healing, and Ayurveda uses music as a tool. Music has the power to change your personality, heal your body, and activate/unfold your inner pharmacy.
about the author:
My name is Ananya and I am in high school. I spent the last school year studying Ayurveda at the Ayurvedic Institute with Dr. Lad.
I think it's beautiful how Ayurveda relates to every aspect of life, including music. I’ve been learning music for almost 3 years with Sur Sangat, and I feel that learning Ayurveda and philosophy helped deepen my musical journey.
After the year, I was able to appreciate the spiritual aspect of singing much more, and use it to build depth.
