Healing with Harp Therapy
Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.
What a beautiful and powerful sentiment! It has been said that music is the soundtrack of our lives, blending seamlessly in and out of our daily scenery. Who among us hasn't experienced the invigorating "singing in the shower" feeling-belting out tone-deaf show tunes into the showerhead? Who hasn't survived love's heartbreak only by the obsessive replaying of "our song"? Moreover, when you're in the dentist's chair awaiting that dreaded root canal, isn't it strangely reassuring to sing along to piped-in "lite" music? (C'mon...you can admit it!)
Certainly, music is an integral part of our daily lives and makes the world a more pleasurable place to reside. But does music have healing properties? Can the "angelic" quality inherent in the harp also have an "analgesic" effect on chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, or fibromyalgia? Growing contingents of music therapists who have studied and practiced harp therapy in hospitals and nursing homes believe that the answer is a qualified "yes."
Harp as Therapy
The history of the harp dates back to ancient, biblical days, where it was regarded as a symbol of spiritual healing and comfort. The heavenly beauty of its unique timbre makes it a natural choice as an instrument for music therapy. The philosophy of harmony and elemental balance is intrinsic in the design of the harp and in the energy of the musician who plays it.
According to The Harp Therapy Journal, there are certain characteristics that make the harp a unique instrument for therapy. They include:
- The harp's classic significance as an ancient, spiritual healing instrument, which opens doors to the collective unconscious and, therefore, may facilitate the healing process.
- A wide pitch range (low C-32.703 Hz to high G-3136.0 Hz), which can vibrate the entire human body.
- A varied and soothing palette of tone colors.
- The unique glissando technique using enharmonic tones which creates an ethereal effect
- The tension release associated with the emotional expression of plucking its strings, (as Pythagoras suggested when he saw the strings as symbols of the nervous system).
- The instrument's vibratory effect on the harpist's body, particularly the thymus gland, a major gland of the immune system located in the chest
Although there are many anecdotal reports that encourage the therapeutic benefits of harp therapy, do keep in mind that there are very few scientifically controlled studies on this specific therapy. Documented studies regarding the healing effects of music can be found at American Music Therapy Association
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