An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

to herself, and argues that music has played a significant role in healing since thebeginning of recorded history. Famous historic figures such as Plato and Pythagoras,are mentined, with their appreciation of Apollo, the god of both medicine and music,appealing to the oft-cited, but never-referenced „famous quote‟ from Plato that “Musicis a moral law. It gives soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to theimagination, a charm to sadness and life to everything. It is the essence of order thatleads to all that is good and beautiful, of which it is beautiful, but nevertheless passionin an eternal form” 5 . Priestly (1975) in her psychoanalytic approach concurs thatstudying the cathartic and hypnotic uses of music through history and in all culturesindicates that music must have been used therapeutically.Littlewood et al (2000), in comparing psychoanalysis with shamanic healing, cite Levi-Strauss‟s (1993) discussion of the use of songs amongst other symbols that are used tohelp women with a difficult childbirth. The suggestion is that the physical effects ofmusic may complement the symbolic effects of ritual, which may perhaps parallel theway healers can suggest that physical and spiritual interventions are complementary.Osterman (1998) asserts „The body is the temple of God therefore music in the bodyshould be music in the temple.” In a study in which she is frank about her personalreligious inspiration, she attempts a critical scholarly and scientific approach, providinga detailed account of the biological, social and spiritual aspects of worship music. Shemaintains that „music is organized sound, governed by time and space, creates andinfluence feelings, ideas, emotions, moods and behaviour. Sound is an external stimulusthat activates the senses through vibrations. These vibrations produce mental images,5 The author cannot find any passage resembling this anywhere in the complete English translations ofPlato on the internet. It would be interesting to know who actually composed these words, and who firstattributed the sentiment to Plato, but it is not necessary to support the argument of this thesis.284