Ragas exist in the universe as ‘patterns’ and we tune into them. 

Each raga (melody) has a particular depth and intensity in its situation and when it is played, people recall memories of situations in their lives that had the same depth and intensity of feeling. 

In Raag Bhairavi for example, there was a common theme of separation or quarrel with a loved one especially in a man-woman relationship. This phenomena is also seen in homeopathy. For example ‘Natrum Muriaticum’ has ‘disappointment in love’ and the memories associated with it. Thus Natrum Muriaticum is closest to Raag Bhairavi as per Dr. Sankaran’s study.

Dr. Sankaran sang twenty five ragas to a group of thirty five people all over the world, who did not have much idea about Indian Classical Music. 

He believes and I quote, ‘You don’t sing the raga, the raga sings you’ . The ragas are not humanly created, they exist as patterns, just like the rhythm of your heart that beats constantly in a particular way. When we tune into that and plug into the raga, the raga permeates through your entire being and can change your present disease state into a state of ‘ease’ and ‘inner calm’. 

He sang the ragas in their purest form himself, and did not use any rhythm. The reason for this is very clear. Most people listen to music for enjoyment. But this was not his aim. He wanted them to tune into the pure notes of the raga to get the authentic experience of the notes and write them down. 

He also did not play the raga sung by a famous personality on a compact disc for the provers. This is because in truth, all famous singers sing the raga in a way that fully exploits their singing talent. Thus the raga is sung in a ‘variation’ to its pure form. 

Thirdly, he did not use words while singing. Words create images in the mind and can distract the listeners focus on the images rather than the raga (melody) itself. Thus the emphasis on ‘pure listening’ was followed throughout the study, to get the best impact of the raga on the individual.

The main healing aspect of music is to match the energetic patterns of the person who is listening to it. This healing principal is homeopathic in nature. 

For example if one gets a finger burn, the homeopathic principle states that one must dip the finger in hot water rather than cold water. The burning will initially increase, but later when you pull out the finger, the burning sensation will reduce significantly. 

To use raga as a remedy means to prescribe a specific raga that matches the state of an individual and have him or her listen to the raga and experience its effect. 

The effect of the raga in curing a state is universal. Dr. Sankaran sang and played various ragas in different countries and all of them elicited the similar response in accordance to the state it brought on within people of different races and nationalities. They addressed the innate pattern of the individual and helped heal those patterns of expressing disease states. 

Ragas allow the mind to become silent and meditative. It turns one inwards rather than outwards and the healing that occurs touches the innermost core of one’s very own being, matching exactly his/her pattern. 

The beauty of application of ragas for healing is that every healer of any affiliation, not just homeopaths, can use the ragas for healing their patients, even those who do not know music and homeopathy. As long as they can match the energy pattern / state of a person with the energy pattern of the raga, they can make a successful prescription. And even without using the word ‘homeopathy’ , we can use the energy pattern of music according to the most fundamental principle laid out in homeopathy, “like cures like”.

Thus Dr. Sankaran through the creation of the ‘Raga Therapy App’ has pushed the barriers of medicine and healing to a higher level of ‘energy medicine’. 

Download the RAGA THERAPY APP from Apple Store or Google Play Store and let us know your feedback : raga@sankaransclinic.com