"Music therapy" has been a popular topic of research by physiological and psychological experts, who have recently released data and statistics supporting the fact that music can affect the entire body. That means, when one is listening to music, the sensation is not just limited to the hearing organs and the hearing nerves in the brain, the reception is omni-directional. When one is in an environment pervaded by music, one's "whole body" is "listening" and reacting. Music has been found to produce a three-dimensional influence on the human body by affecting the secretion and transmission of the neurotransmitter polyphenol.

Some scientists have made use of the transmission quality of water by having deaf people "listen" to music in this liquid. Of course, they do not listen with their defective ears; rather, they "listen" with their bodies. In the water, they can sense the sound vibrations, which make the hearing nerves in their brain feel the music.

Therefore, we can clearly understand the power of music and its therapeutic effects. In physics terminology, "music" and "sound" are defined as that generated by objects in intense vibration which is transmitted into the surrounding air, changing the air density and producing sound waves of different wavelengths. When these sound waves spread and reach our eardrums, they stimulate the hearing nerves and yield a sound effect. This brings us to the conclusion that sound is one of many forms of vibration. Light and sound are actually two aspects of one and the same thing. Vibration is perceived by the eyes as light, and received by the ears as sound. Sound is audible light, and light is visible sound. The interface between the intangible light and tangible substances is the sound which falls somewhere between the tangible and intangible, serving as a transformer or rectifier between the two.

The sound wave is a path or bridge for communication. When we come home physically exhausted, we play some light music and let it pervade the whole room, and we feel much relaxed after a while. It is because, after the connection between our physical body and soul has been severed, the sound wave of music becomes a bridge that helps the constricted energy to circulate smoothly, and thus revitalizes our exhausted body. This resembles the ribbon exercises that children do. The ribbon stick is held and shaken vigorously up and down to create a sequence of waves that are transmitted along the ribbon, from the energizing end to the free end until the waves become uniform.

          1.  ───────, the stable ribbon.
                    2. ﹏.╴╴╴╴ , energy transmitting from one end to the other
                    3.  ～～～～～～, equal vibration at both ends

From a video tape for educational purposes about the work of Children's Development Center, Cambridge British, I saw how musical therapy was used to help a child with multiple deficiencies. The little girl was unable to speak a whole sentence and could not calm down due to emotional handicaps. At her first treatment, the therapists failed to establish a friendship with her. Unable to cope with the strange surroundings and people, she kept screaming and wailing, and even became aggressive. To divert her attention, a therapist suddenly played a few loud and harsh "musical" notes on the piano. The child was amazed to hear a sound even more powerful than her wailing. Her curiosity was aroused, her puzzled expression indicating her interest in finding out where this strange sound came from. And she calmed down.

The therapist stopped banging down on the piano keys. Instead, she switched to a soft and melodious tune, and even imitated the sounds of animals in order to develop an understanding and friendship with the child. Gradually, through musical activities, rhythmic exercises and games, the child became free of agitation and felt herself on firmer ground. She began to have greater confidence in the surroundings and in herself. Simple utterances slowly gave way to melodious humming. After a period of two years in which she also received a language therapy, she was finally able to speak in complete sentences.

A teacher of mine was originally introvert, shy and quiet by nature. However, heshe changed completely into a lively, active, and cheerful person after studying at the Orff Institute of Salzburg. The institute had employed instructional techniques that were often used by musical therapists.

Martin Luther once said, "All music lovers are endowed with heaven's grace."

I am sure that fellow Quan Yin practitioners can best understand the meaning of this statement. As a popular advertisement goes, "Children who learn music won't become bad!" Just by playing music or receiving treatment using musical instruments, patients have been found to overcome their depression and become cheerful and self-confident; even children who cannot receive normal education due to multiple mental deficiencies can be taught to speak and overcome their restlessness and bad temper. As we practice the supra-worldly sound of the Quan Yin Method, the sound current will definitely pervade our body, heart and mind to purify and elevate us, and take us back to the magnificent homeland of our souls-the heavenly kingdom. This is the truly superb "musical therapy" that transcends all else!