A metaphysical and neuropsychological assessment of musical tones to affect the brain, relax the mind and heal the body

Abstract

It has been empirically established through many controlled studies that one of the most rewarding experiences known to humanity is listening to music, especially because it affects various parts of the brain and causes emotional arousal. The aim of this article is to do a succinct study on music and its effect on, especially, the nervous system, by referring to various empirical studies undertaken on the subject. The article, therefore, has a twofold purpose: (1) to show that throughout history, music has played a special role in various cultures and religions, especially as a healing tool and (2) to demonstrate that sound frequencies and vibrations found in music have the potential to realign the emotions of the nervous system and bring the body back into harmony by reducing stress.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article�s challenge and purpose are to show that science and religion are not in conflict, but rather that together they can benefit both disciplines and make better sense of complicated topics, especially those related to how natural science and religion deal with the human body and health, and its relationship to the mind.

Social and dimensional comparison effects on children’s music self-concept and intrinsic value: An extension of the generalized internal/external frame of reference model to the music domain

“…Data analysis was performed with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) using the maximum likelihood estimator with robust standard errors (MLR) in Mplus 8.6 (Muthén & Muthén, 1998−2017. To replicate the pattern of relations in the GI/E model including music, mathematics, and verbal domains (RQ1), multiple SEM models were tested in which students' self-concepts and intrinsic values of the second measurement point were considered as latent variables and students' grades of the first measurement point were considered as manifest achievement indicators.…”

Examining the function of neurobiology in Christian spiritual experiences and practice

“…As stated before, this article explores whether spiritual experiences are a result of neurobiological correlates or supernatural intervention by God, or both. In this sense, and according to the view of Pretorius (2018:152), when studying the reality of spiritual experiences, there is a metaphysical side to it, specifically first principles of phenomena which, according to this framework, is God and 1.Note that some information in this article was used in three previous papers published by the author: see Pretorius (2016Pretorius ( , 2017Pretorius ( , 2018.…”

“…The unique multisensory experience of worship, especially in the more Charismatic and Pentecostal churches, seemingly affects numerous sections of the brain, such as the hippocampus for memory, the amygdala for emotional reaction to music and the cerebellum that can cause foot-tapping and dancing, as music influences the autonomic nervous system. For an indepth study of this, see Pretorius (2017).…”

A influência da música no consumo dos alimentos

“…As pessoas ouvem música para relaxar, para dançar, músicas que criam memórias de eventos vivenciados; tudo isso ocorre devido às conexões proporcionadas por nosso sistema nervoso (Pretorius, 2017). Tecnicamente quando começamos a ouvir música as ondas sonoras emitidas são traduzidas em sinais eletroquímicos que atingem o córtex auditivo que irá analisar tom, ritmo, volume, timbre, harmonia e ressonância (Coelho, 2019), por isso alguns pesquisadores afirmam que quem "escuta" música é o cérebro.…”

“…Diante do exposto pelos autores acima, sabe-se que a música devolve ao corpo as substâncias químicas que estão desreguladas, reduzindo assim o estresse. Nesse caso, a música, como ferramenta, pode ser usada para afetar a emoção, alterar o humor e despertar respostas biológicas intensas (Pretorius, 2017).…”