MUSIC EXORCISM
By Dr. Lee Warren, B.A., D.D.
PLIM REPORT, Vol. 11 #4
Feel free to copy and circulate this article for non-commercial purposes provided the Web site and author are mentioned.
Introduction
Since
mankind’s inception music has always played an importance part in human
life. From the most primitive to most advanced cultures, music has
always existed in some form. Music is as universal as speaking, for it
is an integral part of mankind’s being.
In
fact, the most beautiful music exists in nature. Yahweh Elohim has
imbued the birds, the crickets, other insects, mammals, the wind blowing
through trees, and water to make the most beautiful music. In many
cases this music is used as mating calls. Without this music the forest
would be dead. Have you ever been in a forest before an approaching
storm? There is a strange, unnatural quietness.
Both
the ancient, primitive, and advanced civilizations realized the power
of music. Music has been used in every aspect of human life, such as
funerals, feasting, weddings, hunting, war, entertainment, and in worshiping various deities.
There
is no question of the power of music in these various circumstances to
lift the human spirit and in fact in many instances transform it. As the
old adage goes, music will soothe the savage beast and quiet the
beastly soul of man.
What has been said about music’s effect on man?
Here are some quotes on music from the American Music Therapy Association, Inc. at http://www.musictherapy.org/quotes.html:
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Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) SUPERIOR, WI Telegram, Aug. 14, 1991.
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“Music
helps all types of people to remain forever young.” He noted that
Congress had never before “directly addressed the question of music” as
preventive medicine and as “a therapeutic tool for those suffering from
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, strokes and depression.”
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Dr. Oliver Sacks (Neurologist Author, Awakenings):
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Dr.
Sacks reports that patients with neurological disorders who cannot talk
or move are often able to sing, and sometimes even dance, to music. Its
advocates say music therapy also can help ease the trauma of grieving,
lessen depression and provide an outlet for people who are otherwise
withdrawn. <ST. Louis Post Dispatch.
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Barbara Crowe (past president of the National Association for Music Therapy):
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“(Music
therapy) can make the difference between withdrawal and awareness,
between isolation and interaction, between chronic pain and comfort —
between demoralization and dignity.”
What is the intent of this article?
The
focus of this article will be on the power of music and scientific
evidence to prove the effect of music upon both the human body and mind.
In Europe music has been used as treatment for various forms of
physical disorders and mental illnesses for years, which this article
will briefly explore.
This
article will also examine the ability of music to cast out spirits. The
most astounding instance of the power of music was recorded in the
scriptures when David used his skill as a harp player to cast demonic
spirits from King Saul that had taken possession of his body and soul.
What is music?
Now
music is defined as follows in the Webster’s New World Dictionary: 1
the art and science of combining vocal or instrumental sounds or tones
in varying melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre, esp. so as to form
structurally complete and emotionally expressive compositions 2 the
sounds or tones so arranged, or the arrangement of these 3 any rhythmic
sequence of pleasing sounds, as of birds, water, etc.
In
short, music sets up vibrational tones to some pattern that is pleasing
to the mind. It is these musical patterns that can transform the mind
from melancholy to happiness and can energize the mind.
Did the ancients have knowledge of the power of music?
The power of music has been known for thousand of years. Quoting
the book Super-Memory The Revolution (SMTR) by Shelia Ostrander and
Lynn Schroeder, it confirms the ancients had knowledge of the use of
therapeutic sounds. “… ancient physicians of many cultures did use music
to regulate heartbeat, cure melancholy, and regulate the body’s
“vapours” (probably electromagnetic fields).” 2
Both
the authors of the SMTR, Ostrander and Schroeder, said the ancient
secret societies of the priests knew this knowledge. Ostrander and
Schroeder states: “The idea that specific tones can affect the mind
and body had been handed down from the earliest Semitic and Arabic
sacred knowledge. Pythagoras drew on this knowledge to devise a modal
system, which he said influenced both the gods and mankind¾one mode
banished depression, another grief, another passion. Pythagoras linked
the frequency resonance to the planets colors and numbers (p. 134).” Now this article will show that modern science researcher Dr. Tomatis has also found those sounds that power the mind.
Is there scientific evidence of the power of music?
The
book (SMTR) states that the French ear specialist Dr. Alfred Tomatis
said, “Some sounds are as good as two cups of coffee. Georgian chants
are a fantastic energy source…” He was invited to an abbey to look at a
problem with the monks. He found out after examining them, that they
were suffering from stress due to long hours of work since the
headmaster had forbid any music. Nothing seemed to work to improve the
situation. They slept more, but still felt exhausted. Even a change in
diet did not change the situation.
When
Dr. Tomatis introduced lengthy chanting, this lifted the spirit of the
monks resulting in the monks sleeping less, working more, and feeling
great. He examined the sound frequencies of the Gregorian chants and
other classical music like Mozart to see which sounds energized the
brain and which sounds depleted it of energy. It is high frequencies
that energized the human brain.
Dr.
Tomatis stated: “Your ear is your primary organ of consciousness.” He
goes on to say that the ear not only provides hearing for the brain, but
it also provides an electric potential to the brain. Now the cortex of
the brain distributes this charge throughout the body and mind. So Dr.
Tomatis said the cells in the cortex of the brain were like batteries
and it was the cortex cells that generate the energy for the brainwaves
EEG. He spent years determining how these cells charged and discharged.
Simply
put, Dr. Tomatis found that sound does two things when it enters the
body. First, it enters the ear where it is transformed into energy.
Then, it travels along the audio nerve (8th cranial nerve coming off the brain) where it energizes the brain and the sound goes along the vestibular nerve (8th
cranial nerve coming off the brain), which determines the posture and
muscle tone throughout the body. So sound can cause the brain to elicit
the proper feeling, such as peace, serenity, and also can allow the
muscles to relax, releasing stress.
Now the book SMTR
stated that Dr. Tomatis found out that the most powerful frequency that
will rapidly recharge the brain cortex is 8000 Hertz range. This is a
note E at the end of the violin’s string before overtones. Now an
examination of these high frequencies and their uses will show the power
of sounds.
Can healing be achieved with sounds?
Dr.
Tomatis found in his research that these high frequencies not only
relieve boredom and stress, but also can heal various disorders.
Although not accepted by the AMA and the American medical establishment,
it is an accepted method of protocol in France and its official name is
Audio Psycho Phonology (APP).
Now
Dr. Tomatis’ use and discovery of high-frequency sound cannot only
energize human beings, but it can cure many disorders. For example, in
Europe for the last 40 years the “Tomatis method” has been successful in
treating deafness, epilepsy, hyperactivity, severe muscle problem, and
autism, to name a few.
For
example, it successfully treated 12,000 dyslexics, in Europe and
Africa, by opening their hearing to high frequencies and feeding more
sound to the right ear than to the left through earphones. Dr. Tomatis found that humans read through our ears and in particular the right ear.
Now
Belgian sound therapist Dr. E. Spirig confirmed this by showing that
volunteers who were normal became dyslexia after they read aloud and
only heard themselves through their left ear of earphones.
Does sound affect plants?
Plants
researcher Dan Carleson of Blaine, Minnesota found that high
frequencies of 5000 hertz, which sounds like a giant cricket chirping in
the meadow, causes plants to grow faster and larger. It allowed the
plants to absorb nutrients sprayed on its leaves 700% more efficiency
than normal.
Proof
that this method worked was proven with Dr. Carleson’s purple passion
plant. He played his special music a half hour each day and sprayed the
plant with diluteed hormones and amino acids. It grew 1400 feet in two
years placing it in the Guinness Book of World Records. It normal
size is 14 inches. To further demonstrate that this method worked, he
took over a plantation in Hawaii of avocados trees that were in bad
shape. Using this method he increased plantation harvest 25 fold.
Now
modern science has shown the power of sounds can cause plants to grow
larger and faster, relieve mental states, such as boredom and stress,
and treat numerous psychological disorders.
Now that a context has been setup, we can see how ancient Hebrews used music to cast out spirits. Let’s first examine music in the Bible.
Is music found in the Bible?
There
are many instances of music in the Bible. First of all, the main
purpose of music is to give praise and honor to Yahweh the creator of
both the angelic and the physical creations. The book of Revelation
shows the true purpose of music. Here are few instances of how music was
used by Israel and in the angelic creation:
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The
Apostle John said that the twenty-four elders gathered around the
throne of the Lamb had harps in their hands and they sang a song with
the sons (saints) saying: “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to
open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to
Elohim (God) by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people,
and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we
shall reign on the earth.(Rev 5:9-10)”
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The
Apostle John said that in his vision he heard the voice of many waters,
as it were of thunder and he heard harpers singing a song that only the
144,000 who were redeemed from the earth knew (Rev. 14:2-3).
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When
the children of Israel went through the Red Sea, they san a song called
the Song of Moses after they saw Pharaoh and his host overthrown in the
Red Sea (Ex. 15:1 -21; Rev. 15:3).
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Yahweh used the sound of the 7 ram trumpets to bring down the walls of Jericho (Jos. 5th chp.)
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King
David wrote many psalms and created an order of musicians that sang
psalms unto Yahweh during the rituals and ceremonies before and after
Solomon completed the temple (1 Chr. 6:31; 15:23, 27).
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The Apostle Paul admonishes the Ephesian Assembly to sing songs unto the praise of Yahshua the Messiah (Eph. 5:19).
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Can the power of music cast out spirits?
The
most unusual instance of the use of music in the Bible is its use to
expel demonic spirits. Scriptures states that the servant of king Saul
noticed that an evil spirit was tormenting the king. He said “…,
Behold now, an evil spirit from Elohim (God) troubleth thee. Let our
lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man,
who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the
evil spirit from Elohim (God) is upon thee, that he shall play with his
hand, and thou shalt be well (1 Sam 16:15-16 KJV).”
From
this scripture it clear that that the spirit of Yahweh gave Saul’s
servant the ability to diagnose his condition and prescribe this rather
common treatment. This shows that music was used in this culture to expel demons from human.
Many
in the modern sciences of psychology and psychiatry would disagree with
this diagnosis completely. First of all, they do believe in the
existence of devils and they would say that Saul was suffering from a
mild case of depression or melancholic, which they say are his allegory
demons. But this does not alter the fact that the music was used to
transform his state of mind.
Now
David being a skillful player of the harp was able to play the right
music at the right frequency to soothe King Saul’s soul, and resulted in
these spirits being expelled. Modern science has shown the power of
music to cure all manners of physical and psychological disease.
What state does the proper music give the mind?
Now
the question is: if this is a spirit, how does music exorcize spirits?
The key is understanding what effects music has upon the mind. The right
music energizes the mind and brain bringing about a peaceful and serene
state. This has been scientifically proven.
It
is this state of mind that allows the Holy Spirit to operate which is
the spiritual immune system of the soul or mind. King David wrote in the
Psalms: “Be still and know that I am Yahweh (Psa. 46:10).” So,
music sets up a condition where the mind is stilled and focused on
sereneness and this allows the Holy Spirit within its temple of the body
to remove those negative influences or spirits. The prophet Zechariah
wrote: “Be silent, O all flesh, before Yahweh (the LORD): for he is raised up out of his holy habitation (Zech 2:13).”
Thus,
it is not the music itself that dispels these negative spirits. The
music sets up a type of meditative state and condition in the mind
resulting in a peaceful state that allows the Holy Spirit to work
within.
What
must be understood is that music is a type of the preaching of the
gospel to the souls of men that transforms the consciousness if they
believe the word of truth. This allows the Holy Spirit to manifest
itself to the human consciousness.
It is by the word of the gospel that faith is established. Paul said: “Without faith it is impossible to please Yahweh (Heb. 11:6).” In short, faith comes by hearing and how can one hear unless one is sent.
Asperger syndrome or Asperger's syndrome or Asperger disorder ( /ˈɑspɚɡɚz/i an autism spectrum
disorder that is characterized by significant difficulties in social
interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior
and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its
relative
preservation of
linguistic and cognitive development.
Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical
use of language are frequently reporAsperger syndrome is named after the
Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who, in 1944, studied and described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, demonstrated limited empathy with their peers, and
were physically clumsy Fifty years later, it was standardized as a diagnosis, but many questions remain about aspects of the disorder. For example, there is doubt about whether it is distinct from high-functioning autism (HFA); partly because of this, its prevalence
is not firmly establishet has been proposed that the diagnosis of
Asperger's be eliminated, to be replaced by a diagnosis of autism
spectrum disorder on a severity scale
Famous historical people have been speculated to have had autism or other autism spectrum disorders such as Asperger syndrome
by journalists, academics and autism professionals. Such speculation is
controversial and little of it is undisputed. For example, several
autism researchers speculate that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
had autism and other conditions, while other researchers say there is
not sufficient evidence to draw conclusions that he had any such
conditions
Controversial speculation
Speculative claims that historical figures
displayed behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorders include
people who died before the work done by Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner
in classifying autism spectrum conditions was completed. Autism has
only been recognized since the 1940s, so many earlier cases may have
gone undiagnosed.[
Speculation about their diagnoses is based on reported behaviors rather
than any clinical observation of the individual. Fred Volkmar, a
psychiatrist and autism expert and director of the Yale Child Study Center says, "There is unfortunately a sort of cottage industry of finding that everyone has Asperge
Michael Fitzgerald, of the Department of Child Psychiatry at Trinity College, Dublin, has speculated about historical figures with autism in numerous journal papers and at least three books: The Genesis of Artistic Creativity: Asperger's Syndrome and the Arts,[4] Unstoppable Brilliance: Irish Geniuses and Asperger's Syndrome[and Autism and Creativity, Is there a link between autism in men and
exceptional ability?[
| Person that may have had Asperger's Syndrome |
Speculator |
| Hans Christian Andersen – author |
Michael Fitzgerald |
| Béla Bartók – 20th century Hungarian composer |
Ioan James;Oliver Sacks says the evidence seems "very thin at best". |
| Hugh Blair of Borgue – 18th century Scottish landowner thought mentally incompetent, now studied as case history of autism. |
Rab Houston and Uta Frith[9] Wolff calls the evidence "convincing" |
| Lewis Carroll – writer, logician |
Michael Fitzgerald |
| Henry Cavendish – 18th century British scientist.
He was unusually reclusive, literal minded, had trouble relating to
people, had trouble adapting to people, difficulties looking straight at
people, drawn to patterns, etc. |
Oliver Sacks and Ioan James Fred Volkmar of Yale Study Child Center is skeptical. |
| Charles XII of Sweden – speculated to have had Asperger syndrome |
Swedish researchers, Gillberg and Lagerkvist |
| Jeffrey Dahmer – serial killer |
Silva, et al. |
| Anne Claudine d'Arpajon, comtesse de Noailles – French governess, lady of honor, tutor |
Society for French Historical Studies, New York Times |
| Charles Darwin – naturalist, associated with the theory of evolution by natural selection |
Michael Fitzgerald |
| Emily Dickinson – poet |
Vernon Smith |
| Éamon de Valera – Irish revolutionary and politician |
Michael Fitzgerald |
| Paul Dirac
– British mathematician and physicist. He was Lucasian Professor of
Mathematics at Cambridge University, 1933–1963 and a Fellow of St John's
College. Awarded the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the
mathematical foundations of Quantum Mechanics. |
Ioan James[2] and Graham Farmelo |
| Albert Einstein – physicist |
See analysis below |
| Janet Frame – New Zealand author |
Sarah Abrahamson] this suggestion has been the subject of some controversy.[ |
| Glenn Gould – Canadian pianist and noted Bach
interpreter. He liked routine to the point he used the same seat until
it was worn through. He also disliked social functions to the point that
in later life he relied on the telephone or letters for virtually all
communication. He had an aversion to being touched, had a different
sense of hot or cold than most, and would rock back and forth while
playing music. He is speculated to have had Asperger syndrome. |
Michael Fitzgerald Ioan James,[ Tony Attwood and NPR[ |
| Adolf Hitler – Austrian born, Nazi German politician, chancellor and dictator |
Michael Fitzgerald] and Andreas Fries |
| Thomas Jefferson – US President |
Norm Ledgin[Tony Attwood, and Ioan James |
| Keith Joseph – father of Thatcherism |
Michael Fitzgerald |
| James Joyce – author of Ulysses |
Michael Fitzgerald and Antionette Walker; this theory has been called "a somewhat odd hypothesis".[ |
| Ted Kaczynski – Unabomber |
Silva, et al.[ |
| Stanley Kubrick - filmmaker |
Michael Fitzgerald |
| Michelangelo – Italian Renaissance artist, based on his inability to form long-term attachments and certain other characteristics |
Arshad and FitzgeraldIoan James also discussed Michelangelo's autistic traits |
| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – composer |
Tony Attwood and Michael Fitzgerald;[others disagree that there is sufficient evidence to indicate any diagnoses for Mozart. |
| Isaac Newton |
See analysis below |
| Moe Norman – Canadian golfer |
USA Today |
| George Orwell
– writer speculated to have had Asperger Syndrome. His troubled life
went along with social interaction problems. Towards the end of his life
he wrote bitter polemic on his preparatory boarding school Such, Such Were the Joys which displays many of the characteristics of Asperger's and interpersonal relationships.
Orwell knew this intensely personal account was libellous and
biographers have found it a challenge to explain its conflict with the
truth, but Orwell still felt it important to publish this account
eventually. |
Michael Fitzgerald |
| Enoch Powell – British politician |
Michael Fitzgerald[ |
| Srinivasa Ramanujan – mathematician |
Ioan James and Michael Fitzgerald[ |
| Charles Richter – seismologist, creator of the eponymous scale of earthquake magnitude |
Susan Hough in her biography of Richter |
| Erik Satie – composer |
Ioan James and Michael Fitzgeral |
| Jonathan Swift – author |
Ioan Jame and Michael Fitzgerald |
| Nikola Tesla - Serbian
inventor, and electrical and mechanical engineer. Was able to mentally
picture very detailed mechanisms; spoke 8 languages; was never married;
was very sensitive to touch and had an acute sense of hearing and sight;
was obsessed with the number three; was disgusted by jewelery and
overweight people and also had several eating compulsions |
NPR, Harvey Blume |
| Alan Turing – pioneer of computer sciences. He seemed to be a math savant and his lifestyle has many autism traits about it. |
Tony Attwood[ and Ioan James |
| Michael Ventris – English architect who deciphered Linear B |
Simon Baron-Cohen |
| Andy Warhol – American artist |
Michael Fitzgerald[and Ioan James |
| Blind Tom Wiggins – autistic savant |
Oliver Sacks |
| Ludwig Wittgenstein – Austrian philosopher |
Michael Fitzgerl Tony Attwood and Ioan Jame Oliver Sacks says the evidence seems "very thin at best". |
| W. B. Yeats – poet and dramatist |
Michael Fitzgeral |
Einstein and Newton
Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton both
experienced intense intellectual interests in specific areas. Both
scientists had trouble reacting appropriately in social situations and
had difficulty communicating. Both scientists sometimes became so
involved with their work that they did not eat. Newton spoke little and
was frequently lukewarm or bad-tempered with the few friends he had. If
no one attended his lecture he still lectured to an empty ro] he was 50, Newton suffered a nervous breakdown involving depression and paranoia.
After Newton's death however, his body was found to
contain massive amounts of mercury, probably from his alchemical
pursuits, which could have accounted for his eccentricity in later life.
In her 1995 book In a World of His Own: A Storybook About Albert Einstein, author Illana Katz
notes that Einstein "was a loner, solitary, suffered from major
tantrums, had no friends and didn't like being in crowds". As an adult
his lectures were confusing
Arguments against
Oliver Sacks says that claims that Einstein or Newton had autism "seem very thin at best".[8] Glen Elliott, a psychiatrist at the University of California at San Francisco,
is unconvinced that either scientist had Asperger syndrome, claiming
"Einstein had a good sense of humour, a trait stereotypically uncommon
among those with Asperger syndrome
References
Source
http://www.tomatis.com/English/Articles/Dr.tomatis.html
King James Bible
(Endnotes)
2 Shelia Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder Super-Memory The Revolution http://query.nytimes.com/gst/health/article-page.html?res=9E0CE6DB103CF93AA35753C1A9679C8B63&n=Top%2fNews%2fHealth%2fDiseases%2c%20Conditions%2c%20and%20Health%20Topics%2fAutism.
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