Patient Education

Healing Power of Performing Arts

By Jingduan Yang, MD

The history of performing arts is as old as the history of human beings. It is simply because performing art activities such as singing, dancing, painting, playing music instruments and composing are an integral part of human life.

People will tell you how much happier they are when they can participate in performing arts and many will tell you how much healthier they have become when they can sing, dance, paint and play music instruments. Chinese medicine has a theory that may explain how the performing arts can be healing and nurturing to human life.

Five organ systems

Chinese medicine does recognize the structural level of human body as does modern medicine. However, it goes beyond that and is capable of visualizing and mapping the energetic level of human body. Therefore, the organ system in Chinese medicine is really an energetic network that is centered on five major organs: the liver, the heart, the spleen, the lungs, and the kidneys. Each one of them has much more physical and mental functions based on their energetic nature and connections than what modern medicine recognizes.

For example, the liver is not just an organ that metabolizes and detoxifies food and medications, it is also in charge of vision, regulates mood, and is responsible for planning, decision-making and judgment. The kidneys do not only produce urine and cleanse body fluids, but also are in charge of brain function, hearing, bone health, fertility, sexual function, control of bowel and bladder, will power, and motivation. The spleen is a major organ in charge of digestive and metabolic process as well as analyzing, reasoning and processing information. Visualized at the energetic level, the human body is an open system that has constant interaction with energy from the environment.

Five Sounds

Chinese medicine has identified five major sounds that have specific impact on the energy of five corresponding organ systems. These five sounds are "gong," "jiao," "shang," "zheng," and "yu." They affect the liver, the heart, the spleen, the lungs, and the kidneys respectively. When the five sounds are composed in a smooth, balanced fashion they positively affect the five organ systems, and therefore help balance the energy of human body and improve physical and mental functions. The healing power of music has long been recognized throughout history.

When Yo-yo Ma was asked about healing power of the music, he simply responded: "Isn't it all that music is about?" Today, many hospitals, health and wellness centers are using music as therapy. Stanford University scientists found that music therapy helps elderly patients with depression gain self-esteem and improved mood. Research shows that listening to good music lowers blood pressure, stabilizes heart rate, relieves depression, reduces pre-treatment anxiety, enhances concentration and creativity, lessens the need for sedatives and painkillers (during and after surgery), reduces nausea after chemotherapy, and also improves stability of people with Parkinson's disease. No wonder that in Chinese, the word music (樂) is the center part of the word medicine (藥).
Five colors

Color has been the foundation of paintings and costumes. There are five primary colors in Chinese medicine: green, red, yellow, white and black. Again each one of them corresponds to a specific organ system: green for the liver, red for the heart, yellow for the spleen, white for the lungs and black for the kidneys. Color is often transmitted as light, therefore, energy. It speaks to our body, mind and soul. Color therapy, also called chromo therapy, has been used for healing for long time and clinical evidence suggests that color therapy can alter emotions and even blood pressure.

Five emotions

If sound and color affect the energy of human organ systems, it will affect human emotions. In Chinese medicine, each organ system specifically pertains to a particular emotion. For example, liver is sensitive to anger, heart to joy, spleen to worry, lung to sadness, and kidney to fear. Normal human emotions are protective and healthy to have. However, when emotion becomes excessive and out of one's control it begins to have a negative impact on human mind, body and soul by disturbing the energy of our organ systems. On the other hand, when the energies of our organ systems are disturbed by other reasons, we tend to have mood problems as well. Therefore, anything that helps people remain on an even keel emotionally will have healing power.

Shen Yun

When I first time attended the show by the Shen Yun Performing Arts in the Lincoln Center, New York City, I experienced extremely powerful healing energy. I begin to wonder what makes this show so special. It did not take me long to find out. Shen Yun means the grace of the divine in Chinese.

The composers of the music in Shen Yun have worked very hard to follow the Chinese classic music, which always emphasizes the balance of the sounds. It generates the energy of soothing, moving, warming and calming. The lyrics of the songs are reflective of the ancient Chinese philosophy and values, which always help people to see life as a journey to a greater dimension without being caught in everyday human attachments. When people have fewer attachments they have less emotional distress and better health. The beautiful costumes that collect the gem of five thousands years of civilization and creation are so beautiful in color, again strikingly balanced. It comforts and nurtures ones whole being. The high-tech backdrops vividly animate the splendid landscape of nature that includes five colors as well as five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water, again each corresponding to organ systems of the liver, the heart, the spleen, the lungs and the kidneys.

Perhaps the most energizing part of the show is the dances by in creditably skilled male and female dancers. Their movements reflect the nature of the most important energy: the wind, only lighter, faster, and higher and changing quickly.

I learned later, all the musicians in the live orchestra, singers and dancers practice qi gong exercise and meditate everyday including the days they perform. They also try their best to apply truthfulness, compassion and forbearance in their life and performance. Immersed in such comprehensive energy, every cell of my being is happier and healthier. I truly believe when every cell of our body begins to develop the energy from following our examples practicing truthfulness, compassion and forbearance, we will live longer, happier and healthier.

 

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