Harmony works on and affects many levels and that includes the physical body as well as our emotions.  If fact, I believe that musical harmony is an expression of the relationship between mind and body.  Sometimes the two work together, sometimes they are "out of harmony" and often they are moving towards a resolution of opposing factors and a making whole.  Music is essentially physical, consisting of vibrating air patterns that displace the receptors of the ear, passing to the brain and hence into our bodies.  On the basis that music has the ability to penetrate deep down into us, then there is the possibility of it being an agent of healing, of bringing mind and body into harmony.

      I have had a recent personal experience of this and would be interested to know if anyone has had any similar experiences.  I suffered a minor neck strain that was giving me headaches during the day.  In addition I've had disrupted sleep patterns.  I remembered the anecdote about the monks and decided to purchase what turned out to be an excellent set of CDs of the music of Thomas Tallis (1505-1585), a music that insists on meditative inner awareness.  When I played this just before going to sleep one night, the effect was instant and remarkable.   I can't prove the healing effect but I hadn't had such a deep sleep for many, many months - bliss, especially as, of course, the resultant positive consequences for my next waking day's state of being and headache were remarkable.