Inspiring Mental Balance and Inner Harmony Through Healing Music in the Pythagorean Modes
This is number three in my series of articles on Mental Balance and Inner Harmony through Ancient Modes. This is a set of short articles that deals with achieving inner harmony by balancing the Four Temperaments. we use Pythagoras' ancient system for bringing inner harmony by listening to music in the correct mode. The first article dealt with the subject in general and the second article began in earnest by tackling the Phlegmatic Temperament,
which can be increased or pacified by the Dorian and the Hypodorian modes.
The present article will deal with the Choleric Temperament as well as going into the Four Temperaments in general. We will also touch on modal theory so you can begin playing them for yourself.
People often say "I am choleric or phlegmatic", or "I have a lot of sanguine or melancholy in me". There are plenty of online questionnaires to analyse your temperaments. They can be entertaining and, if you look around, you will find some are quite good while others are not to be taken too seriously. But, from our point of view, you don't need to know which temperament you are. We all constitute of a balance of the four. One usually defines our character more than any other, but all we basically need to know is which one is troubling us right now.
In the latest article I went into the characteristics of the Phlegmatic and how it affects us when it goes out of balance. I also went into the fact that the Dorian and Hypodorian modes can be used to ease some of these symptoms.
Now I shall discuss the Choleric humour.
The choleric, when in balance, is characterized by:
boldness,
exuberance,
passion,
ego and will,
courage,
quick wit,
leadership,
analytical nature,
decisive action,
self-motivation,
logical thinking,
pragmatism
Cholerics crave loyalty, and are really able to shine when they are in control.
When the choleric humour is too dominant it can produce: -
pride,
rashness,
irritability,
hot temper,
violent personality,
stubbornness,
over-single-mindedness,
domineering tendency,
dictatorial nature,
over-zealousness,
emotional repression (except in the case of anger).
The effects of the Choleric are magnified by the Phrygian mode. So, if we feel we need some of the "good" qualities of the Choleric, we can play healing music in the phrygian mode. If, alternatively,, if we are suffering because of the Choleric, we wouldn't want to strengthen the Choleric temperament or we would start to get worse! So in that case we would play a mode that helps to diminish its effects. We should use the Hypophrygian, if we need to reduce the effects of the Choleric.
All that is needed is to play simple melodies (or even slow, easy scales would do) in the right mode for whichever temperament has become aggravated or that you wish to increase. You don't need prior musical knowledge to do this. All you need is some kind of instrument that is reasonably in tune. A piano or keyboard would be simplest because simple one-finger healing music would be simple to achieve.
Here are the notes you should play for each mode. (Don't go outside the 7-note range for each mode):-
DORIAN: DEFGABC (start on A, finish on D)
HYPODORIAN: ABCDEFG (start on A, finish on A)
PHRYGIAN: EFGABCD (start on A, finish on E)
HYPOPHRYGIAN: BCDEFGA (start on A, finish on B)
LYDIAN: FGABCDE (start on A, finish on F)
HYPOLYDIAN: CDEFGAB (start on A, finish on C)
MIXOLYDIAN: GABCDEF (start on A, finish on G)
HYPOMIXOLYDIAN: DEFGABC (start on A, finish on G) Yes, G! (Not a typo).
In each mode you should stay within the confines of its 7-note range. So, for example, in the dorian mode, you would stay within the 7-note range from D up to C.
Just play the notes, slowly and quietly, in whichever mode balances your unwanted mood. Always Start on A and finish on the prescribed note for each mode. (This note is called the Final). You should return to the note A quite often, and it would be good to keep coming to rest on the Final every few phrases, so you create a fair number of mini-endings on the Final, within the same piece of music.
My next article will deal with the Sanguine Temperament.
which can be increased or pacified by the Dorian and the Hypodorian modes.
The present article will deal with the Choleric Temperament as well as going into the Four Temperaments in general. We will also touch on modal theory so you can begin playing them for yourself.
People often say "I am choleric or phlegmatic", or "I have a lot of sanguine or melancholy in me". There are plenty of online questionnaires to analyse your temperaments. They can be entertaining and, if you look around, you will find some are quite good while others are not to be taken too seriously. But, from our point of view, you don't need to know which temperament you are. We all constitute of a balance of the four. One usually defines our character more than any other, but all we basically need to know is which one is troubling us right now.
In the latest article I went into the characteristics of the Phlegmatic and how it affects us when it goes out of balance. I also went into the fact that the Dorian and Hypodorian modes can be used to ease some of these symptoms.
Now I shall discuss the Choleric humour.
The choleric, when in balance, is characterized by:
boldness,
exuberance,
passion,
ego and will,
courage,
quick wit,
leadership,
analytical nature,
decisive action,
self-motivation,
logical thinking,
pragmatism
Cholerics crave loyalty, and are really able to shine when they are in control.
When the choleric humour is too dominant it can produce: -
pride,
rashness,
irritability,
hot temper,
violent personality,
stubbornness,
over-single-mindedness,
domineering tendency,
dictatorial nature,
over-zealousness,
emotional repression (except in the case of anger).
The effects of the Choleric are magnified by the Phrygian mode. So, if we feel we need some of the "good" qualities of the Choleric, we can play healing music in the phrygian mode. If, alternatively,, if we are suffering because of the Choleric, we wouldn't want to strengthen the Choleric temperament or we would start to get worse! So in that case we would play a mode that helps to diminish its effects. We should use the Hypophrygian, if we need to reduce the effects of the Choleric.
All that is needed is to play simple melodies (or even slow, easy scales would do) in the right mode for whichever temperament has become aggravated or that you wish to increase. You don't need prior musical knowledge to do this. All you need is some kind of instrument that is reasonably in tune. A piano or keyboard would be simplest because simple one-finger healing music would be simple to achieve.
Here are the notes you should play for each mode. (Don't go outside the 7-note range for each mode):-
DORIAN: DEFGABC (start on A, finish on D)
HYPODORIAN: ABCDEFG (start on A, finish on A)
PHRYGIAN: EFGABCD (start on A, finish on E)
HYPOPHRYGIAN: BCDEFGA (start on A, finish on B)
LYDIAN: FGABCDE (start on A, finish on F)
HYPOLYDIAN: CDEFGAB (start on A, finish on C)
MIXOLYDIAN: GABCDEF (start on A, finish on G)
HYPOMIXOLYDIAN: DEFGABC (start on A, finish on G) Yes, G! (Not a typo).
In each mode you should stay within the confines of its 7-note range. So, for example, in the dorian mode, you would stay within the 7-note range from D up to C.
Just play the notes, slowly and quietly, in whichever mode balances your unwanted mood. Always Start on A and finish on the prescribed note for each mode. (This note is called the Final). You should return to the note A quite often, and it would be good to keep coming to rest on the Final every few phrases, so you create a fair number of mini-endings on the Final, within the same piece of music.
My next article will deal with the Sanguine Temperament.
