Abstract

For years, Indian musicians, scholars, and music therapists have explored the therapeutic use of raga. Research is emerging on its use in complementary medicine in India, yet little formal research exists on the use of raga in receptive music therapy with clients unfamiliar with this style of music. This mixed methods study used interpretative phenomenological analysis, neurophenomenological analysis (through electroencephalogram brainwave recordings via a Muse 2 headband and Mind Monitor software), and arts-based hermeneutic analysis to investigate the experiences of six participants unfamiliar with raga during a recorded receptive raga music therapy experience. Four group experiential themes emerged from the coding and analysis of interviews: (a) curiosity and interest with Indian classical music and culture, (b) imagery and pre-associations despite musical unfamiliarity, (c) increased immersion as musical movements progressed, and (d) the music allowing a change of consciousness. Both group-level and individual experiential themes were examined while acknowledging the rich nuances within the participants’ individual experiences. Brainwave results generally indicated an increase in alpha waves (associated with relaxed, meditative states) or delta waves (linked to deep meditative or sleep-like states), along with a decrease in beta waves (associated with alertness). A comprovisation approach using the qualitative findings and electroencephalogram data for two diverging participants offered a more embodied and comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. The results were integrated in the discussion. This study contributes to an intercultural and multimodal understanding of raga in receptive music therapy and explores potential applications in guided imagery and music practices.