An expression in the Native American culture, “walking in balance,” describes the philosophy of a peaceful coexistence and harmony with all aspects of life. This concept of balance is found in all cultures throughout time. For optimal wellness, the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual compoprocesses that occur every 23–27 hours. Most familiar are the 24-hour temperature and sleep patterns. Less well known is the fact that immunity to viruses and infection is lower in the early hours of the morning,



when most people are usually sleeping. Blood also clots more slowly in to late day than in the early hours of the morning. Taking these factors into consideration, hospitals might do well to schedule elective surgeries later in the day rather than the typical early morning schedule.

The constant rhythmic processes bring about a dynamic, healthy balance in our bodies. The beating and relaxation of the heart help the cardiovascular system regulate blood pressure throughout the body. The inspiration and expiration of breath in

the respiratory system allow for gas exchange. The nervous system has a number of rhythmic processes including nerve depolarization and repolarization, systemic excitation and recovery, and sleep and waking cycles. Attention to the rhythmic nature of one's own being reveals an intimate relationship with the rhythms of the surrounding natural world.

Health is about balance or harmony of body, mind, and spirit. In a state of optimal health, all frequencies are in harmony, like a finely tuned piano. In fact, music is often used in healing, from the ancient sounds of the drum, rattle, bone flute, and other primitive instruments to the current use of music as a prescription for health.

The Chinese are producing musical recordings with some curious titles. Obesity, Constipation, and Liver, Heart, and Lungs are three examples. Most of the recordingsuse traditional Chinese instruments and are to be listened to or “taken” as an individual would take an herbal medicine, to help cope with problems or strengthen the organs described in the titles. For headaches and migraines, the Japanese suggest Mendelssohn's Spring Song, Dvorak's Humoresque, or even a dose of George Gershwin's An American in Paris. At hospitals throughout India, traditional Indian music is used medicinally to balance the rhythms of the body. Western researchers have lately established the healing and creative powers of sound and music in general and in particular Mozart's music, which seems to have a special ability to improve learning and healing. It is thought that his music facilitates certain complex neuronal patterns in the cerebral cortex, increasing left-brain activities such as logical thinking, as well as strengthening the creative right-brain processes.

Vibrating sounds create energy fields of resonance and movement in the surrounding space. These energies are absorbed and subtly alter one's internal rhythms.nents of health need to be balanced, and equilibrium is needed among all the components. Walking in balance is a learned skill and one that must be practiced regularly to engage in the process of healthful living. This concept of balance appears again and again throughout the

various alternative healing practices.

Universal rhythmic cycles are observed in plants, animals, and people and are referred to as circadian rhythms. The word circadian derives from the Latin, circa diem, which means “about a day.” Circadian rhythms are regular fluctuations of activity and rest in a variety of physiologic