[...]... beyond the roof of the world certain Pamiris who have been trained as medical doctors outside of Pamir, and who might also practice other indigenous modalities of healing) ; the views and dynamics that a researcher brings to the field; and the thoughts, theories, and new knowledge that can be generated through the interaction of all of these Balancing and integrating multiple threads of knowledge in ethnography,... lullaby, the healing methods of a Lakota medicine woman, the musical life of a Kyrgyz itinerant musician, the rhythmic variations of an Inuit vocal game performer, the improvisations of an Indian sitar master, the intoned prayer of a lamenting mother, Tibetan Buddhist chant; the musical life of a child with autism, that of Itzhak Perlman, or John Coltrane; the role of music in the creation of identity, the. .. to hone their meditative skills of attention and intention with music and sound to create the outcomes they desire, including controlling and eliminating stress, anger, impatience and other unwanted emotions and characteristics, healing or preventing illnesses, losing weight, gaining strength, mending, transforming, or healing broken relationships, achieving and maintaining desired emotional and spiritual... direct interest in music, health, and healing, and that each discipline brings a unique and valuable perspective to bear, and further considering that there is a need for a greater appreciation and sophisticated understanding of the roles of culture in musical meaning, as well as its healing power in traditional and clinical contexts the world over, medical ethnomusicology is perhaps best viewed as having... “religion and spirituality,” and music and the arts.” 4 beyond the roof of the world While it is still overwhelmingly true that in the West, music simply is not part of the biomedically driven clinical reality encountered in doctors ’ of ces, clinics, and hospitals” (Friedson 1996, xi), the last decade has seen a new degree of interest and openness on the part of physicians, scientists, and funding institutions... human ’s being In addition, a core concept here is that the principles, processes, and factors describe avenues or ways of healing that are intimately interwoven with each other and function in dynamic and holistic ways, forging new realities within one ’s consciousness, and leading to healing transformations in one ’s 14 beyond the roof of the world being Moreover, the five factors also describe the broad... ever-changing frame of culture The inclusion and utilization of both the physical and spiritual realms in healing has been described as a “sacred clinical reality” (Kleinman 1980, 241), which builds on the socially and culturally informed concept of “clinical reality”—or a complex of interrelated features including the beliefs, 6 beyond the roof of the world expectations, norms, behavior, and communicative... Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout But Love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in! —Edwin Markham The healing powers arising from the mystical intercourse of music and prayer have captured the attention of prophets and poets, scientists and physicians, the lay and the learned alike throughout the ages and across the world In the present global-cultural milieu, where professional, affordable... spaces and places where music and related praxes are empowered with cultural and personal meaning to promote health and facilitate healing This is but one area in which medical ethnomusicology strengthens the course of integrative medicine In addition, medical ethnomusicology brings a wealth of diverse healing practices and in- depth knowledge of music and sound phenomena to bear within the everpresent and. .. not only is there an incredible diversity of expressions that are music, ” which demand cultural sensitivity, understanding, and even fluency on the part of the researcher to approach music and human life with intellectual integrity, but also that the diverse musics of the world are central to the lives of the people that perform and listen to them, that they are worthy of academic study, and indeed, an . w0 h1" alt="" Beyond the Roof of the World This page intentionally left blank Beyond the Roof of the World Music, Prayer, and Healing in the Pamir Mountains benjamin d. koen New. without the prior permission of Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Cataloging -in- Publication Data Koen, Benjamin D. Beyond the roof of the world : music, prayer, and healing in the Pamir. experiences of music, prayer, meditation, and healing in and beyond the roof of the world, for all that we have shared, and all the journeys yet to come; and to our children Naseem and Solya,