Figure 40: Musicians in Ancient Egypt
TheAncientEgyptianSagesinstitutedtightcontrolsontheaterandmusicbecausetheindulgencein
inappropriateentertainmentswasknowntocausementalagitationandundesirablebehaviors.The
famousGreekPhilosopherandstudentoftheAncientEgyptianMysteries,Pythagoras,wrotethatthe
AncientEgyptiansplacedparticularattentiontothestudyofmusic.Eventoday,onecanvisitthe
templesofAncientEgyptandnotetheprominentlydisplayedmusicalinstrumentsthatwerepartof
thetemplerituals,andthebirthinghouses.AnotherfamousGreekPhilosopherandstudentoftheAn-
cientEgyptianMysteries,Plato,statesthattheythoughtitwasbeneficialtotheyouths.Platofurther
reportsthatintheeducationoftheyouthstheywereparticularlystrict...theyknewthatchildrenought
tobeearlyaccustomedtosuchgestures,looksandmotionsasaredecentandproper;andnottobe
sufferedeithertohearorlearnanyversesandsongsthanthosewhicharecalculatedtoinspirethem
withvirtue;andtheyconsequentlytookcarethateverydanceandode 176 introducedattheirfeasts
or sacrifices should be subject to certain regulations.
Straboconfirmsthatmusicwastaughttoyouthsalongwithreadingandwriting,however,itwasun-
derstoodthatmusicmeantforentertainmentalonewasharmfultothemind,makingitagitatedand
difficulttocontroloneself,andthuswasstrictlycontrolledbythestateandthepriestsandpriest-
esses.LikethesagesofIndia,whoinstitutedNadaYoga,orthespiritualpathofmusic,theAncient
EgyptiansheldthatmusicwasofDivineoriginandassuchwasasacredendeavor.TheGreekwriter,
Athenaeus,informsusthattheGreeksandbarbariansfromothercountrieslearnedmusicfromthe
AncientEgyptians.MusicwassoimportantinAncientEgyptthatprofessionalmusicianswerecon-
tractedandkeptonsalariesatthetemples.Musicwasgivenspecialconsiderationbecauseitwasre-
cognizedthatithadthespecialpowertocarrythemindtoeitherelevated(spiritual)statesor
(worldly) states.
Whenthereisoverindulgenceinmusicforentertainmentandescapism(tendencytodesiretoescape
fromdailyroutineorrealitybyindulginginfantasy,daydreaming,orentertainment),themindis
filledwithworldlyimpressions,cravings,lust,anduncontrolledurges.Inthisstateofmind,thecapa-
cityforrightthinkingandfeelingaredistortedorincapacitated.Theadventofaudioandvisualre-
cordingtechnologyandtheircombinationsinmoviesandmusicvideosismorepowerful,becausethe
visualelement,coupledwithmusicandtheabilitytorepeatwithintensityofvolume,actstointoxic-
atethemindwithillusoryandfantasythoughts.Thebodyisalsoaffectedinthisprocess.Thevibra-
tionsofthemusicandthefeelingscontainedinitthroughthelyricsandsentimentoftheperformer
evokestheproductionofcertainbio-chemicalprocessesinthemindandbody.Thiscapacityofmusic
isevidentinmovies,musicals,concerts,audiorecordings,etc.,intheircapacitytochangeaperson’s
mood.Anyandallmessagesgiventothemindaffectit,andthereforegreatcareshouldbetakento
fill the mind with the right kinds of messages in the form of ideas and feelings.