ABSTRACT
Neuroscientifically informed music therapy is on the verge of a breakthrough to novel and highly effective forms of social/medical intervention. "Jymmin"—a cross between "jammin" and "gym"—systematically combines exertion and musical expression, a principle of music-making that has also been observed in traditional societies and often is associated with experiences of musically evoked euphoria, even trance and ecstasy. This chapter suggests that using Jymmin releases endorphins much more efficiently than observed in sports activities. An interaction between the musical agency and the experienced physical exertion is driving the observed immune system response. In drug abuse patients, working out with Jymmin increased a range of social parameters, including feeling part of a group, feeling comfortable/at ease in the group, liking of group members, feeling motivated by the group, and group cohesion. The chapter further argues that a systematically evoked physiological arousal when associated with musical expression during Jymmin is re-evaluated as an emotional arousal, driving the experience of strong emotions.
