First, I want to share a bit about sound. Science has proven that everything is vibrating, everything is moving. Some things just move at a slower pace and appear to be dense or solid. We can measure vibrations by their “frequency” or how frequently they vibrate. This is measured in waves or cycles per second called hertz (Hz) which is the unit for frequency. Essentially, frequency, sound, energy, vibrations are different aspects of the same principle. So this means our body is vibrating as well. The parts that are more dense (teeth, bones) have a lower frequency than the organs and even lower than the liquids in our body like blood and water. All of this shows that our bodies are really symphonies of sound, however the frequencies exist outside of the range that our ears can hear. So if everything is vibrating that also means that our thoughts and emotions must have a frequency as well. The emotional body, for example vibrates at a much higher rate than the physical body, and the mental body is at an even higher rate than the emotional. This is not theory it has been proven by neuroscientists such as Dr. Candace Pert, Ph D. That could lead us down a whole other conversation about how our thoughts affect our bodies, but that is for another article.
So how can we use this knowledge of sound vibration when it comes to healing. Well, we can discover frequencies that our bodies vibrate at in a healthy state and listen to those frequencies to create brain wave entrainment to bring us back to health. Using Binaural beats is another way of altering brain wave frequencies to induce particular states like a dreaming or meditative state to help with sleeping or meditating. We can also do this on a spiritual level. For example, certain singing bowls are tuned to frequencies of particular chakras and can be used to balance them. This also explains why certain frequencies or sound stimulate particular emotions in us. The frequencies that are in a song or sound resonate with particular emotions and can create them within us. So in that way, we can use music to change our emotional or mental state. Also, everyone has a unique vibrational signature that can be affected greatly by the use of their own voice. There have been all kinds of studies that conclude that the single most healing instrument a person can use is their own voice. This makes sense right? That is why singing feels so good and why music and sound are such important parts of almost every spiritual practice or religion.
There are all kinds of different vocal exercises (toning) that can be used with different intentions to create optimal health. We naturally do this all the time through sighs, screams, crying, wailing, etc. It is our way of moving energy. We can take it to the next level by making sound with intention to support us in so many ways including relieving stress, inducing meditative states, clearing or balancing our chakras, building our immune system, regenerating energy, reducing body pain, taking back our voice/power, building confidence, stabilizing our emotions, building spiritual awareness, and releasing blockages in our energetic body.
The field of sound therapy or sound healing is vast. The easiest way to get started is to use your own voice. My favorite way of doing this is through over-toning (see video on website), but there are many ways that are super easy and very effective. I love working with breath and sound because they are given to all of us at birth. We don’t need anything outside of ourselves. We can learn simple techniques that we can do at any time, any where, without paying anything…that is empowering!!!
A basic exercise to get started:
Start your day with a few minutes of humming with your eyes closed. Become present and notice where you can feel your body vibrating with the different pitches that you make. Visualize sending the sound into the areas of your body that hold tension or pain. Then open your mouth and continue to make sound, experimenting with different vowel sounds. Just stay present and feel into your body to notice how it affects you.
Reach out to me if you have any questions or what to learn more. Check events page for upcoming classes. I do private one on ones if you are interested in learning sound practices to support you in your daily life.
**Book recommendation on Sound Healing: "Sound Medicine: The Complete Guide To Healing With Sound and The Human Voice" by Wayne Perry
