It is impossible to imagine a world with no sound. It is everywhere and in everything, if not loudly, then subtly.
Sound is energy. It wasn’t invented or discovered, but something that has always been. Being innate in all of us, it is not surprising that sound affects us in many ways.
Sound has a direct effect on the molecular structure of the body and helps in repairing, rejuvenating, and refreshing it. It not only affects the body and mind but is also believed to connect the physical, mental, and spiritual realms.
Sound has been used for physical and emotional well-being for centuries. Using positive vibrations and frequencies helps the body and mind return to a stable state.
The practice of healing through sound is based on the idea that our bodies and minds operate at certain vibrations and frequencies. We are not always able to feel them through our senses, but we can feel them through our emotions, and other sources of energy. When these vibrations are not in harmony, we may experience a variety of physical, emotional, and mental symptoms. Sound healing, therefore, is the practice that aims at achieving this harmony by manipulating these vibrations through several instruments.
History of Sound Healing
Sound healing is not a new concept. It has been used as a therapy to cure many ailments and as an instrument for spiritual upliftment since ancient times.
Sound was the earliest form of traditional medicine. Every culture has its specific method of using sounds to eliminate negative energy, treat illnesses, achieve trance, and more.
In Indian culture, mantras were chanted to cure illness, raise immunity, calm the mind, remove karmic imbalances, etc. Music therapy was a staple in the temples of India as well as ancient Egypt.
The ancient Egyptians used music, chants like incantations, and a specific kind of instrument that generated sound waves for healing.
Apollo, the Greek God of music and medicine, was predicted to cure mental disorders with songs. Hippocrates and many other Greek physicians played music and used flutes, zithers, and lyres to heal their patients.
Shamans all around the world have used drums to transcend themselves and their patients into a higher level of consciousness that can promote both physical and mental well-being.
Sound and its healing properties can also be linked with Buddha’s teachings and some prominent Tibetan religious treatises that talk about the practical significance of Tibetan sound healing instruments.
Type of Sound Healing
For sound healing, certain tools are required. Some of these instruments are easy to find and learn while some require special circumstances and professional guidance. We will discuss some of the most commonly used techniques of sound healing.
- Voice
The voice is the most basic instrument of sound healing and the most significant as it has a direct relationship to the vibrations of the body. There are plenty of instruments available on the market, but one should never forget that we are an instrument that carries the power to heal within us. You can heal through your voice by humming, chanting, singing, praying, saying affirmations, etc. Yogic practises like Bhrahmari and Ujjayi Pranayama, mantra chanting and kirtan are techniques that use voice for healing.
- Tibetan Bowls
Tibetan singing bowls have been widely used for religious Buddhist practises and are one of the most popular methods of sound healing. These bowls are made by using a fine proportion of sacred metals with the art of hammering and tuning, which gives them a unique frequency and vibration. When they are struck, they emit a rich blend of harmonic sounds that directly affect the chakras and aid in the meditation process.
They are used to restore the normal vibrational frequency of the body. The deep sounds coming from Tibetan bowls are said to help heal several ailments and achieve overall holistic health. Due to its various effective aspects of healing, it is considered one of the most popular sound healing methods.
- Classical Music
Music transports us to a different dimension which seems like a perfect world. Classical music is a great tool for sound healing and has been said to enhance learning and creativity. It is increasingly used now to treat patients suffering from depression, anxiety, muscle tension, high blood pressure etc and is also great for pregnancy and child development. This also includes guided meditations, in which one meditates according to voiced instructions.
- Gong Bath
A gong or sound bath is an ancient Asian sound healing technique that produces vibrations in all the water within the body. It is a “bath” of sound waves and produces a wide range of harmonics that create vibrations that bring harmony to the self and facilitate healing
Gongs are used in yoga, meditation, and chakra balancing.
- Tuning Fork
Tuning forks are used as sound healing tools to tune the instrument that our body is. In the medical field, these are used to locate bone fractures. It uses sound waves to stimulate the meridian points and stimulate the body’s natural energy to heal itself by applying certain vibrations to specific areas of the body, which releases tension and opens blocked energy. You can picture this as being similar to acupuncture but without the pins. They are said to promote balance and mental clarity, pain relief, relaxation, and an increase in physical energy. It restores the balance in the chakras, keeping the body in perfect harmony.
- Didgeridoo
Didgeridoos are indigenous and spiritual instruments made out of wood that originated in Australia. It is used n healing and meditation to enter a deep state of trance and unblock stagnant energy. It is said to reduce both snoring and improve the quality of sleep and also improve the symptoms of asthma.
Benefits of Sound Healing
Sound healing can bring a multitude of benefits physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Following are some of the major benefits of sound healing:
- reduces stress and anxiety and helps fight depression.
- regulates blood pressure and improves blood circulation.
- builds confidence
- increases memory and creativity
- improves the cognitive functioning of the left and right brain hemispheres
- increases memory and concentration
- stimulates skin, organs, and bones
- removes mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual blockages
- regenerates Aura
- strengthens the immune system
- gives relief from chronic pain and migraines
- improves sleep
- brings clarity and balance
- improves relaxation
- helps improve or even cure ailments like autism, PTSD, learning disabilities, etc.
- increases awareness of the surroundings and the self
The benefits of sound healing can be felt instantly by some, while for others it takes longer, but with regular practice, one can experience a more balanced body, mind, and spirit.
