The knower of the mystery of sound knows the mystery of the whole universe
- Hazrat Inayat Khan -
Sound Healing
What is Sound Healing Therapy?
Music or sound healing therapy is the practice of using different sounds to stimulate the cells in your body in order to promote relaxation, relief and so healing. There are different modalities of Sound Healing from guided meditations to dance to sound baths using the various aspects of sound to focus on your physical or mental health.
Benefits of Sound Healing
The human body is made of 60% to 75% water which allows the organs and everything in between to receive vibration that are spread through it. Stimulating the body with certain frequencies can promote drastic changes in the energy field, unlock emotional blockages and help to release stress, anxiety, depression and more.
Here are three important benefits of this ancient practice:
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Promotes deep relaxation helping the person to abandon the mind and mental activity, opening to a meditative state and inner awareness.
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Instruments used in the practice such as Tibetan Bowls, Crystal Bowls, Gongs to name a few, are meant to work directly on the chakra system to clean energy blockages and realign them to their natural and healthy flow. Charka blockages are the consequences of emotional distress and stuck energies due to unresolved trauma, which are possible to address with sound and vibration leading to optimal results.
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It is known that Sound Healing improves general health by promoting better sleep, relief of chronic pain and regulation of blood pressure as well as mental, emotional and spiritual well-being through reducing stress, anxiety and depression. It balances and clears the mind and leads to a renewed sense of being.
The History of Sound Healing
Sound Healing is an ancient practice that comes from thousand of years ago, mainly used in the past for spiritual purposes. The Aboriginal Australians where one of the first (40,000 years ago), who used didgeridoos in healing rituals, followed by the Egyptians with pyramids designed to create sound chambers. In the Hindu philosophy, a mantra in Sanskrit says ‘Nada Brahma’ which means ‘Sound is God’. To make it apparent and evident, even modern science has asserted the idea that the existence of the universe has been integrated with its vibration. The ancient tradition of the Himalayas especially the one in Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet has been one of the first using sound for spiritual and religious purposes, practiced in temples and monasteries with the use of Tibetan singing bowls, Tingshas, Gongs and voice with different chanting techniques. Christianity has also long embraced sound as part of its tradition. In the Bible we hear “In the beginning was the Word” and “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”. It is also thought that cathedrals and churches were designed to create an acoustic opportunity to talk to God – literally enhancing the singing and chanting to a more spiritual level. Yet, these spaces are also designed for quiet reflection and silence.
How does it work?
A Sound healing session or Sound Bath can be described as a meditative concert with the use of healing sounds and instruments where typically the person lies down on the floor, with eyes covered and simply listens to the practitioner playing a variety of instruments as he/she “baths" in the soothing sounds and vibrations.T he sound frequencies then slow down brain waves to a deeply restorative state, which activates the body's system of self-healing.
Each instrument serves a different purpose. Crystal and Tibetan bowls are generally used to clean and realign chakras, while Gongs help release tension in the body and stimulates the glandular and nervous system. Shamanic Drums are used for grounding and regulating blood pressure, giving a sense of deep connection with the Earth. Chanting of Mantras and Vocalisation, Flutes and other wind and string instruments are only a selection of the vast variety of instruments and tools that can be used for Sound Healing. It is said that, with the right intention, there are no limits for what can be used for Sound Healing.