Sound Healing

As Sacred as the crystalline resonance that sang through primal waters, sound healing is as ancient as the wind. It is our pristine memory of the past, though perhaps only remembered unconsciously by our bodies. It is the source of life and how healing moves through the Universe.

Just as birds have their individual call that they are irresistibly drawn to, so humans are attracted to musical notes. It is that deeply embedded in our nature. The subconscious urge for sound healing is inextricably woven into our elemental aspect as well.

Emotions that are evoked by beautiful strains of music give us access to the very core of our essential nature. That is the least subtle of the manifestations of the power tone and vibration hold over our bodies—the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects. (There are many subcategories to these groups not mentioned here.) As a result, sound healing is a dynamic form of the healing arts.

As we examine our environment, we will notice that there is an occurrence that reflects the resonance of similarities. Inflections reverberate in answer to tones that vibrate at the same sonancy. In other words: Like attracts like. Think of a harp. When one string is plucked, say an “E’ for example, then all of the strings that are of that frequency reverberate in sympathetic harmony. Every one of the octaves of that “E” are activated, even upon other harps that are standing nearby. It is essentially the same reason that a crystal wineglass will shatter when the perfect high frequency is reached. Music has a very real power over our bodies too, which is why sound healing is so effective.

To dig further, if we examine the verbal origins of “tone” the root of this word denotes strengthening, bracing and invigorating, and not only in regards to sound. It is connected to the physical musculature as well as that of timbre or musical inflexion.

The History of Sound healing

~ Australian Aboriginal Sound Healing ~
It has been noticed for millennia that sound had the power to heal. The Aboriginal people of Australia are the first known of any peoples to have used sound for this purpose. Their ancient instrument called the Yidaki (Presently known as the Digeridoo) has been used for at least 40,000 years. It was the source of sound healing for broken bones, torn ligaments, and every other kind of ailment that presented itself.

~ Ancient Egyptian Sound Healing ~
The ancient Egyptians used the sound of vowels and believed them sacred, even to the point that they wouldn’t use them in their written language. Hieroglyphics contains no vowels.

The priestesses also used a type of sistra which is a sort of musical shaker with metal disks much like a modern day tambourine. The type of sound that this instrument produces is now known to produce prolific amounts of ultrasound. The priestesses used the sistra in conjunction with the harp, which was and is also known for its healing properties.

~ Greek Sound Healing ~
Sound healing was also integral to the Greek master Pythagoras who has been named the father of music therapy or sound healing. He untangled much of the mystery of chord intervals through his use of lyre, flute and his monochord, an instrument which used a stationery weight providing the tension to the single string.

Pythagoras maintained that music contributed vastly to one’s health if used correctly. One of his procedures was to accompany singers while they chanted, employing the swirling beauty of human voices in unison in order to ameliorate the suffering of his patients, or even to enhance the health of those not so afflicted.

~ Greco-Roman Sound Healing ~
By now the use of dream chambers were augmenting the natural sequence of this healing mode. They likely used music in these sonorous space to enhance the repose of the recipient. Much healing is to be found in the dreamstate. The Sanatorium in Dendera, Egypt became a sleep center as well as a sound healing center. Dream or sleep therapy was enhanced by the use of tonality, the acoustic design of the spaces within this structure is now well known for its resonance. So the use of sound healing was well established as an effective method of accessing the core essence of the human soul.

Tibetan monks have used their tradition of the vowel chant for centuries, dating back at least one thousand years. They also used the gong and the singing bowls to access altered states of consciousness using these tools in their extensive experiments with sound healing. Many other spiritual disciplines have also used the sonorous human voice to aid in the attainment of inner peace and tranquility. The practice of chanting in unison has been a well-used tool within the ascension process of many cultures and religions, and has been shown to aid in this regard.

There was a lapse in the sound healing traditions for approximately four hundred and fifty years, where the art was nearly lost, but surfaced again in the first half of the twentieth century. There are now many therapeutic modes which employ these restorative techniques.

Experience the chair within a spiritual healing retreat.