Every community aspires to express its own voice and unique musical expression since music is a universal experience. Even if it is created and listened to alone, music is meant to be heard and shared, and no activity is more effective at fostering a sense of community than playing music together.
The Ultimate Healing Sound is Music
Because the sensations that music produces are enjoyable, people (as well as animals and nature) adore it. Humans are hardwired to experience pain, just as we are hardwired to feel pleasure from things like food, scents, sex, touch, and sound. Music is a deceptively simple collection of sounds, harmony, rhythm, and patterns that has a significant impact on our emotional and mental states. Since music is present in our life from the minute we are born, calming us, elevating our moods, and influencing our emotional condition, it is the ideal sound for healing. Fetuses are capable of hearing noises and rhythms while still inside the mother. We are aware of this since newborns are capable of distinguishing their own mother’s voice and even the tunes that were played while she was pregnant.
All of the emotions are expressed through and evoked by music. Not only do we enjoy upbeat music. We listen to music to help us relax, feel energized, let off steam, lessen irritation, and incite passion. Most of the time, listening to music lowers hormones that cause stress, like cortisol and adrenaline, while increasing feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine.
Our social and intellectual development as sentient beings has depended heavily on music. Every civilization over time has created its own distinct style of music that serves to define that culture and to unite the people. As familiar as our own name, our DNA and the fashion we are exposed to as children become a part of who we are. We can, however, learn to appreciate and accept various types and forms of music because it is so universal. We get to know one another better, become closer, and develop a stronger sense of self and community when we share our varied musical tastes.
It is possible for a culture’s music to move and inspire us even if we are not members of that culture. How music makes us feel is what makes it therapeutic. So keep your heart and mind open when employing music and sound as wellness tool. Don’t limit your listening to your ears. Whatever the style, genre, or sound, music can have a good impact on our lives if it makes us feel something.
Using Vibrations to Promote Wellness through Sound Healing
A relatively recent concept called sound healing refers to a variety of complementary therapies that use sound to aid healing, balance, and spiritual development. Even when they employ well-used musical instruments, these strategies typically employ sound in a nonmusical manner. Mantras and chants for meditation, rhythmic drumming, and striking bells and bowls to create vibrating, wave-like sounds are a few examples. Traditional instruments, chanting, and sound therapy are becoming more and more common in the wellness practices of yoga instructors, meditation instructors, and other professionals. Scientific research has demonstrated the potential advantages of the sounds and vibrations created by bowls and other instruments on our consciousness and mental condition, even if sound healing is distinct from music therapy.
While it is possible to practice sound healing alone, group sessions feature a skilled practitioner creating the sounds as participants sit still with their eyes closed and allow the sounds to surround them. The practitioner may occasionally walk around the room and bring the instrument as close to each person as possible so they may experience the soft vibrations or sound waves. However, the voice is also employed in a similar manner by numerous meditational and spiritual traditions. The person enters a contemplative, calm, and healing condition by chanting a series of repeated syllables. Chanting may be the most well-liked type of sound healing since it promotes concentration and a deeper level of practice or experience for the practitioner.
Popular Sound Healing Instruments
The instruments listed below were all created by certain cultures and were utilized for musical purposes, religious rituals, and other special events. All are said to promote relaxation of the mind and body, a reduction of stress, and a healing, meditative state when employed in sound healing.
- Singing bowls dates back more than 6,000 years in the Far East. The vibrations and tones produced when various-sized metal or glass bowls are struck are said to promote various levels of awareness, reduce anxiety, and lower blood pressure. The solar system’s planets were thought to be accessible to listeners through the bowls at first.
- Djembe: A wooden drum from West Africa fashioned with rope and leather. The sound of it is thought to affect consciousness and cause trances.
- Gong: Originating in Indonesia and China, gongs are among the most well-known percussion instruments in the world. They date back to 4000 BCE. They are said to stabilize the body’s energy centers or chakra (aritu).
- Didgeridoo: Aboriginal Australians are thought to have created this instrument, which is thought to be roughly 1500 years old. It is utilized in meditation to assist in freeing up blocked energy.
- Kalimba: This instrument, which originated thousands of years ago in what is now Zimbabwe, features a row of metal tines arranged on a wooden board that produces a peculiar, music-box-like sound.
- Native American Flute: Due to its origins in the Americas, this instrument is perhaps one of the most often used sound healing instruments in the country.
- Rain stick: Rain sticks are percussion instruments with a soothing rain-like shaking sound that dates back to the Aztecs of modern-day Mexico and Central America.
- Wood chimes: Wind chimes are sweet-sounding devices constructed of various materials that have historically been used to aid in increasing the flow of energy. They were first noted in China and India but are a part of human cultures all over the world.
Becoming Community
People crave a sense of belonging. We feel like we belong and that our experiences and feelings are comparable when we are part of a group. Communities provide us with the feeling of belonging and support when we need it. Whether they are related to a nationality, a lifestyle, a vocation, a pastime, a skill, or a talent, they become a part of who we are. Communities get together to exchange ideas, offer assistance and support, and simply spend time together.
We can discuss ideas in communities, which broadens our understanding and perspective. It gives motivation by supporting attitudes and actions. It builds a connection that makes us feel secure, cherished and wanted. This encourages us to show love and support to others.
Ubuntu: A Community-Based Philosophy
Ubuntu is a way of life that places a strong emphasis on community. The word “ubuntu,” which is derived from the Nguni Bantu language, a family of languages spoken in southern Africa, literally translates as “humanity.” A common phrase that the concept is interpreted as is “A person is a person through other persons” or even “I am because we are.” This phrase serves as a helpful tool for both individual and collective healing and as a reminder that we are not separate from other people.
Ubuntu exemplifies the traits required to embrace, recover, and rebuild our sense of community, regardless of whether it is based on race, nationality, religion, gender, or anything else. Ubuntu can support our growth, healing, and healthy relationships with everyone.
Namaste, an old Sanskrit term that “the divinity in me honors the divinity in you,” expresses a similar idea. This is a common way for yogis and wellness enthusiasts to meet and bless people in the West.
Sound Baths and Sound Healing
There are three methods for using sound to heal. You might want to test out all three to be able to see which one works best for you, depending on your needs. Your intentions and state of mind will also influence what you experience from these techniques. Some people merely wish to experience profound relaxation, while others discover that sound therapy inspires creativity, and yet others have an emotional breakthrough. Be aware that the terms “sound baths” and “sound healing” might be used interchangeably. If you wish to do more study, locate a local practitioner, or enroll in a group class, use both terms.
Sound Baths
The majority of the time, sound baths are provided as group classes, either separately or in conjunction with yoga or meditation. Participants frequently sit or lie down during lessons as the instructor “bathes” the space in sounds for a considerable amount of time, utilizing instruments like gongs or sound bowls. This enables you to unwind and focus. Sessions typically cost around $20. They are reasonably priced.
Individual Sound Healing
Anyone can use sound healing, regardless of training. Many times, when you whistle, hum a tune, or tap your fingers, you are engaging in a form of sound therapy. You may relax, improve your attitude, and feel terrific all around by taking these actions. You can also listen to sound healing tapes at home, for example, right before going to sleep or right after waking up. This may help you sleep better and prepare you for the day ahead.
Sound Healing Session in Privacy
Individual and small group sessions are typically offered by sound healing practitioners (or yoga instructors who also offer sound healing). To accomplish this alternative practice, try with a group of friends or in the quiet of your own home. The one-on-one attention is excellent, but it is typically more expensive.
Music Therapy: Intentional Meditation
Here is a practice for intentionally employing music as a peaceful, therapeutic wellness activity.
To start, choose a specific improvement you wish to make in your life, like “increase self-awareness” or “improve sleep.” Clearly define your goals and the reasons behind them, then put them in writing. It’s okay if, after thinking about it, you are not completely certain. Your goals may become clearer with time, or the practice itself may offer a fresh viewpoint.
Next, compile a disc of meditative instrumental music that lasts for 10 to twenty minutes. You can either choose the music yourself or look for instrumental videos on YouTube. When searching online, use keywords that are relevant to your objective, such as “music to help improve sleep” or something more general, such as “chill music.” To avoid interruptions from adverts, make sure the movie you choose does not have ads turned on.
Once you have music, make a commitment to practicing for a week at the same time every day. Pick a quiet time of day, such as before bedtime or after waking up. Then, rehearse in a space where you feel secure and at ease, and dress comfortably. Play some music, take a deep breath, and then close your eyes as you exhale once you’ve found a comfortable position—whether you’re lying down or sitting—in your area.
Totally concentrate on the music. Permeate yourself with the acoustic waves. For a time, listen to the music, or concentrate on the beat. When your thoughts stray, which is normal, take another deep, loving breath and, with your expiration, return your attention to the music. Thank yourself without passing judgment each time this occurs, and you bring your attention back to the music. Then open your eyes after the music stops, and go about your day.
A Final Observation from Doc T Elliott
Our energy fields are profoundly impacted by sound and music. Every sound we hear vibrates at a specific frequency, which can have either a good or bad impact on us. Our minds process what we hear from radio, TV, or other sources, and the sounds also have an impact on our spirits, bodies, and physical selves. Each chakra, aritu, or energy field has a corresponding tone that it responds to. For instance, the sounds of nature and rushing water are two examples of noises that are believed to promote calm. Fear-inspiring noises include those that are extremely loud or music from horror films. Not just the words or lyrics utilized in the songs but also the energy patterns produced by the sounds can make us feel happy or sad. As a sound healer, I advise going to a sound bath session with a friend or two so you can witness the effects for yourself. Try to be sincere and not have high expectations. Relax during the session and learn more about the procedure. Like reiki, acupuncture, and yoga, sound healing is a component of holistic and alternative healing modalities. Discover your therapeutic zone and a practitioner with whom you feel at ease.
Recommended books to read: Music of Life by Hazarat Inayat Khan, Sound Health by Steven Halpern, Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins, and Secrets of Music: A Collection of Articles Paperback by Tatyana N. Mickushina