Sound and Healing
Dee Jackson Shell
As our modern civilization has became more technologically based, we seemed to have lost our awareness of the importance of sound as a healing tool. Instead of harmonious and healing sounds in our environment we have created loud and discordant sounds around us. It is important to realize that long term exposure to sound pollution can be as damaging to a person as exposure to any other type of pollution. The effects of such exposure can include fatigue, irritability, burnout and disease.
Edgar Cayce predicted sound would be the medicine of the future. Many others have also seen and predicted the importance of sound and vibration as an important technique to heal on the many different levels of the body. There are many different types of sound healing and many different ways to employ healing sound; but before we discuss those options, we should examine how sound effects the various levels of human existence. <
Sound and vibration works on the body at an energetic level. They affect the physical body directly and indirectly through the various subtle bodies, which are the domains of our emotions and thoughts, etc. Another way of saying this is sound can affect us through the chakras and auric field.
Different systems such as the Taoism, Indian Hinduism, and Buddhism attribute different vocalized sounds to each chakra. Each one of the chakras resonates to a different sound, note or frequency. For example, the root chakra resonates to the sound LAM in the Indian Hindu tradition, it also resonates to the note of C. Despite the differences between system certain sounds such as “AUM” can often be found to cross systems.
Sound and vibration can balance and clear impurities from both the auric field and the chakras. The effects are experienced on many different levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Any disease that affects the body can be cleared at any level necessary.
Music is a good example of evocative sound. Almost everyone has felt some shift in their well being while listening to music. Certain music has the ability to make us cry while others pieces make us laugh. We bring the music’s energy into the emotional level.
Healing work using sound and vibration can be done in many different ways, using many different techniques. Two of the more important techniques are tonal work and vocal intonation. Frequency or tonal work uses bowls, bells and various other instruments to produce one or more sounds. Intonation uses the human voices to produce sound.
Instruments such as singing bowls, crystal bowls, singing bells, chimes, tuning forks, pitch pipes and drums can all produce tones and frequencies, which resonate with an individual’s chakras and auric field. The vibrations produced by these tools can clear negativity and disease from an individual’s energy field, as well as, help to balance and align the chakras.
In addition to healing properties, the sounds produced by bowls, bells and drums can be used in meditation. These sounds can be used on a regular basis to help induce relaxation and altered states of consciousness.
Many cultures have incorporated chanting, as well as instruments, into their healing traditions. Intonation of vowel sounds in particular resonates with the various bodies. Although there is some variation between groups, cultures, both ancient and modern, are still aware of the powerful impact of the human voice. This impact can be greatly intensified when the sounds are vibrated in a way that resonates with a specific subtle body.
Intonation, like frequency and tonal work can be used for purposes other than healing. When used in this way it can be referred to as sacred sound. Whether it is a Buddhist monk, a Jewish cantor, Native American Shaman or any of the many traditions that use vibratory sound, the impact on the spiritual soul of humankind is profound.
A mantra is a form of intonation work that can be used for daily practice. Finding the right sound is a very personal choice. If we make the effort to find and use it regularly, it can aid our personal and spiritual growth.
By revisiting this powerful and ancient concept, we can counteract some of the negative influences of our modern society.