Sound, it is one of our five senses We are surrounded by sounds all day long If you live on a farm, the sound of the rooster may wake you up in the morning. Out in nature you can hear the birds chirping, the bees buzzing, the river rushing or the wind blowing. If you live in the city there are the sounds of horns honking, trunks rattling and voices of people talking as they walk down the street. Some of these sounds are soothing and some, not so much. With all of these sounds around us how could it possibly heal us ?
History of Sound Healing
Sound healing has actually been around for thousands of years When the Chinese practiced acupuncture they would actually use sound to help lesson the pain of the needles In many religions chanting, music and sound was used to help with healing and find spiritual enlightenment. The existence of Singing Bowls for the use of relaxation and meditation dates back to around 500 BC, although they use the name "Tibetan", the bowls may have actual roots in Nepal and Eastern India, In Ancient Greece it was said that Orpheus could charm both man and beasts with the power of his music. Even the Old Testament talks about David’s music bringing people together and healing them, but how does it really work?
Sound waves and vibrations
Let’s look a little deeper into the idea of sound. We know that sound is a series of vibrations or waves that travel through the air. We can actually feel some of those vibrations. Think about going to a concert and sitting near the speakers, you can feel those low bass notes vibrate in your body. Those may not feel great, but what if you match the proper vibrations to a certain body part, can healing begin? Our bodies are made up mostly of water and we know that sound can travel through water. Now imagine that some part of your body is out of balance. Can we fix that balance with sound?
What is frequency
Frequency is the way that sound waves are measured using a unit of measurement called hertz Everything has a frequency - rocks, animals, humans. They say that the most common frequency in nature is that of 432 Hertz, its known as the frequency of the earth, also known as the Schumann Resonance. As Musical instruments were developed through the years there were many variations of frequency somewhere from 432 to 450 Hertz. This made it very difficult for groups to play together as they never truly were able to match pitches. The controversy regarding frequency has been in great debate for years, but finally it was decided back in 1939 that a compromise should be made and the the frequency of 440 Hertz was decided as the tuning frequency for most musical instruments. Since then most orchestras tune their instruments to 440 Hertz to the note "A" above middle "C".
How does sound become music
So each of those frequencies that we were talking about represents a pitch in music. Playing those frequencies in a specific pattern makes music. Sure, there is still much more to basic music theory with harmonics, chords and scales, but the basic thing about music is that those patterns sound pleasing to the ear. It makes us feel good. What about live music - we LOVE going to concerts. Is it just to hear those pleasing patterns or are the sound waves affecting our bodies in some way? According to science - the answer to that question is yes! Vibrations can heal.
Vibrational Sound Healing
For many years doctors used tuning forks to test someone's hearing. They were even used to see if a bone was fractured. All parts of the body have a frequency. In the 1960s it has was discovered that Tuning Forks can be used to put the body back in balance - keeping us in tune. Tuning forks are used a few ways - one is by Psychological Acoustics. This occurs when you place a tuning fork by your ears and the sound enters your body through your ears and affecting your brain and nervous system. The second way is by Vibrational Acoustics. This is when the tuning fork is placed on your body and the sound waves travel through your body’s and affect you on a cellular level allowing your body to heal. When Sir Peter Guy Manners discovered Tuning Fork Therapy he believed that this therapy could heal a range of conditions such as chronic inflammation, arthritis and even bacterial infections.
“Music can calm the savage beast”…. music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up there was always some form of music being played in our house. All of my siblings played an instrument - trumpet, flute, guitar. My Dad played country music on his 8-track tapes. Mom always played the radio and was known to sing along with Dad from time to time, which also included some yodeling. I personally liked to sing and play the flute. Music made me feel focused and relaxed even when there was a difficult run of notes to play. It would put me in a good mood and make me feel like my life was in balance.
Local Sound Bath
Music has changed through the years - Gregorian Chants, Renaissance music, Elvis Presley's Rock and Roll, Rap Music, Techno Music, even with all this change people continue to listen to it. Why? Simply because it pleasing to their ear and it makes them feel good. I'm sure there are those out there that may not agree with me, but perhaps their feel good music is something different. Maybe its a quieter music, that of nature like a babbling brook, birds singing or crickets chirping. Maybe its a quartz crystal sound bath like I do once a month with Three Feathers Healing at St. Luke's Church in Hudson, MA . Whatever is your feel good music is - play it. Listen to it. Let it sink into your body - quiet your mind and restore your soul. Sound can heal.
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