What if one small change to your day could bring you more joy and better health?
It’s possible when we integrate at least five minutes of sound healing into our daily practice.
We think of sound, in a live setting, as transient, impermanent, and invisible. We can’t touch it or hold it in our hands. Could it possibly be healing?
You’re probably aware that sound healing is super popular these days. While it might sound like a “new age” trend, modern medicine has found this ancient practice to be a proven healing modality. Today, sound healing is integrated into major hospitals and nursing homes throughout the United States and Europe.
Ancient and indigenous cultures got it right. The ancient Greeks and Egyptians, the indigenous tribes of North and South America, and traditional holistic practices like Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine have long known that sound can restore our bodies and minds.
The good news is that modern medical research is confirming sound therapy’s many benefits: it can reduce stress and improve relaxation, energy, focus, and overall well-being. It helps to clear stuck energy and shift our energy field into balance. It grounds us and stills our minds, as well.
Even more intriguing, Oncologist Dr. Mitchell Gaynor tells us, “Sound can redress imbalances on every level of physiological functioning and can play a positive role in the treatment of virtually any medical disorder.”
The sound may revolutionize the future of healing.
Why is sound so healing?
Everything in the universe is energy—atoms vibrating at a frequency ranging from low to high—trees, rocks, food, music, our planet, and ourselves. Nothing in the universe is not vibrating energy. We, humans, are energy beings and respond to sound vibrations. At the same time, our human bodies are about 60 percent water—which is a superb conductor of sound frequencies, more so than air.
Sound frequencies can stimulate the brain into what’s called the Theta state—that deeply relaxed state we aim to achieve during meditation or prayer—which is connected to creativity and intuition.
In addition to our personal experiences with feeling more relaxed, there’s solid scientific research that demonstrates the effects of sound on the body. Researcher James Gimzewski of UCLA has published that every cell in your body sings all the time, except when there is a challenge. When cells are diseased or injured, they actually “sleep,” which means they are not reproducing and optimally doing their role in maintaining your health.
The good news is “our body’s cells can be energized and purified by the very thing they emit: sound.” With low-frequency sound, dormant cells awaken and come into balance. Sound restores our diseased or injured cells to perform maximally again.
Also fascinating, some of the most healing frequencies are below what the human ear can hear. For example, the gong—the most healing of all instruments—has the largest range of Hertz (the unit of frequency for one cycle per second). In other words, it has the widest range of low and high notes. In fact, many of the gong’s frequencies cannot be heard by the human ear but are picked up by our bodies at a cellular level.
It’s been found that the lowest sound frequencies support our vascular system to absorb more oxygen into the blood. This is especially good for the healing process and for pain reduction. Sonic scientist John Stuart Reid has demonstrated that 20 minutes of sound regenerate old blood cells.
Bathing in sound.
You needn’t be in a hospital, nursing home, or science lab to benefit from sound. The most common way to access sound healing is by attending a sound bath, which is an immersion in sound frequencies aimed at healing. You’ll find public sound baths at meditation centers, yoga studios, or sound bath studios.
While public sound baths offer deeply relaxing experiences, the real magic happens one-on-one with a sound healing practitioner who curates a personalized session just for you based on your specific needs, health challenges, or intention for healing. It’s a powerful experience to be surrounded by the healing vibrations of mesmerizing Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, dreamy Native American flutes, uplifting Zaphir chimes, the majestic gong, the heartbeat-like rhythm of frame drums, brilliant tuning forks, and more. Many sound practitioners combine this sound healing immersion with Reiki energy, chakra-based crystals, breathwork, and visualizations.
Improve your health and good vibes at home—in just a few minutes a day.
Attending a sound bath isn’t the only way to access the healing potential of sound. There are easy, no-/low-cost ways you can harness the power of sound healing—and anchor joy—in the comfort of your home.
>> Scientists have found that singing is healing. It doesn’t matter if you sing well or not. The mere act of singing music you enjoy is a benefit. Expand your singing beyond the shower: sing to your garden or to the trees, to your pet, or your children. Or chant a Bija mantra.
>> Humming stimulates the Vagus nerve—the longest nerve in the body, which controls digestion, heart rate, the immune system, and more. Hum while you’re cooking, cleaning your house, doing yard work or fix-it projects, or running errands.
>> Rhythmically bang a drum to mimic the heartbeat. If you don’t own a drum, tap percussively on your body, a book, a desk, or a kitchen pot. Shake a rattle (or vitamin bottle!). Archeologists tell us that drums and rattles were used for healing by our ancient ancestors.
>> Make a morning and/or evening ritual of gently striking a singing bowl or ringing a bell three times (or sounding your garden windchimes)—as you center your awareness, offer gratitude, state an intention, or simply reset your vibe.
>> For you musicians, remember that playing an instrument you love is not only enjoyable but can be deeply healing, too.
>> Let’s not forget the simple act of listening to music throughout your day. Sonic scientist John Stuart Reid tells us music is healing if it’s music you love (provided it’s not too loud as to be stressful to the body). What’s more, you can listen to any genre—classical, rock and roll, jazz, hip hop—as long as you connect with positive emotions. Wearing good headphones maximizes healing outcomes.
Everything in life and in health is incremental. Integrating intentional sound into your daily life will be of benefit to your health and well-being. Be sure to devote at least five minutes. That’s because research demonstrates it takes at least four minutes for our bodies to come into what’s called entrainment—a fancy word for when our bodies’ cells and our brains synchronize with the frequency of the sound.
Sound is fun medicine and pure joy! Find one or more easy practices you love and create a habit you’ll look forward to each day.
And soon, you’ll feel firsthand this incredibly healing power of sound.
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