Sound Healing: Harnessing the power of Music
I recently understood the Intersection of Music and Spirituality in Sound Healing. My quest to understand this started in the Himalayas and ended when I met a musician.
In the odds you are here, I assume you are also a believer of sound, vibration, and the role physics has to play in it. It is a perfect amalgam of spirituality and science, and witnessing the intersection of the two got me here to write this!
The law of Vibration is one of the fundamental laws of the universe. It states that everything moves, and nothing remains constant. Humans exist in a system of motion. When brain cells are activated, they set up a vibration in the body. Therefore, to move the hand, one needs to trigger brain cells to move the body, or the hand would not move.
I visited the Himalayas 3 years in a row at different times of the year. And each visit included a trip to the monastery. Now if you have visited one, you will know that a monastery never exists without monks, a praying wheel, and chimes of a bell. And just the sound of these changes the entire energy of the place. If you happen to enter the mediation space, you will also witness singing bowls.
Tibetan healing singing bowl is traditionally known as — gongs or suzu gongs. These singing bowls are widely used in Buddhist practices whenever there is a religious ceremony or while performing yoga. It is a form of meditation and creating the sound that heals. Our ear and our sense of sound are the most dynamic medium to connect our inner self with the world.
Putting it in plain terms — How do you feel when you hear your favourite song? or the song that reminds you of a loved one? Positive or negative? That’s the power of sound. And it is therapeutic when the healing sound taps into that power.
I never forgot about what I learned in the Himalayas. From my visits to these monasteries, I carry the learning of meditation, gratitude, and healing with me always. And that’s why much of my house is having wind chimes, as I do believe in the power of sound produced at specific frequencies. Until recently, when I met an old friend who turned into a Guitarist and a Musician. I know him for the past 10 years, and honestly, I know from the days he was self-centred, ungrateful, and rude to now when I see him as spiritually awakened, carrying more gratitude in his heart and being kind towards people. It took me a day to sit with him and listen to his journey of transition from a corporate employee to a musician. From a sales person for 5 years to becoming a musician and pursuing his love for guitar on stage. It is something that hitting the nodes of the instrument did to him — a spiritual growth by listening to his own self. And that’s when the power of music and sound hit me! A self-therapy for him that came from voice and sound!
How does Music therapy work? It uses a cacophony of Harmonies and frequencies that trigger an emotional response. While the sound is one healing therapy, voice is another!
Voice is one of the most critical instruments in sound therapy. Even when you are just humming a sound, coupled with a healing intention, it can be a powerful healing tool. Imagine the power of composing an entire song! Each of us carries a unique pitch, vibration and style and just thinking of this as an instrument in healing can lead to self-healing.
Meeting him made me realise the power modern and classical music carry in the healing process. While a singing bowl creates a carefully curated sound, the nodes of a guitar and a musical instrument do the same. The music you listen to naturally harnesses the brain’s response to certain sound frequencies and elicits altered states and emotional responses that are known to improve health and well-being.
While not all of the music falls under the healing sound, you now know when certain music in your playlist hits home! You might not be actively seeking sound healing through singing bowls, but some of our musicians are healing us.
I am not an expert on sound healing, but I tried learning it from the monks. Have you have some experience to share, write to me at parul715@gmail.com.
