How to heal with sound

Healing with sound and harmonic frequencies is the newest, oldest technique for healing.

Indigenous cultures all over the world have ancient traditions of healing the body through sound, from song and drum ceremonies to medicinal chants to heal specific ailments. Tibetan singing bowls, Chinese gongs and African gourd percussive instruments can all used for the purpose of healing the body.

The ancient Indian system of healing, Ayurveda, is teeming with mantras that can be recited to assist in the healing of all manner of symptoms and diseases.

Science continues to support the validity of these time-honored practices with findings indicating that certain sonic frequencies alter brain wave patterns and cause distinct, measurable changes at the cellular level. Healing can occur by listening to external sounds, or by using one’s own voice in speaking or singing in certain tones and rhythms. The healing sounds are also created by playing instruments alone or in groups.

Sound can also be “applied” directly to the body, through speakers very close to the skin. Because the human body is over 70% water, the acoustics support the use of sound frequencies to mobilize healing cellular responses.

Here are seven ways that sound heals, according to science.

1. Sound zaps stress

Sound can facilitate emotional release work, and assist in attaining hypnotic states conducive to relaxation and meditation. Repetitive sounds such as pulsing sounds and drumbeats are particularly potent in creating measurably more relaxed brainwaves.

2. Singing affects your cells

Singing can change your body chemistry. The neurochemical effect of singing or “toning” results in lowered blood pressure and respiratory rates. Studies involving cardica patients have revealed that singing or “toning” can release psychological stress before and after heart surgery, and is also effective in the relief of insomnia related to stress.

3. Change your voice, change your body

Acoustic research has identified that when we speak, our voice carries certain patterns of stress. Certain tones are literally “out of tune” when we speak. These off-kilter harmonics in our own speaking voice can reveal health ailments. When we learn to speak with the entire harmonic register of our own voice, we can speed up the body’s healing mechanisms. Diseases like diabetes, emphysema and eye problems have been reduced by coaching individuals to remove the “stress frequencies” in their voices.

4. Harmonics help the heart

Certain music is especially rich in harmonic frequencies that support healing. Such music includes Gregorian chant, Indian classical music, a capella choral music and certain types of tribal chants. Listening to such music changes brainwave patterns and supports feelings of wellness and connection to others. Harmonic music has also been shown to temporarily correct cardiac arrhytmias in certain individuals.

5. Sound supports exercise

Slower tempo music has been proven to slow the human breathing rate. Because of a phenomenon known as entrainment, the human heartbeat will tend to alter according to a rhythmic pulse. While most people tend to listen to loud, fast music when they exercise, research actually supports the use of slower music to achieve a better, longer workout. Individuals who listen to slower, softer music reported that they worked out for longer and felt more relaxed than those who listened to the faster, louder music.

6. Sound fights cancer

In 1997, Fabien Maman conducted studies involving heatlhy blood cells and cancer cells. He subjected the cells to the sounds of the notes of a musical scale being played at 30-40 decibels. The findings indicate that cancer cells became unstable and disintegrated when exposed to the sound of the musical scale over time. The healthy cells, meanwhile, were found to healthily integrate the sound without resistance.

Sound has countless other applications in the healing arts, and affects all of the human systems. Sound also facilitates emotional healing and has profound influences in the context of psychotherapy, hypnotherapy and physical rehabilitation.

Carlie King is a freelance writer specializing in alternative health and is a consumer health advocate to direct those in need of assistance. She writes for leading Trial Attorney’s at IFightForYourRights.com as a part of their outreach program.