The practice of Sound Healing combines melody, drone tones, rhythm, and silence, created by specialized instruments and the voice, played with the intention to shift the listener into altered states of awareness.

Working with sound in this particular manner can assist one in consciously working with the varying modes of our mental states and our distinct psychological functions (sensation, thinking, feeling, imagination, impulse/desire, and intuition). With sound guiding us into what could be called a state of meditation, we are able to explore and experience the connections between these psychological functions. This assists us in restoring balance to our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

What Makes This Possible?

These shifts of awareness start by way of the brainwave entrainment. This is the ability of the brain to naturally synchronize its frequency to the frequency being produced by an external source. In this case, the frequencies created by sound healing instruments.

The highest of the brainwave frequencies is Gamma (35Hz<). These frequencies are found throughout the brain and allow us to integrate thoughts and perceptions as higher understandings and insights. Below this is Beta (12-35Hz), the mental state that we are in as we are learning, communicating and actively problem-solving. Cycling down from Beta we come into Alpha (8-12Hz). In Alpha we feel mentally and physically relaxed, resulting in a calm mood. This allows us to get in touch with our creative and reflective qualities. Below this are the Theta frequencies (4-8Hz) where we can access the subconscious mind and connect to fantasy, dreaming, emotions, sensation, intuition, and memories.  Delta (0.1-4Hz), the lowest frequency state, can bridge us to the unconscious mind. The Delta state starts to decrease our awareness of time, the body, and physical surroundings and brings us to deep, dreamless, rejuvenating sleep.

The instruments used in the practice of Sound Healing tune our brainwaves to these frequencies or mental states, letting our conscious minds experience each one with attentive awareness.

We can also look to the study of cymatics to further explain how sound can affect the body and mind. Cymatics shows the ability of pure sine wave frequencies to rearrange physical matter. In these studies, sound waves are applied to unorganized materials, such as powders and liquids. When sound interacts with the materials they start to organize into coherent symmetrical shapes, some of which create beautiful patterns reminiscent of sacred geometry and mandala images. We can apply this idea to Sound Healing as everything in us and around us is vibrating. Sound has the ability to bring matter into order, and does affect our mind-body in a similar way. When we are immersed in restorative sound frequencies for an extended period of time, those parts of us that have become unorganized due to dis-ease (mental and physical imbalance) are being prompted and encouraged to return to organization and balance by the vibrations they are receiving.

The Experience

When our mind's attention is given over to the instruments being played, it is possible to feel the attachment to our thoughts and to our physical body start to decrease as we slip into the state of “The Observer.” As this shift takes place, we may experience what could be described as a journey traveling through the subtle inner realms of the mind-body-emotion-spirit connection. This can be a powerful experience as we are able to feel, see, hear, sense, and intuit things about ourselves and our surroundings in a way we are not normally used to.

For some, this may lead to feelings of relaxation, calm, and stillness. While in other cases the listener may feel challenged as they become aware of stuck emotions and even the places in the body in which they reside. The listener may connect to memories or see visions that represent personal unresolved issues. While this may not seem like a desirable experience, this can be an opportunity to gently unravel knots in the psyche that are creating internal friction and physical discomfort, which can lead to a sense of relief, peace, and tranquility.

Sound Healing can bring about an array of experiences and health benefits including but not limited to:

Body

• improved oxygen and nutrition distribution to organs

• decrease in muscle tension

• deeper, undisturbed sleep

• higher immune system response

• relief from chronic pain

Mind / Emotion

• creates a state of impartial observation, accepting what is without judgment

• breaks patterns of habitual thinking 

• relieves general symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression 

• increases mental clarity

• reduces mental dialogue, expands imagination and symbolic comprehension

• releases accumulated emotions

Spirit

• assists one to inquire more deeply into their own unique nature

• harmonizes outer and inner intelligences

• links one to ancestral wisdom / wisdom of nature and the elements

• establishes connection and alignment to Internal Healer / Higher-Self