Sound Healing is having a moment right now, but it’s been used by ancient cultures like the Aborigines in Australia and Tibetan monks for centuries. While it may seem a little woo-woo and New Age (right up there with crystals), science is starting to catch up to this wellness practice, codifying some of its techniques through studies that focus on how “feel good” chemicals are released in the brain when exposed to certain sounds or music.
The basic premise of sound healing is that every object, including your body, has a vibratory rate or frequency. All objects also resonate with the vibrations of other entities. This is called sympathetic resonance. For example, if you tap two wine glasses together they will produce the same ringing sound due to their similar frequencies. This is also how music therapy can help alleviate pain, reduce stress and increase energy levels.
All of this is not too far from the science behind binaural beats, which have been found to alter our brainwave frequency to put us into meditative trance states. During a sound healing session, tuning forks, singing bowls and gongs are played near or on the body to send vibrations that open blocked energy channels to bring about balance and healing.
These sound frequencies re-harmonize the cellular level, where dissonant frequencies can be imprinted by toxic substances, emotional traumas or pathogens. In fact, all of our cells emit a frequency that is unique to them which can be tuned to re-harmonize the cell and restore health.
Sound healing is non-invasive and offers many benefits for the mind, body and soul. It promotes relaxation, increases your awareness and helps you tune into more subtle signals from the Universe. It can relieve symptoms of illness and improve your quality of life by reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
During your session, your practitioner may use words or music to guide you through different visualizations and meditations. Some people will simply experience deep relaxation while others will have downloads or emotional breakthroughs. Every person’s experience is unique and can be a very profound one.
The best part is that this can be done at home by incorporating sound into your daily routine. There are a few things to keep in mind, however. Pregnant women are advised to avoid any sound instruments being placed on the body and it is not recommended to perform sound healing for anyone with serious mental health issues or epilepsy. It is also not recommended to use these methods with a pacemaker or any other metal implants.