what is sound healing

WHAT WE WILL GO OVER HERE:

• THE BASICS OF HOW SOUND HEALING WORKS

• THE BENEFITS OF SOUND HEALING

• COMMON EXPERIENCES

• IS SOUND HEALING SAFE FOR EVERYONE

• HOW TO INCORPORATE IT INTO YOUR LIFE

Let’s talk about sound healing!

Before we get super into it, if you have not read my posts on “The Science Of Sound Healing”, I would recommend reading that before proceeding as this will just be a basic coverage of how sound healing works.

Firstly, let’s get two major questions out of the way:

1. Is sound healing/sound therapy the same thing?

   Sound healing/sound therapy are terms often used interchangeably with each other. I prefer the term sound healing, and will be using that here. Sound therapy does not mean your practitioner is a licensed therapist, though they can be.

2. Is sound healing and music therapy the same thing?

   Sound healing is a form of music therapy, but not all sound healing practitioners are music therapists. Music therapy is a degree, and sound healing is often, but not always, a certification process most commonly accredited to the Complimentary Medical Association depending on where your certification is through. Sound healing includes an aspect of spirituality and energy that music therapy traditionally does not value in the same way, or may not so freely discuss with clients. There is also often a difference in instruments, techniques, and sometimes terminology used.

Okay now that is settled, let’s move on to what is sound healing exactly?

Sound healing is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, using sound to help heal the mind, body, and spirit!

Sound healing is the use of instruments to activate the parasympathetic nervous system in the body; slowing down the breath, heart rate, and brainwaves. Sound healing has many benefits including but not limited to:

• reducing anxiety/stress

• aiding with insomnia

• lowering blood pressure

• aiding with depression

• spiritual connection

• reducing physical/chronic pain

• creating healthy brain-wave patterns

• generally encouraging a relaxed nervous system

As the sound travels through the body, the resonance of the cells are changed and healed. Sound breaks up and moves stuck energy in the body, helps us process trauma, and can help to ease and heal ailments. As our parasympathetic nervous system is activated, we are brought to a calmer mental and physical state.

There are different frequencies/sounds associated with each chakra, and different parts of our body. As sound moves through the energy field it helps to heal and move unhealthy energy in the body, effecting not only our physical state, but our emotional state as well.

Each organ, each cell, in our body has it’s own resonance. Things like illness, stress, and or emotional trauma can effect these resonances, and through using sound we can bring the body back into harmony. Sound waves are already used in modern medicine for a multitude of purposes, and as more studies continue, hopefully sound will be incorporated even more.

Each practitioner uses different instruments, but common instruments include: crystal singing bowls, tibetan bowls, gongs, shamans drum, tuning forks, crystal harps, crystal pyramids, the voice, koshi chimes.

Some instruments are tuned to specific chakras, some to elements, and some are intended to create certain rhythms or frequencies for other purposes.

Sound healing effects everyone differently, and it is impossible to say exactly how it will effect someone. Intention is also incredibly important when it comes to sound healing- not only yours, but your practitioners as well. However, people generally fall into a few different categories of experience during a sound healing session:

• entering a dream-like visual state

  • Many people have very spiritual experiences visually during sound healing. Guides, ancestors, passed loved ones, their verson of God(s), or even their higher self come to visit them to provide wisdom, guidance, or just a feeling of support. Some people experience a visual journey which can range from personal life experiences, to experiences more similar to those in the astral realm.

• falling asleep

  • Falling asleep is common and completely normal when sound healing is occurring. For many people is it an opportunity to get deep rest in a way that feels safe to our body. This is especially common for those who work in a very stressful environment, or whose fight or flight is activated often.

• going into a void/timeless space

  • The void is what many refer to as a meditative state without awareness of time or physical sensation. You aren’t asleep, but you aren’t fully awake either. You might feel your body is floating or tingling, but will lose that sense of present-ness within your body. Before you know it the session is over and it feels like just ten minutes or so has gone by.

• memory recall/emotional states

  • It is important to note that strong emotions or memory recall is common during a sound healing. This is more commonly present for those who have PTSD, complex trauma, or recent trauma. However- emotions are obviously something everybody has, and it is not unusual to work through them during a healing. Sometimes the emotions come with an explanation of a past memory or recent event, but sometimes we just need to cry or be upset and work through those things without fully understanding where it is coming from.

• a sense of deep connection and love

  • Sound helps us connect to the one-ness that exists all around us, and therefore helps us feel a deep sense of connection and love. Depending on what you experience during a particular session, the sense of love might be very strong and present, or it might just be a supportive feeling as you work through emotions and energy.

• lots of talking within the mind

  • Sound healing sessions range from 45-80 minutes (that’s just my parameter, some might be longer). When you are experiencing a sound healing session, you are essentially in a state of meditation for X-amount of time, without any distractions. That is not easy for everybody, especially for those who don’t have a meditation practice of some sort, so it is totally normal for the brain to chitter-chatter while you are getting adjusted to being in that state. Even if you have a hard time turning your brain off, the sound will still help, and it becomes easier with time and practice.

Sound is similar to a detox within the body, so it is common to experience detox-like symptoms afterwards. Common symptoms include, but are not limited too: bodily rejection of drugs/alcohol/unhealthy foods, vivid dreams, tiredness, motivation, increased focus, sense of peace, temporary pain. If you have had surgery it is common to experience temporary pain in that area during or post sound healing.

Let’s address one more big question before jumping into how to incorporate sound healing into your life, is sound healing safe for everyone?

Firstly, I am not a doctor. You should always refer to your doctor’s opinion on what is safe for you. The following is not meant to be taken as medical advice, but just as my opinion as a sound healing practitioner.

There is no doubt that sound healing has amazing benefits, and there is plenty of research to showcase this. The question is are there any specific conditions that should be avoided. The quickest answer is…we can’t say 100% for sure one way or another.

There are some schools of thought that if you have a seizure disorder, pace-maker, pregnant, epilepsy, have metal screws/plates, insulin pump, or any complex medical condition that you should not receive sound healing. More specifically that you should not receive a sound healing that includes crystal singing bowls, tibetan bowls, or just strong frequencies/vibrations.

There are also some schools of thought that argue in the opposite direction and say sound healing could help with some of the above stated conditions. Based off of the research I have found, I have not been able to find any conclusive evidence showing there is any negative correlation between sound healing and the above medical conditions (there is the exception of placing strong frequencies directly on or super close to pace makers/other mechanical devices, but that is not exclusive to sound healing).

Whether or not you have a “negative” experience, might also be up for interpretation. Let me provide an example: someone might view past emotions or traumatic memories coming up as a bad thing if they aren’t ready to deal with that, where-as someone who is ready to approach that trauma and work through those emotions might view them coming up as a good experience.

There are sound healing practitioners on both sides of the argument. It’s important to remember there is no 100% guarantee under any circumstances for anyone that sound can’t possibly interact and cause a negative experience for you- everyone reacts differently to sound whether you have a complex medical condition or not. Most sound healing practitioners will have a waiver for you to sign due to this reason. If you are nervous, check with your doctor, and reach out to your chosen practitioner and let them know about your concerns. Make sure to respect each practitioners boundaries with what conditions they are and are not willing to treat!

Now…let’s talk about how to incorporate sound into your life!

Seeing a sound healing practitioner for a 1:1 session or sound bath is a great way to experience the healing power of sound. Each practitioner is a little different and has their own methods and instruments. Practitioners have a more experienced hand and can help guide you through what you might be needing, while creating a safe place to do so. You should always choose a practitioner that you trust and that vibes with you. Not every practitioner is meant for everybody, so just because one practitioner works or doesn’t work, doesn’t mean that is the case across the board.

However, you don’t need a practitioner to begin to introduce sound into your life. Sound healing is something you can incorporate into your life and daily practices at home! Here are a few ways to do that:

• listen to mantras/take up a mantra practice

• listen to frequency music during meditation

• listen to binural beats

• buy some easy to use instruments:

  • koshi chimes or chimes in general

    • these are super easy to have hanging around the house and give off a beautiful sound, koshi chimes are tuned to the 4 elements and are relatively affordable compared to some of the other chimes

  • tuning forks

    • these can be used during meditation, for pain, or just to quickly reset

    • they make multiple different types- I recommend buying one that you can listen to first, there are weighted and unweighted tuning forks and they come in multiple different frequencies. The weighted ones you can only hear if they are close to your ears, but vibrate really well when placed on the body. The unweighted ones you can hear from a distance- though they aren’t super loud.

  • small tibetan/himalayan bowl-can be used intermittently or during meditation

    • these can be used during meditation, for pain, or just to quickly reset

    • they make multiple different sizes that give off different frequencies when struck- they are easy to learn how to play and pretty indestructible, which is why I recommend them for someone who just wants something easy to have around the house. I recommend buying one you can listen to first- it doesn’t have to be a super expensive 12inch one to give off a beautiful frequency, but you want to make sure you like the tone before you buy it.

Sound healing is an amazing holistic practice to incorporate into your life. It is diverse in what it is able to help you with, and can be accessed by anybody! If you are interested in trying out sound healing, I recommend finding a practitioner in your area and seeing what they are all about. Want to learn more about sound healing? Check out the other posts on my blog or look into getting your certification!

Have a specific sound healing question you can’t find the answer to? Reach out to me and I can try to help!