Sound Healing – an Ancient Medicine

Sound Healing is one of the oldest forms of healing known to man and used by many cultures around the world. Some use music to lift their spirits; others use it to consciously enhance the healing process using sound and vibrations.

The most well known traditions are those of the Tibetans with gongs, bowls, horns and over toning voices, the Xamanic with Drums, rattles and voice, as well as the Australian Aborigines using the didgeridoo and clap-sticks.

The aboriginal people of Australia are one of the most ancient cultures on the planet. Research suggests that the didgeridoo is about 2000 years old. In more ancient times, the didgeridoo (native names: yidaki or mago) was often used to accelerate the healing process for broken bones, joints, tendons or muscles. The low frequency and ultrasounds created by the didgeridoo were believed to facilitate healing.

The highest goal of music is to connect one’s soul to their divine nature, not entertainment. – Pythagoras I can confirm this by my own experience, for I have witnessed many “miracles” by using the didgeridoo as a healing tool. A successful didgeridoo session may result in immediate relief from pain, release of heavily stuck energy, alleviation of depression, as well as a great sensation of relaxation.

Pythagoras used “music as medicine” in ancient Greece (circa 500 BC). He discovered the effect of musical intervals and taught that healing could occur using sound and harmonic frequencies, performed to what he called “soul-adjustments”.

Egyptians were also devotees of vowel sounds in their rituals, to lift the spirit and enhance the healing process.

Aspects of Sound Healing:

Resonance is one of the most important aspects of Sound Healing. The law of resonance is the ability for a stronger vibration to penetrate and overcome a weaker vibration.

Our body is composed of mainly water (more or less 70%) and multi-frequencies of sound waves are measured in hertz (Hz). Going from lower to higher vibration we can ascertain the density of matter. For example, going from bones, joints, tendons and muscles, to organs, to blood and liquids, to the mental aspects and finally the emotional and etheric body.

It is all about healing; it is re-aligning the person into his or her natural balance and harmony. Each organism has its own natural vibratory rate: how frequencies relate and affect each other. In Sound Healing the use of pure frequencies, pure tones, timbres, noise, sounds, infra-sounds, ultra sounds, different instruments, different tuning systems, voice vibrations, music intervals, rhythms, volume, energy and, most importantly, the flow, are all considered to re-align the disruptive frequency of the person, of the cells, organs, emotions… so that body mind and soul are easily brought into their natural balance.

During many concerts and sessions I was able to experience the healing effect of sound and voice on people’s energy: their headaches disappeared, the pain in their leg got much better, their energy level after one week of intense work returned to normal, and much more. Most importantly: their perspective on life changed substantially.

Entrainment is another aspect of Sound Healing, the capacity to induce specific brain states through brainwaves. Different tempos of songs or even a consistent rhythm can create different states.

Love songs are typically entraining you into Delta (0.5 – 4Hz or cycles per second) or Theta (4-8Hz). Dance music puts you into Theta or Alpha (8-12Hz). Sub Delta (less then 0.5) is a state of a deep meditation and Gamma (30-100) a high state of meditation. If we re-align someone’s natural energy, we change that person’s psychology. 

The sound table is one of the greatest tools to re-align us. It is a unique sound massage experience, restoring your natural balance in one simple session. Several principles are applied to a person lying on a table with incorporated speakers – the sound is received through vibration in the body and through headphones in the brain. This will induce the person into a deep state of relaxation that even sleep cannot achieve.

0n another level of healing, a piece of music is a fusion of the balance between the elements of intention, harmony, resonance, frequency, rhythm and entrainment.

Intention in the healing process is one of the most important Sound Healing aspects. Lynne McTaggart wrote a very important book, The Intention Experiment, that talks all about the power of the intention.

How exactly does music support health and well-being?

Slow rhythms with low frequencies, penetrate bodily systems (heartbeat, pulse, digestive system, respiratory, muscles) and are more conducive to a more natural rhythm.

Natural sounds with a fluid melody, give a sense of peace, sounds of tones are nurturing, clear, warm and gentle; the pace is slow but with a sense of joy and beauty. Music doesn’t have hooks and repeated refrains that engage the mind. The feeling is more like nature, flowing.

Most of these aspects are very well explained in a book that I recommend very much: The Complete Guide to Sound Healing by David Gibson.

Experience Sound Healing at Villa Joya in Portugal, a member of Healing Hotels of the World.