Sound healing has been utilized throughout time; the ancients healed people through sound, and it is memorialized in art, hieroglyphs and writings from different civilizations. As we progress in our global society, sound continues to be an integral part of human life, and its healing and medical aspects have been the subject of study by many.
Several fundamental concepts to Sound Healing that are important to this study are Entrainment, Resonance and Intention, these are described below.
Entrainment is a phenomenon in Sound Healing where a strong frequency will draw in and smooth out un-smooth frequencies in comes in contact with. The theory is that sound waves made from a clear and focused tone are strong enough to pull other sound waves in the region to its oscillating characteristics through entrainment.
Secondly, resonance has a related characteristic where sound waves, that contact objects that emit the same or similar sound wave when activated, will become stronger because the object beings to vibrate the same frequency thereby increasing the magnitude of the sound.
The last, but equally important fundamental concept to be noted for this study is the use of intention to bring about positive change in the context of applying sound in a healing environment. The use of intention is a concept that has been utilize for millennia by different cultures. The Ancient Yogis of the Eastern Tradition utilized intention in meditation, and it is typically this use of intention that corresponds directly to sound healing. A sound healer utilizes his or her own intention while applying sound to a person or group. This intention has its own frequency, or can be aligned with the frequency of a sound that is being made.
Intention helps to carry the sound and the frequencies associated with the thought to the people in the area, and helps to aid in conscious development. The concept of the intention of one person producing a change in another has been studied and results show this fact to be true. A recent study that address this concept is one where a couple are split into two different rooms, one prays for the other and the other has notable brain changes when the prayer is made. The exact timing of the prayer is not relayed to the person being prayed to, but that persons brain exhibits changes at the exact time of the prayer.
Dislodging Negative Energy Patterns and Sound Healing
The energetic body, when subject to consistent social, work, and life pressures and stress becomes discordant and disordered. Even with treatment the body and mind can still stay stuck in destructive patterns. Sound therapy works on a person from a deep level, thereby transforming the life of a person and assisting in other treatments modalities.
Taking these concepts into account, healing is brought about by applying sound and intention to a person to dislodge and smooth out negative, stuck and chaotic energy. Building on this theory, the question of how exactly do the notes of music dislodge and smooth out non-flowing or unsmooth energy from a human?
Crystal Bowls for Use in Sound Healing
Crystal Bowls are an effective sound healing instrument and tool to achieve results. Although any instrument can be used to facilitate sound healing, crystal bowls are a widely accepted tool to be used in sound healing events and privately with clients.
I use crystal bowls as a set of the seven major notes in the 4thOctave in the sacles of Western-based Musical Theory. I have two set of bowls, tuned to A440 and A432. All other bowls are tuned using equal tempered tuning, corresponding with the A note in the set.
Human Energy Chakra System
In addition to the C Major scale, Crystal bowls correspond to each of the seven chakras of the yoga system.
Crown – Spirituality, oneness with the Universe
Third Eye – Awareness, assessment of situation
Throat – Communication – self-expression, hearing higher worlds
Heart – Love, healing, connection to self, others
Solar Plexus – Wisdom, power, community action with self-love
Sacral – Sexuality, creativity, living in abundance of life
Root – Basic trust, thriving survival, physical vitality
Sound waves from the bowls go into the body through energetic pathways, cells and activation of the chakras, and entrain human energy to the wave and energy of sound.
As a result of sound vibration contacting the body, there is a clearing of the energetic body and a regenerative process in the physical body.