They say music is the food for the soul. But what’s the effect of sounds which are not organized into music? Most of us have enjoyed the soothing or cheerful sounds of birds chirping or waves splashing against the coast. Is there more to sounds than meets the ear? When it comes to the power of sound, the ancient cultures of Tibet, India, Africa, Australia and South America knew long ago what modern science is only beginning to discover. And what has it discovered about the healing power of sound? Let’s delve into it.
Both science and experience show that sound healing as a healing modality is gaining popularity for a reason:
- induces a deep state of relaxation, improves mood and increases a sense of spiritual well-being
- fosters the releasing of grief, fear, loneliness and depression
- helps to cleanse unwanted emotions and find solutions to emotional issues with ourselves and others
- improves memory, concentration, and focus
- reduces blood pressure and stimulates the immune system
- helps to treat a vast number of maladies such as stress, tension, anger, fatigue, and anxiety
- can effectively target muscle and bone pain, connective tissue problems, tinnitus, substance and behavioral addiction, fibromyalgia, and even cancer
- serves as a great complement to traditional medicine.
We wanted to provide you with a comprehensive view of sound healing. So, we looked into the theory as well as the scientific evidence behind it. We also reached out to several sound healing professionals. We wanted to learn more about how it works, its benefits, and how to do it alone as well as with an expert.
What Is Sound Healing?
Sound is a physical vibration pattern that is not spatially or temporarily organized into music. “Any regularly recurring vibration, whether from a stretched string, a vocal cord, or leaves moved by wind, produces the stimulus we perceive as sound” B. Crowe and M. Scovel. The sound as a combination of various forms of mechanical energy can be used as a catalyst for healing. Sound wave properties which affect the patient are frequency, amplitude and complexity.
We asked Richard Lee, Sound Healing therapist, to tell us more. Richard: “Sound healing uses sounds (frequencies/vibrations) that operate on a mental, psychological, physiological and energetic levels. Many scientists, therapists, and medical practitioners have found it to be effective in treating many different ailments and pains. Sound Healing therapists use musical instruments and their voices in a powerful fashion. Those with musical sensitivity and/or training also offer what can be an awe-inspiring, uplifting, and beautiful artistic performance.”
Types of Sound Healing
There is a wide variety of types of sound healing, depending on each expert’s professional background, intuition and creativity. We asked several sound healing professionals to tell us more about the sound healing practices they do. Just looking at our contributors’ photographs we were amazed at the richness of each setting. There truly is an art within it.
Emily Basford, private yoga teacher and sound healer, shared with us that there is an expansive list of instruments sound healers may use, so it can vary. Usually, it’s crystal balls, metal balls, xylophone, pianos, cellos, drums, harmonica.
The instruments at the core of Richard’s practice are Himalayan singing bowls and gongs. “The other, less played instruments, include monochords, shamanic drums and rattles, ocean drums, chimes, Tingshas and bells, shruti box and harmonium, and of course singing.”
Sound Healing Instruments Help Calm The Body
Rob Meyer-Kukan, LMT, NHE, STCP is a licensed massage therapist and sound therapist. He uses Himalayan and crystal singing bowls, gongs, shruti boxes, drums, and more in his one-on-one sessions and group sound baths. “In a one-on-one session, I primarily use the singing bowls on and off the body to bring the client into a space and place of calm and relaxation. Once the body is calm it can heal.”
Kathryn Loar Green is a certified yoga teacher (E-RYT 500) and a Holistic Health Practitioner. She does Vedic chanting and chanting of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Alice Tierney, a voice coach, uses voice as a tool of transformation. She developed her own special holistic method to unify one’s inner vision and self-expression.
Daniel Lauter, aka Meditation DJ, is an Integrative Sound Specialist. He described to us his type of sound healing practice: “We offer sensory sound experiences. This can be a live or a virtual experience (both are valid but slightly different), individual or group, in which attendees immerse themselves in sounds that are inspiring to the senses. They can be sitting, or laying on a yoga mat. We play specially curated sounds, field-tested by many years of practice and training, to enhance the user experience.”
Holding Space for Others
The process of “holding space for someone” in this practice is important. As Daniel explained, “rather than ‘doing sound healing’, we tend to think about it in terms of holding space and creating opportunities for others to bring about their natural healing. Rob also said that he often calls himself am a professional space holder. “I hold space, by way of sacred sound, for my client’s bodies (on all levels – body, mind, spirit) to heal.”
Benefits of Sound Healing
Richard:
The very essence of Sound Healing is that it provokes a deep state of relaxation. Medical research estimates that as much as 90 percent of illness and disease could be stress-related. So, it is no accident or miracle that Sound Healing makes the healing of emotional and physical ailments a lot easier. Here are a few examples of what it can address specifically:
First, the state of deep relaxation created by Sound Healing can foster the releasing of grief, fear, and loneliness. It can help cleanse unwanted emotions and find solutions to emotional issues with others. In that regard, it is a great addition to emotional therapy and psychotherapy.
Second, Sound Healing and Sound meditation offer mental and physical health benefits in reducing stress, tension, anger, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, while improving mood and increasing a sense of spiritual well-being.
Third, it can be a great complement to “traditional” medicine. It can alleviate and sometimes even cure many physical conditions, ailments, aches, and pains. Medical observations and scientific studies have uncovered that it can effectively target as varied a condition as muscle and bone pain, connective tissue problems, tinnitus, substance and behavioral addiction, fibromyalgia, and even cancer.
Fourth, it is a perfectly natural complement to many other types of “natural” therapy. It has the power to enhance and amplify the healing effects of massage, Reiki, reflexology, essential oils therapy, etc.”
Kathryn:
There are many practical benefits to chanting. It requires the participant to listen and attempt to reproduce the sounds they hear. This takes attention and focus, which creates a “pause” in the individual’s stream of habitual thinking. Our habitual thoughts are often a source of stress. We are usually thinking about our problems, worries, regrets, or our to-do list. Chanting focuses the mind away from this unproductive thinking. The practice also requires a significant amount of breath to produce multiple syllables of sound. In that way it increases and deepens respiration. This leads to improved oxygenation of the body and brain, another major factor in chanting’s usefulness in stress reduction and stress management.
On an esoteric level, chanting involves creating a vibration in the body and human energy system. The vocal cords vibrate to produce sound, and that vibration reverberates and permeates outwards from the throat through the chest, nasal cavity, into the abdomen, and towards the extremities. So the practice of chanting brings the sound and vibration of ancient wisdom into one’s physical and energetic consciousness.
Even evidence-based science confirms that relaxation and its effect on the nervous system is key to the optimal functioning of the immune system. This translates into a reduction of susceptibility to immune-related disorders and diseases, such as cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and endocrine system disorders. The ancient yoga masters understood the immense healing potential of light, vibration, and sound frequencies, and harnessed these energies in their practices and meditations.
Daniel:
We have found these sounds have truly beneficial results on one’s wellness and they are super nice to listen to! Both anecdotal and some evidence-based research studies have shown that when combined with breathwork, or mindfulness/meditation practice, sound can help to reduce cortisol levels, stimulate the production of beneficial nitric oxide, lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate and allows one to quickly reach calmer brain waves states. On a neurological level, the sounds have a positive effect on the processes within the circuit flow of your brain. This enables you to go into deep relaxation mode. Many find they can focus better, reset emotions and get inspired for their own creative abilities.
Alice:
The ability to speak and sing with integrity is one of our deepest and often most secret desires. We long to feel connected and to belong, not just to others, but to ourselves.
However, we often feel restricted in our confidence and ability to communicate with ease. We can become frustrated when we want to express emotions coherently and with clarity. Reasons are often linked to past trauma or the pressures of socialization. Diverse activities such as singing or speaking or public speaking in a meeting and any spotlighted public appearances can highlight the need to have a sound understanding of how your voice can be in alignment with your spirit and body.
The great news is that with acceptance of a healing practice, everyone can enjoy expressing themselves with the ease and confidence that is their birthright. Each one of us has an amazing ability to heal and inspire ourselves. When we embrace the wonder and delight that is our voice, when we come to believe in the enormous potential that effective vocal skills can bring – used consciously, vocal sound has the potential to unify our inner vision and expression of self.
Theories Behind How and Why Sound Healing Therapies Work
The principles and efficacy of sound healing therapies have only recently entered the limelight of modern science. There are quite a few credible studies, which we will present later on. For now, let’s present you with the most widespread theories about how and why it works:
Brainwaves
Brainwaves, or neural oscillations, are recurring patterns of neural activity in the brain. Scientists use EEG or MEG to measure them. The five brainwave states are:
- Gamma waves are the fastest ones (over 30 Hz). They happen when you are in a state of high alertness and consciousness. They are linked to high levels of focus. When your brain produces these waves, you have better focus, memory, processing abilities, and it’s easier to learn and solve problems.
- Beta waves have a frequency range of between 12.5 and 30 Hz. They are associated with the brain being actively engaged in what you are doing (having a conversation, teaching, problem-solving). Its prominence though can lead to stress and anxiety.
- Alpha waves (between 8 and 12 Hz). Your brain produces them when you are not focused on anything too much or in particular. You feel relaxed and calm.
- Theta waves have a frequency of 4–8 Hz. When your brain is in this state, the tasks you do are not mentally challenging so you can do them automatically. When these waves are most prominent in your brain, you are likely to be daydreaming, open to a flow of ideas, creative and intuitive. They are strong during meditation or deep relaxation.
- Delta waves have a frequency lower than 4 Hz and are the slowest brainwaves. They occur when in deep sleep, unconscious, or in a state of trance.
Brainwave Entrainment
Brainwave states can be altered during sound healing through the process of entrainment. Entrainment happens when two vibrating sources physically close to each other begin to synchronize their vibrations. This phenomenon is not new in modern physics. It was first noticed by a Dutch scientist Christian Huygens in 1665. He placed two clocks with swinging pendulums in the same room and noticed that their rhythms began to synchronize. This principle is now used to synchronize the brainwaves of the two brain hemispheres to induce healing.
Entrainment happens when we provide a stable frequency to which the brainwaves can attune. By using rhythm and frequency, we can change our brainwaves. In meditation, we use the same principle through the power of the breath. In sound healing, instead of the breath, the frequency becomes the anchor which changes the brain state. Again, this is nothing new. Ancient tribes have used rhythms and beats to induce states of altered consciousness since time immemorial. Entrainment can improve and increase mental clarity, problem-solving skills, creativity and a general sense of well-being.
Binaural Beats
Binaural beats are an auditory illusion created by the brain when it listens to two different tones, each at a different frequency and in a different ear, using headphones. What happens then is that your brain creates a third tone called a binaural beat to compensate for the difference between the frequencies.
For example, let’s say you listen to one tone at 200 Hz and the other one at 210 Hz. The binaural beat your brain hears is at 10 Hz. One can hear binaural beats if the frequency of the two tones played is below 1000 Hz and the difference between them is less than 35 Hz.
If you listen to binaural beats for an extended period of time, they can synchronize with your brain waves. This is the brainwave entrainment we mentioned. So, binaural beats can change your brainwave activity and thereby induce states of relaxation, peace, increased concentration, reduced anxiety and stress.
The Body’s Biofield
The term biofield was coined by scientists at the National Institute of Health. It’s a large energy field that surrounds the body. All living things have one. If you want to do a simple test of this, start rubbing your palms vigorously against each other for 20 seconds or so. Then, keeping your eyes closed, hold the palms close to each other, without them touching each other. Now start to move them closer and further away from each other focusing on the middle point of the palms. See if you notice any sensations in between the palms.
Your biofield encodes all your life experiences, turmoil, and traumas. Sound therapy is based on the notion that sounds affect the body’s biofield. They can balance and bring coherence to anything in your biofield which is in discord. In this way, it helps to resolve mental, emotional or physical issues.
The Body’s Energy Systems
Both ancient Chinese and Indian traditions refer to energy centers in the body that help to heal its physical properties. In China, it is the acupuncture meridian system, according to which throughout the body there are invisible energy networks. By pressing on certain acupuncture points, we activate and purify the body’s energy points. In India, there is the chakra system. Our body has a certain number of energy centers, chakras. By activating these, we allow higher frequency energies to affect the physical body. Then there are the nadis, a complex energetic network flowing through the body.
Sound healing works by using specific frequencies to balance these energy points, chakras, and organs. Each of them vibrates at a particular frequency. The purpose of sound healing is to align them with their ideal frequency so that the body and the mind can heal.
Vagus Nerve Activation
Vagus nerve is the major parasympathetic nerve in the body and is in charge of our well-being. It also responds to sounds. Stimulating it in the right way can induce relaxation, and help the body heal and come into balance.
Scientific Studies on Sound Healing
In the field of regenerative medicine, energy medicine and vibrational medicine have gained significant credibility. Dr. James Oschman, a well-known cellular biologist and biophysicist has written an entire book about research-based evidence on energy medicine. He explained how it can help to heal diseases that conventional medicine is struggling to treat. The proof that this is not ‘just another guy who published a book’ is the fact that it was published on several widely-acknowledged mainstream academic websites.
EEG and Tibetan Bowls
Electroencephalogram (EEG) can be used to measure different brain waves states. In one study scientists used EEG to measure how the brain reacted to Tibetan bowls. The researchers found that different frequencies were linked to different energy and relaxation levels. In another EEG study, they discovered a change in delta brainwaves when the Tibetan bowls were playing.
Applications of Sound Therapy
- Studies have shown that the vibrations from sound waves can produce cell differentiation. The latest research published this year has proved that sound waves can replace and regrow bones lost to disease.
- Scientists studied the effects of Tibetan singing bowl meditation on mood, anxiety, pain, and spiritual well-being. Participants reported lower levels of tension, anger and fatigue and higher levels of spiritual well-being after the meditation. This applied especially to those participants who had not experienced this type of meditation before.
- Researchers also found that sound therapy can treat autistic symptoms, and increase social interaction and communication in autistic children. The results were based on a statistical analysis of covariance of the results obtained from the control and experimental group.
- Another study showed that music therapy affects newborns’ vital signs, sleep, feeding, sucking and perception of parental stress. The latter applied especially if parents sang their preferred lullabies to their infants, which also enhanced bonding.
- A study from 2003 concluded that drumming can be successfully used complementary to therapy in treating addictions. This applies especially in the case of repeated relapse and when other types of counseling have failed.
- And the list goes on.
Is there a specific ailment you or your loved ones are looking to treat? The best thing is to do your own research. We suggest researching Google Scholar to make sure that the results are credible and recognized by the scientific community.
How to Practice Sound Healing With an Expert
Rob:
My session begins with a short chat about your goals for our time together. We set an intention and then I invite you to get comfortable on the table.
From there we deepen the intention with a brief time of breathwork and then the sounds begin. I gently play the instruments directly on and around your body. The goal is to create a soundtrack of calming tones that support and hold space for healing, rest, calm, and relaxation. The session closes with the gentle sound of windchimes or a rainstick. After that you return to the space fully for a time of reintegration. Then we have a short conversation about the experience. And I answer any questions that may have arisen during the experience.
Richard:
Intention from the therapist and presence from the attendee are essential to Sound Healing. Whether individual or group, I make it a point to incorporate scents and lights to my sessions. It further promotes relaxation of the mind and body, and fosters the healing possibilities of frequencies and vibrations. Sound Healing is best enjoyed and its effects are best received when one is lying or sitting down, relaxed, still, surrounded by sounds and music. It is best performed by a learned and inspired professional, whose passion and vocation is healing through sounds, chants, and melodies. There, all you need to bring to the session is an open mind and… ear!
Kathryn:
It is recommended to study Sanskrit chants with a trained teacher. That’s because proper pronunciation will create the accurate and intended vibration within the body, energy system, and consciousness of the individual. There are a handful of well-trained teachers that can be located with adequate internet research. It is always in the best interest of the consumer to do adequate research. Then follow one’s inner guidance when selecting a teacher or healing practitioner.
Alice:
Sound healing involves starting with actively using breathing to express and communicate from within, hearing your inner being in the breath. Then we do humming and sounding. Using your hands to feel for sound within, recognizing the beauty and truth that you are your divine instrument. You actively tune to your spirit consciously as you work to evolve the integrity of who you truly are expressed in your voice.
Daniel:
There is a predominant lack of proper training in the sound healing field, separate from degreed fields like Music Therapy. Part of this is due to its quick popularity as of recent and lots of misinformation out there. Part of it also is based on people believing they can buy a sound tool, bypass real in-depth knowledge, and then try to heal others. There are also a handful of very qualified people.
A skilled sound bath artist will use their musical training to create tapestries of audio immersion which can be both therapeutic and transformative. A high-quality sensory sound experience will utilize musical elements of layered harmony, rhythm, and melody. These should be composed in a manner to relax the listener, enhance awareness of their surroundings and bring about dynamic psycho-acoustical relationships between the sounds, stillness, the space and the listener. This is accomplished by utilizing the expertise of musical training, knowledge of theory, some acoustics and knowledge of therapy. It takes dedication of practice and real training for this type of qualification.
Emily:
Find an expert in your local area that you trust, feel safe with and connect with. That’s the most important. Then when you, as the person receiving, feel safe with somebody, you relax more easily. You are able to receive the sounds and the love that is transmitted through the session with more ease. And that’s really impactful and beneficial. When there’s somebody with whom, not even consciously, you don’t feel completely trusting, you may feel tense. And similar to a massage, you want to relax your mind, your body, your energy into the experience. In this way you allow yourself to just completely relax, release and receive.
How to Practice Sound Healing by Yourself
Emily:
Select an instrument that resonates with you – drums, harmonica, singing bowl, or your own voice. Tune into the sounds and vibrations that you hear and feel as you play the instrument or sing with your voice. As you create the sounds, you may notice your body responding with different sensations and emotions (feeling happy, expansive, uneasy, etc.). This is you starting to feel more in tune with yourself with the assistance of sound. Oftentimes, people experience a block when they explore playing sound on their own. This is an opportunity to ease into the flow of playing and invite your logical mind to rest.
Kathryn:
You can easily chant at home using a chanting CD or mp3 to follow along. Over time, the chant becomes familiar enough so you can repeat it by memory.
Daniel:
Everyone reacts to the music listening experience differently. In the same way that people like different styles of music, therapeutic sounds also come in different styles. Some of the sound tools can be easy to use at home. You might not have the musical background, or training suggested to become an expert, but you can sit with the sounds and follow your own intuitive common sense. Best don’t play them too loud, too hard, too fast, etc. Less is more. You can begin to get an idea of what types of sounds you resonate with. And then take it to the next step for your benefit.
We do not recommend going out and spending loads of money for the latest bowl, gong, hang drum, etc. That is a whole process and often the seller’s monetary desires do not have your best interest at heart. Rather, if a friend or colleague has an instrument, see if you can sit with it for a few moments and see what it feels like. You also have your own voice. And there is a wonderful practice called vocal toning. It’s just like humming and holding a quiet note, sustained and then feeling that note vibrate inside. You can use Hmm, or Ahhh. When you run out of sound, just take another deep breath and repeat, each time. It is easy and great to help reduce anxiety. You can usually feel the difference soon. And it costs nothing!
Rob:
There are many options online to hear the sounds of the healing instruments used in sound therapy. This won’t be the same experience as directly receiving the vibrations and sounds in person. But the cognitive mind remembers and can experience similar levels of relaxation just from hearing the sounds.
Richard:
It can be self-performed, although there are some limitations. First, one needs to be knowledgeable as uninformed practice can be counterproductive, detrimental, and in some cases even potentially harmful. It is recommended to do a good amount of prior research from reputable sources. Better yet – consult a knowledgeable therapist who will provide guidance and exercises for you to practice at home.
Some level of Sound Healing can easily be performed at home, by yourself. A good starting point is to play two singing bowls appropriately matched together (tuned for example an octave apart, or with a perfect 5th musical interval). Another enjoyable and effective practice is humming particular melodies, sounds, words or mantras, by themselves or together with an instrument.
Why Try It
Richard:
Like yoga, or meditation, Sound Healing is finally entering the “mainstream”. But it’s more than a mere fashionable and cultural phenomenon. It is increasingly being recognized by the scientific and medical community as an effective tool to address emotional and physical pain and ailments.
So… why not try it!? There is very little risk and a lot to like. I always advise intrigued and inquisitive persons to try Sound Healing with a “treat yourself” attitude. At worst, it’s an artistic event and you will go on a relaxing musical journey. At best, well, the sky is the limit. You may find yourself sleeping better for a few days, or obtaining relief from a certain pain that has been bothering you for a while. And there are so many more possibilities.
Kathryn:
The question seems to be, why not try it? Especially if there is curiosity or interest in the practices. There is an understanding among advanced yoga teachers that interest dictates attention. If an individual is interested in something, their ability to focus on that subject is increased. And the benefits of the practice are magnified. If there is little to no interest, then the attention cannot be sustained. As a result, the practice accumulates little value. That is why it is important to follow practices in which the individual has an interest. Immense progress can be made when we follow the practices that attract us the most.
Conclusion: When in Doubt, Try It Out
A friend once said: “Some things are popular for a reason, like the sunset.” The best way to know if something works is to try it out for yourself. The mindset with which you approach is of course important. Try to cast aside any skepticism you may have and come with an open mind. Make sure that you feel safe and that you connect with your therapist so that you receive the full benefits of the session. And of course, you can always experiment by yourself, our wonderful experts have explained to you how. Though, in that case, consider consulting one to make sure you know what you are doing.
For other holistic and natural therapies, take a look at our following articles:
- What Is Dance Therapy? Benefits for Mental Health
- Healing Crystals For Beginners: How to Use and Benefits
- Want Higher Performance at Work? Try Hypnosis for Success
More About Our Contributors and How to Reach Them
Richard Lee has played and studied music for many years. He has studied Integral Sound Healing with the Sound Healing Academy, Integrative Restoration meditation with Richard C. Miller, suffering and grief healing with the Grief Recovery Institute, and music theory and vocals with soprano Patrizia Cioffi (Italian International Orchestra, Bratislava Chamber Choir, Pavel Prochazka). He lives in Kilmore Quay in Ireland and offers live and online sessions. You can find more information about him and Sound Healing in general on his website.
Kathryn Loar Green does two types of sound healing. One is chanting and the other one is the channeling of healing frequencies and vibrations from specific star clusters and constellations. You can reach her on Facebook or Instagram.
Daniel Lauter, aka Meditation DJ, is an Integrative Sound Specialist whom you can contact via his website or socials @meditation_dj. He offers both online and live sessions (NYC).
Rob Meyer-Kukan has a YouTube channel with hundreds of videos for free featuring the instruments he uses in his practice. To try his sessions by yourself or with your loved ones, check out his website, socials @robmeyerkukan or contact him via email.
Emily Badford, sound healer and private yoga teacher, lives in Tampa, Florida. If you happen to be there, here’s how to reach her.
Kathlyn Alice Tierney – Founder, Director, and Core Teacher is an Honours graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and is a Licentiate (a fully-qualified Voice Teacher affiliated with the Royal Academy). You can learn more about The Tierney Resonance Method of vocal development she developed to integrate body and spirit here. She is based in Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells in England and also offers online sessions.
Tatjana Glogovac, Senior Contributor At L’Aquila Active
Learn more about Tatjana by reading her bio below.
Click on link below to meet L’Aquila Active’s entire team of experts, including university degrees, certifications, and credentials on yoga and meditation: