Sound as Medicine
Dr. Herbert Benson, M.D.-of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Boston's Deaconess Medical Center.
Having studied the effects of chanting mantras on human physiology, he found that repeating a single syllable or word produced measurable changes in energy consumption, respiration rate, heartbeat, metabolic rate and pulse, as well as an increase in alpha brain waves.
Dr. Terrence Bugno, F.A.C.R.--speaks of bridging the gap between all of integrative medicine using sound, which reverses key disorders.
Discusses the role of intention in observed "reality," since every word, thought and deed is recorded in the body's energy makeup and affects one's state of health. He provides research and clinical settings to explore the full-spectrum energetics of sound therapy.
John Cage--is a composer and philosopher who experimented in a completely soundproof anechoic chamber at New York University.
In the chamber, he heard two sounds-one high pitched and the other low pitched. He was informed by the engineer he was working with that the high sound was his nervous system and the low sound was his blood circulating.
Don Campbell--is a composer, musician, sound therapist, founder and director of the Institute for Music, Health, and Education in Boulder, Colorado.
He quotes that "physics, attempting to determine the precise nature of this physical stuff that we call matter, have probed deeper and deeper into the realms of atomic and subatomic behavior, only to find that there is nothing there, at least no 'thing' in the sense in which we normally think of matter. They describe the tiniest subatomic particles as 'interference patterns of various sound frequencies.' They call them 'nodes of resonance'. Matter and light themselves are secondary aspects of sound. The phenomenal structure inherent in every tone emerges as the first expression of reality formation." In essence, all that we perceive as solid, liquid, or gaseous matter, at an atomic level, is pure sound vibration. He notes that the body's "electrochemical activity of the brain is directed and organized by subtle wave vibrations, so that our five physical senses are each rooted in vibration. Perception of light is a vibratory event. "
He also discusses using vowel sounds and toning (see definition section) for beneficial effects on the human energy system. He does note that no single note will provide constant attunement because each person's body is tuned to "several keynotes that change according to age, time of day, health, and food consumption."
Jacotte Chollet M.A.-- creates multidimensional music using conscious intention with the creation of sound frequencies and musical tonalities simultaneously recorded without rearrangement.
This music creates a highly active medium, inducing--by resonance-- a "coherent" field acting on the cellular level of the listener's body-mind. She had found that after repeated uses of multidimensional music, individuals restructure their cellular activity and often develop a new and permanent higher complexity of organization.
Dr. Deepak Chopra-- is an author and lecturer who states that Ayurveda teaches that "primordial sounds are threads that connect the universe."
"The body is held together by sound, and the presence of disease indicates that some sounds are out of tune…primordial sound is the mysterious link that holds the universe together in a web that is the quantum field."
Sharry Edwards-- Founder of BioAcoustics, or Voice Spectral Analysis.
This technique has provided more clarity regarding the possibility that frequencies contained in the voice and vocal patterns are a holographic representation of the human body.
She describes sound therapy as a cross between music therapy and biofeedback. Her work includes determining individuated patterns and using biofeedback responses before any actual sound presentation. Each individual receives specifically tailored frequencies to beneficially influence dynamic systems within the body.
"The principles of sound therapy originate with the idea that the brain perceives and generates impulse patterns that can be measured as brain wave frequencies; which in turn are delivered to the body by way of nerve pathways. The theory incorporates the assumption that these frequency impulses serve as directives that sustain structural integrity and emotional equilibrium. When these patterns are disrupted, the body seeks to reveal the imbalance by manifesting symptoms that are interpreted as disease and stress."
"Sound therapy proposes that the body requires the presence of a full range of harmonious frequencies working cooperatively. Consider the body as a musical instrument; when one note is out of tune, the result is often discordant. Tune the instrument and the sounds become consonant."
Sound has been used to test the integrity of bone density and formation. Sharry continues, "Each structure and process within the body has a distinctive combination of frequencies that must be present for the body to maintain integrity. The body is capable of being self-diagnostic but not so capable of self-generating the frequencies required for restoration."
"The idea of using sound to facilitate change within the body is not a contemporary notion. Using song and movement to create mood and provide physical dominion over the body was an intimate part of almost every culture on earth, but hose efforts were often surrounded with superstition and mysticism. It wasn't until recently that computerized technology and instrumentation were developed that allowed the advancement of procedures that could be used to allow the body to individually predict and prescribe for itself. By correctly interpreting the data, appropriate patterns can be provided that will help the body reverse it's own disease."
"According to the word of God and the mandates of science, everything is frequency… an expression attributed to God is 'in the beginning was the word.' Science shares this thought by stating that the most common denominator of all structure, the atom, is energy-- a form of frequency. Since sound is frequency, God joins science in the observation that at its foundation, frequency is the basis of our universe."
"This thought gives credence to the theory that our bodies are frequency and energy."
"Essentially all forms of curative intervention influence the frequency systems of the body: Heat is a form of frequency; color is a form of frequency. Sound, smell, vibration, homeopathic remedies, herbs and even medications at their structural base are all forms of frequency. ... Massage, chiropractic, exercise, Reiki, etc. are all forms of frequency interaction and exchange."
"If we are composed of frequency patterns, it seems reasonable to use the most readily available frequency source of the body, the voice, to obtain information about he body. The voice is a source of sound. The voice and the ear form a dynamic system that are extraordinary as inherent diagnostic systems of the body."
"Sound is an 'essential medicine' for our 21stcentury healing paradigm, as was foretold in various ancient, sacred texts." (1998 Sound Health Resources)
Kay Gardener-- Musician and composer.
She refers to the drone, a long, vibrating note or tone which is a constant. Using this as a directed sound, one can "break down blockages in the body."
Joy Gardner-Gordon-- Author, holistic sound therapist and teacher.
He states that "A vibrational healer is one who facilitates the growth of others by providing the tools which enable clients to do their own healing."
Kimba Arem-- scientist, composer, musician, Reiki master, sound therapist and founding member of Heartherapy, discusses the sound-healing properties of going into nature.
"Our bodies are a complex web of constantly shifting frequencies which constitute our physical form. We evolved living in natural environments, eating living, vibrating foods and fresh, energized water. In our modern age, we are less and less in settings which provide this abundant plethora of vibrations that nurture our whole being-- body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Listening to the sounds of birds singing or the sound-bath of a waterfall has provided us with the frequencies necessary for the harmony we seek. Without these vibrations as a regular part of our lives, our beings may fall out of alignment with the inner symphony of the soul, as the memory of these nourishing frequencies fade."
"Sound is both the most physical and least physical attribute of life-- this paradox embracing the new paradigm into which we are being birthed."
"I see sound as the final stage and full circle in the evolution of consciousness, especially in regard to health and healing. In modern times, we have progressed from gross anatomy of the body and highly invasive physical techniques to subtler and subtler forms of energy medicine. Finally, we are recognizing that the ultimate healer beyond all physical modalities is our own consciousness-- our perception of the world in which we live and the mind in which we perceive."
Ralph Losey-- Author, lawyer, and musician.
He has created Primasounds, a type of meditation music using a unique musical scale based upon that invented by Professor Arnold Keyserling of the Academy of Art in Austria. This is based upon the pentatonic scale, using notes and intervals different from all other scales. These are reported to be tuned to the primal energies of the human chakra system, impacting conscious states and assisting in inner development.
Dr. Mitchel Gaynor-- Director of medical oncology and integrative medicine at New York's Strang Cancer Prevention center.
He runs an ongoing, bi-weekly support group that utilizes guided imagery, sound, meditation, voice and toning. He states, "Breathing is critical to absolutely everything that produces well-being, yet doctors tend to overlook it…Besides their vibrational impact, voice and tone and just another way to get the therapeutic value of breathing."
Jonathan Goldman-- Musician, composer, writer, lecturer and Director of the Sound Healers Association.
He states, "The use of wordless melodies to convey gratitude and spirituality is perhaps the most ancient form of sacred sound. Before the first people chanted the words written or memorized from oral traditions, there were tonal songs. These songs, often improvised at the moment and then forgotten afterward, represent an extraordinary form of praise to the creator. They bypass our verbal channels of conversations and rely totally on the feeling-expressed through tone to convey meaning. No words are necessary, and, in fact, words only get in the way of the interaction between singer and the divine. Words can create separation between listeners due to language limitations. Tonal songs are universal in their appeal and feeling. Such sacred sounds can be understood and appreciated by all, regardless of their culture, tradition or background."
Dr. Denis Gorges-- Psychiatrist and researcher.
He notes that each portion of the brain specializes in different functions, the left brain processing linearly and sequentially, while the right brain finds relationships and seeks patterns. Normally, one hemisphere becomes dominant-- this may last as long as 2 hours before naturally shifting to the other hemisphere. During meditation, it has been found that brains produce theta waves and enter into "an alternating, harmonious rhythm," called "hypersynchrony" which uses the whole brain, each hemisphere cooperating in harmonic resolution.
Dr. Peter Guy Manners-- Scientist who created the Cymatic Instrument, and has long researched sound in treating illness.
He has created a computer-controlled sound generator which sends frequency impulses to wherever directed on the human body through applicators on the skin. He states that "A healthy organ will have its molecules working together in a harmonious relationship with each other and will all be of the same pattern. If different sound patterns enter into the organ, the harmonious relationship could be upset… they may establish their dis-harmonious pattern in the organ, bone, tissue, etc., and this is what we call disease. If therefore, a treatment contains a harmonic frequency pattern which will reinforce the organs, the vibrations of the intruders will be neutralized and the correct pattern for that organ reestablished. This should constitute a curative reaction."
Dr. Hans Jenny-- Swiss scientist who studied the effects of sound upon organic matter.
He called the work cymatics, or the study of waveform phenomena. Using various organic substances vibrated at different frequencies, he found repeatable patterns that represented cellular growth, mandalas, and microscopic life forms. From his work it has been proposed that sound creates form and changing frequencies effect form at a cellular level. Now, using laser technology, physicists are also finding that harmonic intervals produce perfect geometric shapes, reinforcing the idea that vibration underlies all form.
Arnold Keyserling-- Professor, Founder of the School of Wisdom.
He discovered that certain precise frequencies of intervals assist in beneficially impacting people, creating alpha waves. He found that they are based on the seventh harmonic, repeated in natural five tone octave intervals. The music created based upon these principles is being used for meditation and actualization of full human potential.
M.C. Maxfield-- Executive Director of The Bear Foundation.
He teaches that drumming and electronic pulsing facilitates brainwave synchronization, increasing energy levels, heightening creativity, reducing pain, and assisting in relaxation. Ideally, the rate is between 4 and 7 beats per second and is sustained for at least 15 minutes, for proper entrainment
Harold Moses-- Musician, Composer.
Harold uses the drone, which is a pair of phase-locked frequencies described musically as "a perfect fifth"-said by Lao Tzu to be the most stable of all musical intervals and the "sound of the harmony of the universe." The perfect fifth is an "open" interval, being neither major nor minor, diminished nor augmented. It is the sound of "pure potentiality."
Layne Redmond-- Musician, drummer and author.
She states that "Not only do the two hemispheres of our brains operate in different modes, they also usually operate in different rhythms. The right brain may be generating alpha waves while the left brain is in a beta state. Or both hemispheres can be also be generating the same type of brain waves, but remain out of sync with each other. But in states of intense creativity or deep meditation, or under the influence of rhythmic sound, both hemispheres may begin operating in the same synchronized rhythm. This state of unified whole-brain functioning is called hemispheric synchronization.
"As the rhythms of the two hemispheres synchronize, there is a sense of clarity and heightened awareness…The individual is able to draw on both the left and right hemispheres simultaneously. Hemispheric synchronization on the alpha level can create feelings of euphoria, expanded mental powers, and intense creativity. This may be the neurological basis of higher states of consciousness."
Therese Schroeder-Sheker-Founder of the Chalice of Repose project.
Therese assists individuals who are dying, to transition peacefully using sound--a study called music thanatology, or "music for the dying." She has found that harp or vocal music played and sung for these individuals has resulted in less pain medication and greatly aided them in letting go.
Dr. Alfred Tomatis-- founded the Tomatis Method.
The Tomatis method is based on the principle that the voice can reproduce only what the ear can hear. This method uses the "electronic ear" device to expand consciousness perception creating clinically significant change. This method evaluates the body for stressed frequencies, and seeks to establish continuity within the frequency system of the body. Tomatis proposes that during gestation the brain develops from the pattern of the ear-- the first organ to form. He has successfully shown that when hearing is corrected, many emotional and learning problems are corrected.
Dr. Andrew Weil-- Author, lecturer and founder of the Program in Integrative Medicine in Tucson, Arizona.
He states that "The new science of psychacoustics-- the study of the effect of music and sound on the human nervous system-- shows that [frequency] can relieve pain, help stroke patients, and benefit other conditions."
http://www.heartherapy.com/soundmedicine/experts.htm
