Apr 2013 Essential Wellness

Page 24

HEALING THROUGH THE ARTS

Voice and ancient sound heal the body and mind

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S O U N D HEALING uses a variety of sonic tools and musical instruments which are often directed toward or applied directly to the person’s body. While there are a growing number of high-tech gadgets available, I prefer to use ancient technology such as Tibetan singing bowls and tingshas, didgeridoo (based on the ancient Australian Aboriginal wind instrument), large gongs and frame drums. I also find the voice and vocal harmonics to be quite useful, and teach clients and students to use their own voices to cultivate and direct energy. When learned, such use of the voice provides a great technique for self-help, and works from

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the inside-out. My approach is always geared toward the individual, based on a mix of discussion, experience and intuition and there is often a shamanic component as well. SOUND HEALING CAN CALM OR ENERGIZE

A sound healing experience is highly subjective, with the person receiving often entering quickly into a state of deep relaxation or trance. The vibrations have can have both calming and energizing effects, and often provide quick and effective reduction or relief of pain, discomfort, and stress. Many sessions produce a beneficial trance, or dissociative state, in which cycles of physical and emotional suffering are disrupted, allowing body, mind

and spirit to restore balance and facilitate the natural healing process. This aspect alone can provide great relief. The sonic tools and instruments I use offer a wide range of physical, mental and energetic/ spiritual effects. They all work on the physical body in a similar way to massage, in that the sound waves have considerable intensity (from subtle Tibetan bowls to quite loud in the case of the gongs, with didgeridoos in between) which vibrates the body. The vibrations also affect the energetic systems.

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