Have you ever considered the relationship between architecture and sound?
Many of us have experimented with the way sound travels in different buildings. As a child, you would shout to hear your echo or listen in fascination as you realized that you could hear music, whispers, or conversation differently depending on where you were located within a room. As an adult, you sing in the shower, prefer to listen to music in one room of the house over the other, or choose which concerts to attend based on the size, shape, or location of the venue.
If you have an interest in music or have performed in a band, choir, or orchestra, then you also know that your music travels differently based on where you’re singing or playing. There are even some musicians out there who write their music based on the venue where they’ll be performing it, allowing the people listening to have the most optimal experience. (Consider reading How Music Works by David Byrne)
But have you ever stopped to think about how that experience is affecting you?
The Effects of Sound Healing
While scientists are just beginning to study the healing qualities of specific sounds, some groups have been using instruments and their specific sounds for healing purposes for centuries. Consider the Tibetan singing bowls, the Australian aboriginal tribes’ didgeridoo, and African tribes’ chants. These are all examples of sound healing and have been found to reduce stress and improve moods in many individuals. In some cases, specific rhythms were shown to reduce or eliminate pain.
A study that was published back in 2016 showed that individuals who participated in hourlong sound meditation saw a reduction in a variety of symptoms, including tension, anger, fatigue, anxiety, and even depression. This meditation includes a variety of instruments including the singing bowls, gongs, bells, and even digeridoos. Many individuals found relief and lessened anxiety throughout the experience.
How Sound Based Treatment Works
Scientists and physicians have been searching for answers as to why so many individuals find relief within a sound. Their theories range from the vibrations having specific effects within the body to how sounds influence our brainwaves. And while we don’t have a specific and conclusive answer at this moment, their hypotheses have continued to evolve over the years as additional research and studies have been conducted.
Some believe that certain sounds touch on fibers that affect our perception of pain. This hypothesis has been tested on individuals suffering from fibromyalgia, arthritis, menstrual pain, and even postoperative pain. Individuals not only saw a reduction in their pain levels, but also increased mobility, blood circulation, and reduced stiffness and blood pressure.
Others believe that we can change brainwaves through the use of frequencies called binaural beats. By changing brainwaves, it’s believed that we can encourage restfulness, improve moods, and reduce the effects of stress and anxiety within the body. This is measured with an electroencephalogram, or EEG, that tracks the effect these specific rhythms have on brainwaves.
How to Know if Vibrational Therapy is for You
Have you used music or a specific sound to self soothe in the past? Or are you struggling with stress, anxiety, insomnia, or chronic pain?
While you should always consult with a physician, sound or vibrational therapy is a readily available option that has very few, if any, negative side effects. It may provide you some relief or help you get through your day without additional setbacks or stress, anxiety, or pain-related downtime.
There are a variety of apps, music files, and instruments out there that can provide you a low-cost way to test the effects that this type of therapy has on you. In addition, with each passing year, there are more and more facilities offering this type of therapy, either in person or online. Reaching out to one of these facilities may help you track down additional resources and could even help you determine if this type of therapy is a good option for you.
With the increased interest in sound healing and vibrational therapy options, there has been a rise in research and studies performed in an attempt to help us all understand and benefit from the effects. It’s only a matter of time before more conclusive evidence is brought to light that will help us determine the specific effects it has on the mind, body, and spirit.
For more information about light, color, sound and frequency healing with The Harmonic Egg; please visit us at: www.healing.studio