How to Use Sound for Self-Healing
There are many ways we use sound – to heal, to communicate, to locate. Sound is a powerful tool for healing and wholing.
Our innate inner vibration is one of wholeness. Sound reminds us and connects us with that universal vibration.
Bringing rhythm or sound into a meditation, shamanic journey or ceremony moves us from our mental chatter into our serene inner vibration. It opens the doors to our innermost realms and invites us to come exploring.
Find your inner vibration of wholeness
Our minds fill our life with chatter – beliefs that may need to be changed, fears we may need to overcome, reactions and responses that jar our lives. Our body suit’s thoughts, beliefs and word choices come from the limitations of our human mind.
When we seek to heal and balance, we’re actually tuning in to our innate vibration of wholeness. A powerful way to connect with our inner wholeness is through sound. Sound speaks of harmony and connection and oneness. It opens the doors to the inner realm and invites us to come exploring. You do that simply by listening to sound.
The purpose of any healing/balancing session is to remember
When we seek to heal and balance, we are providing the opportunity to remember and re-identify with our inner light, our inner being.
Remember that you, we, are, all simply One Energy, One Light Energy, One Radiant Energy. When you set out to rebalance yourself or others, you’re putting light into the places that need healing. You’re using sound vibration to focus the energy of wholeness.
Begin with the wholing vibration of the breath
The fastest, easiest way to direct healing vibration is through your breath. Take a deep breath. Then let it go in a very slow, measured manner. That simple step immediately relaxes and centers you. Take another breath and create a vowel sound with the exhale. See how that feels to you.
Balancing breath work can be done anytime, anywhere. When you’re rushing between tasks, take a moment to add some deep, slow, conscious breaths in order to change your inner rhythm. To calm down even further, hold the inhaled breath for a count of seven or so. Then s l o w l y exhale.
A simple breath can immediately relax and center you.
Expand the vibration of your voice
When you add your voice to your exhaled breath, use some syllable like “aum” (“ohm”). Experiment with tones, the vowel sounds of a,e,i,o,u… Notice where they resonate in your body. Use those sounds to direct the energy of your wholing breath.
I have evolved my own power song that consists of only three tones with three different syllables. I sing it every day. Let your personal power song evolve and sing it to center and prepare yourself for meditation.
Use your breath to intone ohms to open and close your day. Let that vibration move through your body and out into the invisible worlds, paving the way, open the doors, announcing your willingness to participate. The sound you use is one of alignment.
Add a bit of rhythm
Rhythm adds a powerful dimension. I took two bamboo pieces from a broken wind chime and I have a wonderful clacker sound that I use in my daily meditation work. You can make a rattle by putting popcorn in a spice jar or a paper cup. Look around you at what can create sound. Two spoons can create a rhythm, slapping your palms on a pillow or a table or your knee creates sound. Two acorns from your yard may make an intriguing sound. Explore your environment to discover what sounds already exist there and see what calls to you.
Rhythm is like our heartbeat. Don’t structure it, let it emerge. Your inner rhythm is waiting to share itself with you.
I have discovered a pattern of six beats that send me immediately to my deepest self. Six beats and I yawn and feel a deep connection to my inner world.
As you begin to acquire sound instruments and bring them into your spiritual practice, take your time in getting to know them. Develop your own sound healing session. We are energy. We are vibration. The sound that resonates, that calls to you, is the sound you should choose to use.
Develop a melody
You don’t have to be a singer to add a melody.
In my daily ceremonial work, I drum and sing songs to the four directions. I made up those songs over time. My words. My melody. I simply let them evolve.
I have a shamanic friend who whistles. Her power song is a whistled melody.
Hum, sing, whistle, speak in rhythm. Make up your own songs as they call to you.
Allow your whole body to experience the sounds. Chant, sing, hum, dance, use rhythm and melody as catalysts for movement that stimulates your entire being. Move as slowly or as rapidly as the music invites you to do.
Pick your sound-maker
Bring sound healing gently into your life. I’m into sound healing and keep exploring new vibrations. I’ve discovered that I like the lasting resonance of chimes or bells and use a hand bell to begin my meditations. I drum every day. I have several rattles but use my Third Eye Rattle to bless the directions and move through my chakras each day. I have added an ocarina to my healing sounds as I continue to explore the power of sound healing.
Here’s most of my sound collection. See what calls to you.
The traditional way to begin a shamanic journey is with rhythm – drumming and rattles. It helps to move you into a state of receptivity.
RHYTHM
- Drum Resources:Vegetarian dorms made by Remo. I have a Remo E1-0316-00 Buffalo Drum – Standard, 16″ which uses a mallet and a Remo HD-8514-00 Fiberskyn Frame Drum, 14” which has a thumb hole in the edge of the frame so it cab be played with both hands. And I plan to get the Remo Festival Djembe – 10” drum. I seem to have also add a Little wood frog rasp
- Djembe Drum Bongo Congo – Wooden African Hand Drum – SIZE 16″ I use this small drum to drum down the sun each day. It’s very portable. This video shows you how to play a much bigger djembe than the one I have. See if drumming calls to you as a musical and/or ceremonial expression!
- Third Eye Rattle skin rattle filled with crystals. It is made by a shaman trained in rattle making who blessed it with ceremony while making it. I use this to bless my day, heal my chakras and in any ceremony I perform.
- Conch shell rattle I’ve had for years. Rattles are made from shells, goods, skin, ceramic. Find a sound that calls to you.
- Original clay palm size rattle made for me by my shamanic practice partner. Sorry, she’s not in business yet.
- Rainstick The sound of rain coming down. Powerful and soothing. I also have a long three-foot rain stick I got years ago. It has an awesome sound. I use this as I would water in healing, to clear out and release and heal.
BELLS
- Tibetan Hand Bell Meditation & Prayer Bells / Dorje / Vajra – Medium I use this to begin each journey and to bless my day and even my computer so that it sends out good energy.
- Cymbal These make a long resonating tone. I use them to bless my home and the surrounding area.
- Tibetan Singing Bowl – comes in many sizes. This is palm-sized. A love its resonance that goes on and on. Great to begin a meditation or to bring the day to a healing close.
- Energy chime I’ve had a single energy chime for years but they also come in groups. Woodstock is the best chime maker. I strike it to announce to the unseen world that I am now in service for the day.
- Fairy Bells refers to small hanging bells. Mine are very old. They are part of my blessing for the world each day.
- Woodstock xylophone. I’ve had one for years and there is a new version of it. Woodstock also has great wind chimes
- Tuning Fork 432 mg. I use my mallet from my energy gong on this and focus it on my chakras.
- Woodstock Desk Gong, A use this to conclude my morning sound healing practice.
- Wind Chimes. These come in many materials. and are a lovely connection to the flow of nature.
MELODY
- Ocarina I’ve had pendant ocarina on a necklace for years. I just got this:”Fores I’ve had pendant ocarina on a necklace for years. I just got this:”Forest Whisper” 12 Hole Ocarina Classic Straw-fire Masterpiece Collectible,alto C
- Pan flute which I’m still learning to play.
- Alto Classroom Record. Great if you’re hungry for melody and want to learn this form of wind instrument.
- Shulong Drum rrecently ordered. It has the sound of Tibetan Bowls and plays melodies. I don’t have this yet but I have heard one and am intrigued.
- Your Voice. Whether you hum, chant, sing, whistle, use your body to create healing sound. Just listen and let it guide you.
If you’re starting with nothing, find something to rattle, something to drum and a bell/chime of some sort. Explore the sounds they offer and find the type of sound-maker that calls to you. And don’t forget your voice as a powerful sound instrument. Bring sound into your daily practice in some form
If you’re starting with nothing, find something to rattle, something to drum and a bell/chime of some sort. Explore the sounds they offer and find the type of sound-maker that calls to you. And don’t forget your voice as a powerful sound instrument. Bring sound into your daily practice in some form.
Talk to your sound healing helper
You can begin your sound healing practice with anything that makes a sound. Choose what calls to you. Add them one at a time and experiment to see how they feel and where they resonate in your body.
When you find a sound that calls to you, meditate with the sound-maker you have and ask how it would like to serve at this particular time in your life/practice. In what way is it to be used? To what purpose? Talk to your chosen sound object. It’ll talk back to you.
Put sound healing to work
In your sound healing you’re focusing the sound of wholeness, of oneness, and whatever is around it will come into gradual alignment with that vibration.
Notice, too, where the vibration resonates in your own body. Make a sound with one of your sound healing choices and feel what part of your body responds. Notice how your chakra system responses to each sound. Sounds talk to you when you listen.
Use sound to honor the elements
Use sound to create a blessing. The songs I sing to the directions are about the qualities I see in those elements. For me Fire (East) is about passion and creativity, Earth (South) unfolding and coming with nature, Water (West) deep listening and Air (North) is about spirituality, and, for me, creativity. Explore the elements and define their meanings for yourself.
Use sound to bless the world
I stroke my fairy bells and shake my conch shell rattle and ask the tree messenger outside my window to send my blessings to the earth from tree to tree throughout the world.
Use sound to begin meditation or a shamanic journey
The traditional way to begin a journey is through drumming or rattling. The sound changes your brain waves into a more receptive state. I happen to channel my journeys right into my computer (I just tune in and type) and I use my Tibetan Handbell to center and focus myself, allowing the vibration to resonate all through me.
Use sound to bless the past, present and future
Because my Tibetan Bowl is small, I make a fist and set the bowl on the circle made by my thumb and first finger. Then I take the wooden ringer and gently place it against the side and begin to circle the rim. The sound builds and when I stop stroking it, the lovely vibration continues. I do this three times with the intention of healing the past, the present and the future. Create whatever message calls to you.
Use sound to release
I have a three-foot long rainstick I got years ago. And probably because it has the sound of water, I use that sound to rinse out and release whatever I no longer need. Again, I seem to do it three times, release, restore, revive. It’s your ceremony, follow your intuition.
Use sound to balance your body
The 432 mg tuning fork is said to be the frequency of the universe. I only have one tuning fork, and I use the wooden mallet from my energy gong to strike it although the instructions are to tap it with the base of the hand. It has a lasting resonance and I stroke the energy field of my body with it.
Use sound to balance your chakras
I use my third eye rattle to rattle a sound pattern to each of my chakras. I happen to use the same rhythm for each but I’m certain if I explore, each chakra will ask for a different rhythm. Talk to your sound instrument of choice and let it guide you.
Follow your intuition
As you organically heal and balance you’ll be drawn to different vibrations. Notice and honor those times you are to change the form of your sound healing/wholing. Let your intuition guide you to the next sound instrument you are to use or the change in rhythm you are to explore next.
Use sound throughout your day
One of the most powerful gifts of sound is the invitation to simply listen. Stop right now and listen. Listen to the silence. Listen to nature.
Use your sound healing instruments as they call to you. I use most of mine to begin my day. I use some to end the day. Sound is a powerful balancer and healer and would be a powerful addition to your life.
Use sound to deepen your mindfulness. When you sit in silence, for meditation or mindfulness, use your breath to chant ohms. Let that vibration move through all of you and out into the invisible world, paving the way, open the doors, announcing your willingness to participate.
Use sound to release. As you listen to a sound fade away, let go of limiting beliefs, old habits and old patterns that no longer serve. Feel them disappear as the sound fades.
Use sound as closure. Drum down the setting sun to close the day. Pick a sound to celebrate the moon. Or the sun. Or life. Use sound to deepen your own vibration.
Make this evening ceremony one of releasing – of releasing limiting beliefs, old habits that no longer serve, old patterns.
For ending my day I like to see my personal ceremony as three parts: 1) Release, as in let go and clear out all that no longer serves you. 2) Repair or restore what needs fixing and 3) Replenish, accept the flow of wholing light energy to fill you and bring you into balance.
This can be as simple as three focusing breaths, it can be a song of intention you sing, it can be done with the sound instrument of your choice. The intention is simply to release, repair and replenish.
Listen to nature. The vibrations of nature speak of harmony and connection and oneness. Sit in nature and listen to the richness and variety of the sound of our wonderful earth home. Let those sounds heal and balance you.
Become aware of sound throughout your day.
Your need for certain tones will change
As balance occurs, you may be drawn to different forms of sound healing. Your skill at one instrument or another may be a factor. Rhythm instruments resonate with me. I’m not as skilled on wind instruments, but I think they’re lovely. And the ongoing vibration of chimes is very balancing. As you experiment with sound, notice which form touches your soul and work more with that. Keep experimenting with what you use and how you use it.
Absorb the resonating healing power of sound
Sound sends a message to your body suit – get in harmony, you guys! Blend your voices, make this composition richer and deeper and let its vibration touch more hearts.
Remember you, it, we, are all simply one energy, light energy, radiant energy. So in that respect, you are putting light into a person’s body, a balance of light that’s created by vibration. When our cells, our bodies, beings are aligned with Source, we experience our wholeness, our oneness, our nothingness
Allow the power of sound to resonate with your spiritual heart and feel the blessing from the All That Is. Feel loved. Feel appreciated. Let it stroke you and cover you like a warm protective cloak. Sound is the vibration of Source.
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