Have you ever felt a jolt of happiness when that upbeat song comes on the radio? How about an amplified feeling of sadness when you play your favorite gloomy playlist and stare out the window?
There is no doubt that music and sound have profound effects on human emotions. They can amplify them, enhance them, dull them, and change them entirely. Sound is a powerful source- much more powerful than we give it credit for.
Read on to learn more about how sound and music can uplift and even heal people.
Why Does Sound Affect Us?
Sound is created when specific vibrations in the air are absorbed into the human brain in waves that manifest as sound. All vibrations are composed of certain frequencies and pitches that are absorbed differently to reflect that.
Sounds naturally invoke a specific reaction from humans depending on the frequencies. The frequency of the sounds interacts with the frequency of your mind, manipulating and changing it. The frequencies of your mind then go on to affect your mood.
Loud, blaring sounds may cause irritation. Slow, mellow sounds can be soothing. Fast-paced, catchy tunes can put you in the mood for dancing.
Sound is underestimated when it comes to the development of the human brain. Many studies have shown that playing music to your baby helps certain parts of the brain develop faster. It also shows that music has very positive effects on the personality of children as they grow up, causing them to be more kind and compassionate to others.
The benefits of sound aren’t just single to humans. Believe it or not, sound even helps plants grow better!
Sound - The Healing Vibration
Sound has been used as a mode of healing in many cultures around the world; the Icaros medicine melodies of Indigenous people in Latin America, the Hindi mantras, and the singing bowls of Tibetan monks.
Sound therapy works by using specific frequencies to change the frequencies in our minds, a process known as ‘entrainment’. Through these frequencies and the rhythmic fluctuations of music, we can awaken certain states of consciousness and shift our brain from its normal beta state to other states.
There are four states of consciousness:
● Beta - Normal state of conscious,
● Alpha - Relaxed state of consciousness
● Theta - Meditative state
● Delta - A very deep meditative state or sleeping
The greatest amount of internal healing happens when your mind enters a delta state.
Sound baths are meditative experiences when you listen mindfully to specific frequencies of sounds. It is a very immersive experience where you surround yourself with these sound vibrations and absorb them into your energy.
You also may practice breathwork during sound baths. Focus on your breathing and listen to the sound frequencies, putting all your attention on how the sounds make you feel.
Sound baths bring about an advanced level of relaxation and calm, easily propelling you into the alpha mind state.
You may find instruments used for sound baths to be singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks, and other instruments that evoke alpha and theta frequencies.
What Can Sound Help You Heal?
Sound healing has the potential to help heal many of the following issues:
● Depression
● Anxiety
● Sleep disorders
● PTSD
● Pain
The Power of Music
There is no underestimating the power of music in the lives of all humans. Significant parts of our cultures have been built around experiencing and living through music. It is a deeply loved and cherished human experience to listen to music, whether on the internet, radio, or through live performances.
Music touches us on more than one level. There is the frequency part of it, where the vibrations change our mind frequencies, but it is more than just that.
Words also evoke significant emotions. Pairing tunes and poems together lead to beautiful creations that have the power to change individuals, communities, and even the entire world.
Music is best enjoyed as a collective experience. Mass gatherings in concert halls, theaters, and stadiums bring about a charged atmosphere that is unlike any other. If you’ve ever left a concert feeling like a changed person, you probably were.
Music does more than just release dopamine, improve your mood, reduce your stress levels, and bring you peace of mind (though these are super important). It also unites humans together by providing them with a shared enjoyment of a beautiful piece of creation, as well as a connection for whatever that music stands for.
These experiences can be incredibly healing. They can lift you up until you feel like you are perched on a high enough spot that all your previous problems seem much smaller and more insignificant. Music gives you the power to work through these problems.
Music inspires, connects, and heals. To play an upbeat song while you’re working toward your dreams can amplify your energy. To play a mournful song while you’re working through your sadness may enhance that sadness in the short term, but it really helps you work through your pain while connecting with others who have felt similarly.
Never doubt the power of music in your life. The intangible frequencies, poetic verses, and collective emotions can lead to some very vivid and potent experiences.
Experience Sound Healing at a Galveston-based Women’s Retreat!
Life coach Rachel Stokes incorporates sound and healing into her Galveston Women’s Retreat. By joining the women’s retreat, you will get the chance to connect with other like-minded women, as well as experience some group sound work and healing.
Rachel frequently uses her steel drum for group circle meditations and other similar activities. There is power in numbers. Being able to experience sound healing while you are with other women will be a much more powerful experience than doing it by yourself.
Rachel has also invited a special guest at the end of June 2022 for a Sonic Experience. This will be the guest’s third time visiting Living Life The Happy Way. Sign up now to get in on this exciting experience!
To learn more about the Galveston Women’s Retreat and how you will experience the healing powers of sound, please contact Rachel Stokes at 713-515-7484 or email rachelstokeslifecoaching@gmail.com.