As healing through sound occurs in almost limitless forms and combinations, a short article on this topic can only touch the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
The aim here is to enlarge that tip and to encourage readers to take the plunge and personally experience the many short- and long-term benefits of healing sounds.
SOUND, SCIENCE AND HEALING
Dr John Desmond, a psychiatrist, has reported that many orchestral conductors exposed to classical music continue conducting well into their nineties. In stark contrast, many rock, blues and jazz musicians burn out, die prematurely, or suffer illness at a relatively young age. Through kinesiological muscle testing, Desmond also found that skeletal muscles test significantly stronger with serene, harmonious music than with jarring, driving compositions. This effect was apparent even when subjects wore sound-blocking headphones, suggesting that the body itself can distinguish between beneficial and detrimental sound vibrations.
Appropriate sounds are harmonious, ordered and balanced. Expressions such as a 'sound mind', 'sound principle' and 'sound body' echo these qualities. While pure sound tends to expand consciousness and open the mind, music, as structured sound, hones in on the psycho-physical, especially the emotional level.
Sound and music therapies are widely practised worldwide. When combined with colour, water, movement, crystals or aroma, their healing effects can be greatly enhanced. Cape Town-based therapist Elizabeth Mudge is a pioneer in this integrated approach, creating 'liquid sound' by immersing the body in water and introducing music directly into it.
Different instruments playing the same note are easily distinguished by their harmonics (overtones). If all harmonics are filtered out, leaving only the fundamental note, a violin and trumpet would sound identical. Harmonics are the healing properties of sound, with vocal harmonics often referred to as sacred sounds because they work on the etheric body. Overtones move from the physical into the spiritual realm, which is why music has long been a part of religious ceremonies intended to raise vibrational states.
In 1987, American sound therapist Jonathan Goldman experienced an unusual event in a Mayan temple. In a pitch-black chamber, he was asked to tone vocal harmonics; to his amazement, the room became faintly illuminated, returning to darkness when he stopped. Vocal harmonics had created fields of light.
Quartz crystals act as transducers, converting one form of energy into another, such as pressure into electricity. They are acoustoluminescent, capable of converting sound waves into light.
Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher and father of geometry, designed the monochord, a single string stretched over a wooden frame. He discovered a precise mathematical system inherent in sound, claiming that studying one vibrating string could reveal the secrets of the universe from microcosm to macrocosm.
CHOOSING MUSIC TO SOOTHE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT
Kay Gardner, an innovative American sound therapist, advises that the intent of the musician is important. Ideally, the musician should focus on healing and relaxation rather than ego or commercial gain. Use intuition and deep listening to discern intent.
DRONE
A long, uninterrupted sound underlying music, such as from a didgeridoo, tamboura, organ or chanting. These sounds affect the body physically and can be directed to tense or blocked areas through visualisation.
REPETITION
A repeated musical phrase allows the listener to relax into familiarity, opening the mind and body to a receptive, calm state.
HARMONICS
Naturally occurring overtones accompany any note. Like rainbow colours from a prism, they are progressively higher and softer than the base note. Harmonics, abundant in Tibetan, Mongolian and Gregorian chants, balance and integrate mind, body and spirit.
HARMONY
Simple harmonies soothe and support meditation and visualisation. Complex or dissonant harmonies can challenge and help release emotional blockages.
RHYTHM
Humans are rhythmic beings, responding instinctively to external rhythms. Healing rhythms can regulate heart rate, breathing and brain waves. Drums, considered the 'instrument of the heart', are used worldwide for healing. Indigenous traditions say the drum maintains the beat of life, each beat as important as the last and next. Group drumming is now popular globally for its enlivening effects.
MELODY
Built on scales, modes or ragas, melody can transport listeners beyond the senses, inducing timelessness, expanded consciousness and bliss. It is frequently used in treating pain and serious illness.
INSTRUMENTAL COLOUR
Each instrument's timbre influences the listener differently:
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Strings and French horns: affect the heart centre
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Drums, tuba, didgeridoo, bassoon: resonate in the belly and diaphragm
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Clarinet, oboe: influence the throat centre
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Bells, bowls: vibrate the crown area
The concert harp, with its full range, is one of the most effective whole-body instruments.
FORM
Structure determines the listener's journey. Linear forms, like folk songs, progress verse by verse. Cyclical forms, where a theme returns, are considered most healing as they mirror natural rhythms. Holotropic breathwork, developed by Dr Stanislav Grof, combines breathing with sequentially structured music for profound healing experiences.
Understanding the elements of healing music enables us to become mindful of its impact. By considering sound quality, healing elements, musicianship and intent, we can select music that nurtures ourselves and others, creating a little heaven on earth.
Editor's Note: In recent years, sound therapy research has expanded to include binaural beats, vibroacoustic therapy and biofield tuning. Early studies suggest that low-frequency sound stimulation may reduce chronic pain and improve mobility, while certain rhythmic sound patterns can support cognitive rehabilitation in stroke patients. As with all complementary therapies, effectiveness varies, and integration with other holistic and conventional approaches offers the most benefit. Here are two very interesting articles on The Healing Power of Beethoven's Music and How Light, Colour, Magnetics and Sound Can Accelerate Healing.
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