Listening Part 1: Sound
52 Weeks - Week 15
Nada Brahma. The world is sound.
Nada Brahma is a Sanskrit expression most commonly translated as 'sound is God'. Nada yoga is based on the idea that the entire universe consists of sound vibrations. Ancient Indian yogis knew what science has more recently discovered, that every living thing on earth vibrates at its own level with its own sound. Every part of us is vibrating at different frequencies creating what Julian Treasure, a sound and communications expert, calls our own unique chord. When we are healthy, our chord is in complete harmony and our body is a symphony playing a beautiful song.
It has been proven that the sounds we listen to actually changes our brain’s frequency, altering our emotions, triggering the release of hormones and chemicals with the ability to heal the body.
Sound waves funneling through the outer and middle ears vibrate the eardrum. The inner ear translates these vibrations into electrical signals that our brain interprets into meaning. So, the sounds we hear have significant impact on our emotions and behaviors. The amygdala, in the limbic system of the brain, is the seat of emotion and extremely sensitive to sound. We are constantly responding to and interpreting things we hear based on our past experiences, and our emotions embedded in those memories are attached to the related sounds.
“I was just thinking how the purr of a contented cat is one of my favorite sounds in the world. There's something so comforting about it, isn't there?” Laura Lam
Historically, humans have used sound, particularly music, to treat health issues. Recent research studies show the positive health effects of music, listening to Solfeggio Frequencies, walking in a forest or along the ocean and listening to the sounds of nature all have a calming effect on the brain and nervous system. Currently, sound healing is the practice of using audio tones and vibrational frequencies to repair damaged tissues and cells within the body, and is used in a variety of conditions to reduce stress and anxiety, alleviate pain, elicit a relaxation response, and promote quality sleep.
Sound Strategies
The following list of ideas can assist in using sound to relax, unwind, find center and balance.
1. Listen to Solfeggio frequencies. Developed by a Benedictine monk, Guido d’Arezzo, a 1,000 years ago, and are traditionally associated with Gregorian Chants. Each tone is comprised of a frequency required to balance your energy and keep your body, mind, and spirit in perfect harmony. There is a link in the Resources section below to a YouTube video playing these tones.
· UT — 396 Hz — turning grief into joy, liberating guilt & fear
· RE — 417 Hz — undoing situations & facilitating change
· MI — 528 Hz — transformation & miracles, repairing DNA (used in over 150 Gregorian Chants)
· FA — 639 Hz — relationship, connecting with spiritual family
· SOL — 741 Hz — expression/solutions, cleansing & solving
· LA — 852 Hz — returning to spiritual order
2. Listen to 432 Hz frequencies. Humans have a neurological reaction to these harmonic vibrations, reducing stress, increasing concentration, promoting deep relaxation, releasing emotional blockages and supporting the healing process. YouTube, Spotify and SoundCloud offer 432 Hz music playlists created by artists from around the world.
3. Get outside in nature. Walk in the park, the forest, a meadow, on the beach. The natural sounds you hear in these places can have a positive effect on your well-being.
4. Play a musical instrument, sing or hum. All of these ways of expressing sound shift your frequencies to feeling good, and you can do them almost anytime and anywhere.
5. Chant Om (or other sacred chants) or listen to chants. The vibration produced by chanting Om is said to align our body, mind and spirit with cosmic energies. It has some major health benefits. It calms the mind, reduces stress, improves focus and concentration, balances emotions, enhances immunity and strength, improves sleep quality, boosts positive energy, enhances creativity, improves digestion, regulates blood pressure, promotes mental alertness, and connects us with Universal Energy.
6. Practice silence. Do a silent meditation focusing on your breath. Go to a silent place and hang out for a while. Sit in silence wherever you are, focusing on the silence between all the noise.
Resources
There is an amazing array of articles, playlists and videos about sound and sound healing. Here are some I liked.
The Four Ways Sound Affects Us
The Secrets of Vibration and Frequency
Can Chanting Om Reduce Stress?
All 9 Solfeggio Frequencies Healing Music
Journal Prompt
· Come up with a sound plan. How can you introduce some soothing sounds into your daily practice?
· Pay attention to the sounds around you and how they affect you. Positive sounds? Negative sounds?
· Describe your soundscape? These are the sounds that make up the sound environment where you live. Can you improve it (if it needs it)? How?
Final Thoughts
I’ve been pretty unconscious of the sounds and noise around me most of the time. If it’s unpleasant I adjust however I need to avoid it. If the sounds are pleasant, I enjoy them then tune out. I was in a meditation workshop last week and sound frequency was discussed a lot; and researching for this week’s topic I’ve learned a lot more. In fact, because of that learning I listened to the full spectrum of Solfeggio frequencies, and it actually helped with the vertigo I’ve had for almost 2 months—when nothing else has. I am definitely going to follow up.