In his book, Power Vs. Force, David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D, discusses how our levels of consciousness, awareness and energy dictate our thoughts, words and actions. “All levels below 200 are destructive of life in both the individual and society at large; all levels above 200 are constructive expressions of power,” he states. Fear, anger, shame and guilt are among the emotions below 200; willingness, acceptance, love, peace and joy are above 200.  

These statements have a lot to do with sound and our connections to it:  We are energy. We vibrate. We emit a frequency. Sound is energy.  Sound vibrates. Sound emits a frequency. 

So, it’s not surprising that we relate to sound and that sound can alter our frequency.

The Ancients Knew 

Consider that most cultures share the concept that life began with a sound. In Vedic tradition, as Lord Vishnu rested on the cosmic, shoreless ocean, the silence was broken with the cosmic hum we know as Aum. In the Bible, John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word …” Basically we were birthed into existence with a sound.

Science Now Knows 

Even science has found proof we live in a sea of sound. Geneticists have decoded the musical expression of our DNA. NASA has captured the sounds of all the planets and in November 2014, the European Space Agency’s Rosetta probe recorded the sound of a comet. So, it’s certain that our bodies respond to sound.

Sounding Healing 

Sound healing has been around for quite a while. The ancient Greeks used music to cure mental disorders. Australian aboriginal tribes used the didgeridoo as a sound-healing instrument. Tibetan or Himalayan singing bowls were used in spiritual ceremonies. 

Science is catching up with the ancients.  One study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine found that an hour-long sound meditation helped people reduce tension, anger, fatigue, anxiety and depression while increasing a sense of spiritual well-being. The sound meditation used a range of Tibetan singing bowls, crystal singing bowls, gongs, Ting-shas (tiny cymbals), dorges (bells), didgeridoos, and other small bells. The main instrument used was the singing bowls for 95 percent of the session. People that had never done sound meditation experienced significantly less tension and anxiety afterward, as well as those who had done it before. 

Malbert Lee, a Hong King-based Crystal Bowl and Gong Master, says vibrations are especially useful for healing the body. “The adult body is 75 percent water, and water is a great conductor for sound vibration,” he notes. “When vibrations travel through the body, they promote circulation, energy flow and rejuvenation. The frequency of the sound synchronizes with the brainwaves and activates de-stress responses in the body.”

Sound Provides Another Tool for Our Overall Well-Being  

And sound may put us back in touch with the Beginning, with Source when all was peace. Being in touch with Source puts us in touch with our true essence … with the peace and love that exist within us as our natural state. The more we can be in touch with our natural state of beingness, we begin to live from the place, from that truth and that energy … emitting the higher frequency of love and joy. 

Sometimes called sound baths, sessions can be private or in a group. Crystal singing bowls are popular in our area. The bowls vary in size which determines the frequency they each emit and the resonance the sound will have in the body.

The Center, Life in Balance, located at 45 S. Main St., in Medford,, offers Crystal Bowl and Reiki Meditation Healing sessions each month. For more information or to register, call 609-975-8379 or visit TheCenterLifeInBalance.comTheCenterLifeInBalance.com.

Maryann Pino Miller is a spiritual teacher, awareness coach and author.