It is widely known that music can make us feel good. However, it can actually do much more than just that- it has healing powers when used strategically! Sound healing is a branch of alternative medicine that uses certain types of music for the purpose of physical and emotional healing. This can be done with the help of a trained professional.
Healing music dates all the way back to ancient Greece. Since then, it has been used for a slew of reasons- to boost soldier morale, improve work efficiency and was even believed to offer protection from evil spirits.
Sound healing and meditation go hand-in-hand. Professionals heavily encourage meditation and laying down when in a sound healing session. The deeper the patient is in their meditation, the more vibrations they can feel. One time, I experienced such a deep vibrational state, that I floated on clouds and felt my body vibrating for 3 days. It felt as if I had a shield to protect me from all outside stressors, and I could absolutely not act in any way other than calm. It was tear-jerkingly beautiful.
Nowadays, as our life becomes more fast-paced and stress increases, it gives rise to anxiety and depression. People are also decreasingly connected with nature and our instincts. Technology is taking over our life. Sound healing helps combat these conditions and also widens our perspective and reactivates our inner primal world. Sometimes, not thinking and not planning- simply existing can be better for our mental health than anything else.
In this post, you will find videos on some of the many exotic instruments that are used in sound therapy. Some of the most famous sound healing instruments include: Tibetan signing bowls, koshi bells/chimes, handpans, the kalimba, gong, tuning forks, rain sticks and ocean drums.
The first healing instrument I had experienced live were the singing bowls. There are two kinds I ran across- the crystal bowls and the Tibetan bowls. The first video showcases the classical Tibetan bowls and the second one includes crystal bowls:
My favourite healing instrument is the hang drum. It comes in 2 different variations- the PanArt hang drum (the more expensive and better-sounding one) and the Rav Vast. The following video is the first ever hang drum video I discovered when I just got introduced to healing music. It is perhaps the most famous hang drum performance on YouTube.
This video is a meditative piece made with “Water” Koshi bells- one of the four types of tuning available for these bells (water, fire, earth, wind).
The Bajinn looks quite unusual- it consists of tubes, a round frame and strings that hold it together. Here is a little demonstration of its sound:
Sources:
Santos-Longhurst, Adrienne. “The Uses and Benefits of Music Therapy.” Healthline, 27 Jan. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/sound-healing.
Estrada, Jessica. “3 Ways to Bring Your Body Vibrational Balance Using Sound Healing Therapy.” Well+Good, 26 Mar. 2020.
