From before we are born, until we die, sound is a part of our lives. If we are deaf, we, nonetheless, feel and are affected by the vibrations of sounds. For instance, there is an extraordinary deaf musician, Evelyn Glennie, a world-class percussionist, who plays barefoot so she can feel the sounds of the orchestra that accompanies her.

Yes! Sound is powerful and it’s a part of our lives.

Sound and Sound Healing

But it’s kind of like water to a fish: because we swim in it all the time, we often are oblivious to it, unless our sound environment disturbs — or delights -- us. It’s not the sound itself that’s “bad” or “good”. A person who feels enlivened by his favorite heavy metal band may be irritated by soft, lyrical melodies or a soft drip of water. Each of us has been soothed — or disturbed — by sounds. Each of us is exposed to sounds that we don’t even notice. Also, our reaction to any given sound can change from moment to moment.

So, what does this have to do with sound healing? A lot, actually. Sound is an energy — an energy that can cause disruption or healing or neither of these. When a client comes to me for sound healing, I call in my Helping Spirits and listen as they show me which instrument to use, what rhythm to play, what tone to use, and for how long. We often use sound to connect with the disruptive energy. We let it express until it is ready to release into healing, and then support the healing with a more soothing (or energized) sound.