What is Sound Healing?

Simply put, sound healing is the art of using and manipulating sounds to improve one's condition. Conditions range widely from a headache to cancer, or need for stimulating the immune system. Sound is also used in soothing the nervous system, improving sleep, or creating a desired atmosphere.

Sound, in a physics sense, is essentially vibration. It is the power of vibration that is half the magic of healing; the other half of healing is the belief and intention that fuels the power of sound.

When a discomfort or stressor occurs internally or externally of one's body, the vibration of the human body system develops into chaotic vibrations. The vibrations of this chaos get incorporated into the energy field which can result in mental, emotional, or physical illnesses. Even environmental stress can bring the atmosphere to a state of disease, since we are all connected by energy. 

A sound healer is trained in the various uses of sounds (vibrations) to navigate this chaos back into a cohesive homeostasis within one's energy field. This is how the structural art of sound healing is therapeutic, in that an energy field immediately responds to an introduced vibration that will rebalance it. Energy seeks harmony and union; and therefore the difference in vibration will minimize as the two sources come together into one vibration.

Types of Sound Healing

If you've ever listened to soothing music because you had trouble falling asleep, then you used a form of sound therapy in order to create a desired harmonious effect. Similarly, it is a common practice to listen to upbeat songs while exercising. However, sound therapy goes beyond song selection.

Because healing with sounds has been around for basically all of recorded history, there are various methods and instruments used for this purpose. Humming, groaning, shouting, or other uses of the voice prove to be perhaps the most primitive. 

Throughout the years, and especially in shamanic rituals, drumming (and other percussion instruments) is used to directly alter one's brain waves. In a more modern aspect, the manipulation of sound from tuning forks and singing bowls produce corrective vibrations into their environment. 



A Closer Look at Sound Bowl Meditation

Sound bowl meditations and other mindfulness-based practices can help reduce tension, burnout, and depression, as well as improve well-being., There are two types of singing bowls that are often used in sound healing: Tibetan singing bowls and crystal singing bowls. Each has their unique elemental structure, but their vibrational purposes may vary. 

The acoustical nature of each tool is essentially the same. However, compositionally, they differ: Tibetan singing bowls are made of metals, while crystal singing bowls offer crystals infused in the structure of the bowl. Just like crystals and gems have metaphysical components, their vibrations are carried by the sound of striking or playing a singing bowl.

Encounters using singing bowls usually include activities like meditation, spiritual gatherings, or restorative sound baths. The vibration varies per bowl, which sets the tone for integrating desired frequencies.

Using Sound Bowl Meditation in Business

Many companies are moving towards including positive programs to benefit their work culture. Incorporating intentional healing sound as an option for employee engagement, creates a healthy and welcoming environment thus results in a positive impact for flow in the business.

Sound therapy can affect positive changes in employee attitude or creativity -  not to mention eliminating environmental stress and encouraging healthy immune systems of participating employees. In effort to eliminate negative vibes in the workplace, sound can also promote a peaceful flow for mental work efforts, therefore increasing productivity.

Sound healing meditation sessions can be implemented at the beginning of the workday to align all employees on the same wavelength to ensure an engaged flow of teamwork for the day; mid-day sound sessions can relieve minds or prevent over-stimulation or burnout; finally send employees home with a closing sound session to prevent taking work stress home with them.

Again, half the power of sound healing resides in the intention of the participating individuals. Nevertheless, as also indicated in social experiments, getting just a few employees to participate in sound healing sessions will in turn encourage their work peers to also latch onto such higher vibrations. Spreading these influential vibrations promotes a healthy business system because sound vibrations themselves are highly influential.

1 Gabsa, R. & Rastogi, S. (2020). Take Care of Your People, and They'll Take Care of Business. Gallup. 

2  Wiley Beyond (n.d.). Happiness at Work and its Impact on Organizations. Happiness at Work Infographic - Wiley-2.pdf

3 Heal the Healers Podcast (2021). The Humming Effect: Sound Healing for Health and Happiness - Guest Author Jonathan Goldman. Episode 14. The Humming Effect: Sound Healing For Health And Happiness - Guest Author Jonathan Goldman Heal The Healers podcast (player.fm)

4 Heal the Healers Podcast (2021). The Humming Effect: Sound Healing for Health and Happiness - Guest Author Jonathan Goldman. Episode 14. The Humming Effect: Sound Healing For Health And Happiness - Guest Author Jonathan Goldman Heal The Healers podcast (player.fm)

5 Heal the Healers Podcast (2021). Tuning the Human Biofield - Guest Author Eileen Day McKusick. Episode 13. Tuning The Human Biofield - Guest Author Eileen Day McKusick Heal The Healers podcast (player.fm)

6 Frey, H. (2021). The Importance of Mindfulness at Work | LinkedIn. Interview with Megan Wolfe.

7 Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study - Tamara L. Goldsby, Michael E. Goldsby, Mary McWalters, Paul J. Mills, 2017 (sagepub.com)