SONIC STIMULATION Dr. S. S. Verma, Department of Physics, S.L.I.E.T., Longowal, Distt.-Sangrur (Punjab)-148106 Sound has three distinguished frequency ranges i.e., infra-sonic, audible and ultra-sonics, which have been used in all its forms in various applications by mankind. Sound in its audible range and in the form of music (synchronized beats) has been a source of pleasant feelings from time immortal. Mian Tansen, a prominent Indian classical music composer, musician and vocalist was among the Navaratnas (nine jewels) at the court of the Mughal Emperor Jalal ud-din Akbar who is credited with singing ragas to lighting lamps as well as to make it rain. In the present time of technology based civilization, efforts are being directed towards noninvasive means not only for medical treatments but also to stimulate one's physiology using sound energy. Sound therapists believe that our bodies contain 'energy frequencies' and that sonic frequencies can be used to re-attune these energies when they go off key. All you have to do is lie down and bask in the tuneful beauty of 'pure' sound. Sound therapy deconstructs music into pure sound, harnessing the knowledge that sound can have a powerful effect on our emotions. Sound therapists believe that we are all made up of different energy frequencies. They use sound frequencies to interact with these, thus attempting to rebalance the body's energy. The user can use sound waves to vibrate and stimulate their physical attributes e.g., the user can stimulate their muscles to move if heavily injured or stimulate their blood vessels to pump blood through their body without their heart even giving off a heartbeat. History of sonic healing American psychic Edgar Cayce (1877-1945) predicted that sound would be the medicine of the future and that future has arrived today with the work of sonic therapists. Sonic therapists use sound, vibration, intonation and music to heal the body and mind. Sonic therapy is not new; ancient cultures revered the natural world and its healing sounds. Using environmental music such as waterfalls, birdsong, wind, rain and children’s laughter, ancient healers encouraged a sense of wellbeing that is still relevant today. This is especially so in urban life, where we may feel far removed from exploring the senses and interacting with the natural world. Humans have also had a hand in constructing healing sonic environments, with ancient and later societies using healing sound devices such as Tibetan singing bowls, Australian Aboriginal didgeridoos, Native American thunder drums, African water drums and Celtic harps, along with Indian Tantric sounds, Gregorian chanting, Mongolian harmonic chanting, Mongolian throat singing, Bulgarian open-throat singing and so on. While most of these are ancient traditions, their practice is considered relevant by vanguard therapeutic science today. For example, the didgeridoo, when used in tonal massage, has an effect on the body at the molecular level, similar to the effect of modern cymatic therapy and its simpler version, toning. Consider Tibetan mantras, which are popular today because of their deeply resonant effects and the transcendental meanings of the sounds. Mantras are "words of power" recited for various purposes; for example, achieving 1
altered states of consciousness, resonating with divine energy and manifesting enlightened and compassionate states by opening the chakras. The word mantra is derived from Indian Sanskrit and means thoughts that liberate us from samsara (the world of illusions). Grounded in ancient Indian Vedic myth and tradition, mantra chanting today may involve Kundalini energy chakras in the body, dynamic movement and quantum field awareness (neural transformation in the brain by activating the left and right lobes). Inspired by the acoustics of ancient Indian Vedic cave rituals, Axis Mundi, a group of musicians and sacred sound ritualists in the US, seeks to re-create the same transformational energy fields. Axis Mundi melds modern science, electronic technology and ancient ritual to incite healing attuned with today’s world. Aspects of shamanic trance drumming and Buddhist mantras, along with melodic resonation using specific tones and intervals, are their tools of sonic therapy. Modern sonic healing technological status Modern healing modalities such as sound-centred physical therapy and psychotherapy along with emotional triggers and cognitive development are all considered in sonic treatment. These sonic treatment activities change the inner workings of the body, from brain waves to energy chakras and circulation. Neural effects include stimulating the quantum field awareness of the listener by entraining the alpha rhythms of the brain, which has been proven to incite healing. Frequencies of vibration and neural-emotional stimulation trigger sonic healing by means of sensory immersion in sound. Combining primitive and modern-day techniques, sonic healing is taking the allopathic medical world by ear through the inventions e.g., Cymatic Instrument (specific frequencies are projected into the client’s body via a sonic instrument to produce physiological change), Hemi-Sync audio technology, and Electronic Ear. There are many other well-known techniques, both simple and technical, proving effective and popular amongst sonic therapists and sound healers today. The client receives stimulation from sound and imagery in combination. Temperature and light/darkness are often incorporated to facilitate an immersive experience. In harmonic resonance, the body’s frequency imbalance is assessed through kinesiology techniques (muscle testing). The body is then immersed in a synthesized harmonic sound to create physiological balance by changing blocked energy. When an opera singer makes a glass vibrate with their voice, they have matched the resonant frequency of the glass. When the singer increases their volume, the resonance becomes greater than the glass and it shatters. This same action is used in sonic therapy today, when sound waves are used to break up kidney stones and gallstones, for example. Using the beats per minute (BPM) of music has been proven to initiate and encourage physiological healing in response to the music. The field of harmonics approach to healing is to assess the healthy harmonic vibration of particular organs in the body and correct the resonant frequency where there is ill health or imbalance. Working through the four brain wave states, which have corresponding frequencies on an electroencephalogram (EEG), sonic therapy resonates with beta waves (normal waking state), alpha waves (dreaming and light meditation), theta waves (between waking and sleep) and delta waves (deep sleep). While brain wave states are not the same phenomenon as sound waves, certain frequencies of sound can entrain the brain (mental entrainment) to produce greater leanings towards a certain brain wave type. The EEG device creates a pattern which the brain follows. Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. After 2
assessing the strengths and needs of each client, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music. Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, clients' abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of their lives. Music therapy also provides avenues for communication that can be helpful to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words. Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people's motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings. The healing effects of sound Sound has been used as a healing or calming tool for thousands of years. The human body is 70% water which is an excellent conductive medium for sound and vibration. Researchers have done studies using x-ray crystallography which demonstrated that when water freezes its crystalline structure is influenced by sounds in the environment. Harmonious sounds yield crystals which are beautiful hexagons whereas disruptive sounds containing disharmony (yelling or cursing) yield crystals which have dysmorphic irregular shapes. One could presume that our bodies have been influenced by disharmony in our environment and our lives. We know from the field of neuro-cardiology that our heart rate variability changes with our emotional states. Stress causes a higher heart rate variability which is associated with decreased coherence in our brainwave patterns. This means that the hemispheres in our brain can either work in harmony or not. When our body is out of tune it neither looks good, feels good, or works well. When treated to the coherent harmonic fields of Sonic-Healing programs, however, dissonant energy patterns are realigned, enabling our body to return to a healthy state. Sound, whether in the form of music, tone or vibration, has neurological, physiological and emotional benefits which are documented: Neurological Physiological Emotional Equalizes activity between the Changes breathing rate and Alters the release and left and right cerebral depth regulation of stress hemispheres of the brain hormones Stabilizes heart rate, blood Modifies the brain’s electrical pressure and circulation, Relieves or lessens activity thereby increasing depression movement and reducing Elicits emotional catharsis Enhances learning in muscle tension developmentally delayed and and stimulates a multidisabled children. Calms pre-operative and layered sense of wellbeing post-operative stress in the through the intellectual Triggers endorphin release, body and mind and emotional memories which improves and lessens associated with the music pain Accelerates tissue repair or sound after damage or surgery Enhances memory and awareness in people with Enhances immunity Alzheimer’s disease and other Disables growth of cancer cognitive impairment cells (in laboratory tests) conditions Reduces pain medication usage in childbirth Music is not just for relaxation. Critically-ill intensive care patients had reduced pain and blood pressure. Those suffering from arthritis also felt less pain. Music therapy also helped regulate the 3
blood pressure of patients with coronary heart disease. These are just some of the studies of sound healing on patients. Coma treatment and recovery usually involves a lot of waiting but scientists may have found a way to "jump-start" the brain using sonic stimulation. Recently, researchers used a small device to stimulate the thalamus of a man as a he was coming out of a coma, helping to restore his cognition and ability to communicate. A 25-year-old who was in a coma regained full consciousness and the ability to communicate within days of exposure to a small amount of acoustic energy directed at his thalamus using a small, experimental device. This organic, non-invasive approach to healing is now available through a comprehensive series of specially created audio programs that can be downloaded from internet site in MP3 format. Over 60 different programs, each targeted to a different complaint, condition, or illness, offer safe, natural, enjoyable ways to loosen energy blockages, open constricted channels, and can revitalize subtle energy life force. Limitations Number of sound energy variables will make it difficult to pint out towards an effective control/output Sound energy may not be able to stimulate portions of physiology that are too heavily damaged. Lack of proper methodologies used for sound treatment and their reliability Unfortunately, along with broadband noise, the therapeutic sound might also become more noxious. Users can be stopped by users of sound nullification This is a relatively new procedure and has not been studied enough to predict long term side effects. Audio-integration is often the decisive step toward aiding a deeper functional impact. There are a number of drawbacks with most of the introduced sound therapy treatments as they require multiple visits to care provider, special equipments or they are simply too expensive. Acknowledgement: The use of information retrieved through various references/sources of internet in this article is highly acknowledged.
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