The benefits of sound healing and why you should add it to your spa menu
International visiting wellness practitioner Michelle Saudan explains the theory behind sound healing and how this modality can be incorporated into your spa offering
Sound as a vessel for healing is something that our ancient mystics have been telling us since the beginning of recorded, and perhaps even pre-recorded, history. Now, our modern quantum physicists and scientists are saying the same thing – that everything is in a state of vibration.
One of the basic tenets of using sound as a healing modality is this – we are like an extraordinary orchestra playing the symphony of the self. Every organ, every bone, every tissue, every part of our body is playing together, producing different frequencies and sounds.
How does sound therapy work?
There are two ways sound affects us – psychoacoustics and vibroacoustics. In psychoacoustics, sound goes into our ears and brain and affects our nervous system, heart rate, respiration and brain waves.
Listening to music, or even just listening to our own voice, is an aspect of using sound for healing. Think of how your favourite song has the ability to uplift your mood pretty instantaneously. With vibroacoustics, sound goes in and affects us on a cellular and molecular level – it shifts and changes our entire DNA structure.
When we’re in a state of health, we say we’re in sound health. Using the metaphor of the body being like an orchestra, what happens if the second violin player loses their sheet music? They begin to play out of tune, then pretty soon the entire orchestra sounds off.
This would be similar to a part of our body vibrating out of its natural harmony – its natural, healthy resonance and its fundamental vibrations.
Because of this, we say it’s vibrating out of ease. We call it dis-ease. The basic idea of using sound as a healing modality is simply, what if we could restore the string player who lost their sheet music? What if we could give them back the sheet music?
What are the benefits of sound therapy?
Some of the benefits of sound healing therapy are: deep relaxation; clearing energetic blockages; supporting mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing; improving sleep; lowering blood pressure; and relieving muscle tension.
Sound therapy integrates various types of instruments, such as the voice, bells, chimes, singing bowls, flutes, string instruments, tuning forks and gongs, into a practice. Every instrument, when played, vibrates at a unique frequency and that frequency is often referred to as a pitch.
As a result, there are many types of frequencies that are used in sound healing which can either be combined or used alone, based on the client’s needs. For example, in my practice, I use a string instrument called a monochord, tuned to the frequency of 432 hertz.
According to music theory, A=432 hertz is mathematically consistent with the universe. This is known as Verdi’s “A”, which is named after the famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.
So, it makes sense for us to be attuned to the natural electromagnetic pulses of the earth at 432 hertz. We would, in turn, feel more balanced, conscious, peaceful and centred. This is often the beautiful outcome after a session.
How do I incorporate sound healing into my spa offering?
The beauty of sound healing is that you can creatively curate unique journeys with any standard spa offering, such as combining sound with facials, body treatments, yoga and guided meditation, or offering it as a private or group session.
The creation of spa journeys that incorporate sound healing must come from a place of genuine intention and a connection to the instruments, as opposed to simply introducing them for the sole reason of their harmony. As a visiting wellness practitioner, one of my signature services is The Yemaya Experience.
During this treatment, the vibroacoustic frequencies of the ohm tuning forks 136.1 and 432 hertz (pulses per second) of the monochord and the sacred African mbira instrument, are applied directly on to the different meridian points of the body, and integrated with a combination of body work techniques to achieve a deep state of relaxation. This enables the client to release tension, reconnect with self-love, and reharmonise at a physical, emotional and mental level.
As a practitioner, connecting with yourself and your client as you entrust your intuition allows for the unseen healing force of energy that is all around to be expressed naturally. You can’t really do it by the book. As a spa therapist, I create the harmonious environment, coupled with my intentions, to guide my clients into a journey of self-healing.
