What Is Sound Therapy Or Sound Healing
Sound therapy is a form of alternative medicine that utilizes sound waves to promote healing and balance for the body mind and spirit. Sound healing is a growing field that has gained recognition and popularity in recent years. One of the instruments used in sound healing is the singing bowl also known as a sound bowl, which has been known to produce soothing and calming vibrations. There is a good reason why sound bowls are so popular. In this article, we will check out one of the applications of sound bowls in a therapeutic session.
Sound therapy is effective in treating depression, anxiety, pain management, improving sleep, boosting the immune system, and promoting overall well-being.
It is based on the principles of psychoacoustics, the study of the psychological and physiological effects of sound on human beings, and brain entrainment.
Brainwave entrainment is the process by which external stimuli, such as sound, light, or vibration, influence the brain's electrical activity. This influence can result in changes to the brain's state of consciousness, such as increased relaxation, improved sleep, and reduced stress and anxiety.
The basic idea behind brainwave entrainment is that when the brain is exposed to rhythmic stimuli, such as a repetitive sound, it will naturally start to synchronize its own electrical activity with that rhythm, leading to a change in brainwave patterns.
One of the most well-known forms of brainwave entrainment is binaural beats, which is the phenomenon of two different sound frequencies being perceived as a single tone when played in each ear.
When the difference between the two frequencies is in the range of 1 to 30 Hz, this difference is said to be audible as a “beat.” The frequency of the beat corresponds to a specific brainwave state, such as alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (13-30 Hz), or delta (0.5-4 Hz). By listening to binaural beats, the brain can be entrained to these specific brainwave states, which can result in changes to mood, cognition, and overall well-being.
Singing Bowls for Sound Therapy
Singing bowls produce specific frequencies and rhythms that can be used to entrain the brain and produce desired effects, such as relaxation, improved focus, and concentration, and reduced stress and anxiety.
One of the most common techniques is the use of a headset of three singing bowls, which are placed around the head area, left, right, and crown. This headset can be used to produce binaural beats through the interaction of the different tones of each bowl. To achieve this, it is important to select singing bowls with the right properties, such as fundamental tones that are not too high, a slow pulse, and a long-sustaining sound.
In this article, I will delve into the use of singing bowls in sound therapy, specifically their use in creating a headset for brainwave entrainment.
Singing Bowls For The Head
A headset is a set of three singing bowls placed around the head area - on the left, right, and crown. This setup is commonly used by sound healing practitioners, and it is believed to have something to do with the Third Eye Chakra and the Crown Chakra. However, the primary reason for using a headset of singing bowls is for brainwave entrainment.
To create an effective headset, certain criteria must be followed when selecting the singing bowls. Here are some of the important considerations:
- The fundamental tone of each bowl should not be higher than one of the fourth-octave notes. The ideal fundamental tone is in the third octave as low tones are more effective for relaxation. However, tones that are too low, such as the second-octave fundamentals, may carry dark characteristics or be too grounding.
- The pulse of each bowl should be slow. Ideally, you want to hear the systematic communication between the three members of the set. Too many overlapping beats can be distracting, except for people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
- At least one tone of each bowl should create the binaural beat effect with the tones of the other two bowls. For example, the first overtone of the left ear bowl can be 450Hz, the first overtone of the right ear bowl can be 455Hz, and the first overtone of the crown bowl can be 460Hz or 445Hz.
- All three bowls should have the same complexity of sound. They should be close to each other in terms of character and "mood".