Wendy Rosenfeldt
The Healing Effects of Sound
Sound has a profound effect on our minds and bodies. Certain sounds or music can cause us to feel relaxed or energetic, soothed or aggravated; it can bring back memories; can make us cry or feel elated and can even heal our physiologies.
Research shows that music affects the growth of plants. One study found that plants grew better when classical music was played while another group receiving rock music grew in the opposite direction from the music player. While plants don’t have ears, except for corn and that is of not much use for hearing, it implies that sound is processed on a vibrational level without necessarily being heard.
Studies show that sound affects the human physiology and can alter pulse rate, circulation, blood pressure and metabolism. Cells, subcellular compositions and molecules all exhibit characteristic vibrational patterns. For example vibrations of the myoglobin molecule encourage the movement of oxygen molecules in and out of the molecular structure. So sound can be seen to influence the physiology in two ways; by altering the inner vibrations at the molecular level through the influence of sound vibrations in the external environment and by hearing music or sound through the ears and then metabolising it through the limbic system which then creates neurochemicals and hormones.
Maharishi Ayurveda has long used the healing and balancing effects of sound. Gandharva Veda, which is the traditional classical music of India, is calculated to have a balancing effect on the whole physiology. The melodies of Gandharva Veda mirror the vibrations and patterns of nature. Based on the theory that there are 3 hour periods called Praharas, melodies are developed to capture the changing qualities of nature throughout the day. Each time of day evokes a different feeling such as the freshness of the dawn, the fullness of the midday sun or the stillness at midnight. Listening to these melodies attunes us to that specific quality of nature and thus makes our awareness more intone with the environment. For example we feel more lively at sunrise or increasingly settled in the evening. Particular types of Gandharva music also have an effect on our doshas and are used in treating imbalances.
Maharishi Ayurveda also uses the healing properties of sound in the technique of Maharishi Vedic Vibration Therapy. The Vedic sounds correlate to the vibrations that structure the human physiology and, used in the correct way, can re-enliven the body’s inner intelligence and restore its proper functioning.
Wendy Rosenfeldt is a Maharishi Vedic Health Educator and Teacher of Transcendental Meditation. For information on Transcendental Meditation or Maharishi Ayurveda Consultations call Wendy Ph: 5499 9580 or 0438 507 188 and to book a free introductory talk on Transcendental Meditation on Sunday August 23 at 10.30am.
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