SOUND AS MEDICINE

The first portion of this article looks at studies relating to sound and its affect on matter. The second part explores mantra as a tool to shift ones state of being.

Molecules vibrate at natural frequencies. When exposed to certain sound frequencies they can shift, destabilize, or reorganize. Studies founded by those such as Dr. Masaru Emoto show us the impact of words and emotions on the crystallization of water. Further research by HeartMath Institute on the "Memory of Water", Provides Scientific Evidence of Water’s Capacity to Store and Amplify Weak Electromagnetic and Subtle Energy Fields. The article states that, "Studies designed to advance our understanding of water’s role as a bridge between the worlds of energy and matter will provide a crucial link between the realms of science and spiritual phenomena, bear profound implications for the betterment of human and environmental health, and may well help lay the foundations for a newly emerging scientific paradigm."

In one clinical trial, researchers used low- intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) sound waves between 200-700 kHz to gently target the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes fear and emotion. After one, ten minute session, they saw changes. Within a three week period they found 66% of participents showed measurable shifts in brain activity related to emotional relief. @Qualialife quotes, "future medicine will be the medicine of frequencies."

Another recent research article from Kyoto University pointed to the use of sound to impact cell and tissue function. As one viral instagram post by @tedxgateway claimed, “Sound doesn’t just hit your ears, it hits your cells..”. Researchers at Kyoto University placed living cells on a vibrating dish projecting sound waves. What they found was that certain acoustics can control tissue states. The article stated, “The research team also identified about 190 sound-sensitive genes, noted the effect of sound in controlling cell adhesion activity, and observed the sub-cellular mechanism through which sound signals are transmitted.” 

Another study concluded that "Listening to music at 432 Hz is a low cost and short intervention that can be a useful resource to manage anxiety and stress. Further studies are needed to assess medium and long-term effects of listening to music."

More studies are being conducted to look into the differences between 440 hz and 432 hz and their effects on the body and stress, as 440 hz is the current standard of tuning within modern music. At present I have found little evidence on this theory, but found it interesting nonetheless.

A study by Heart Math Institute researched heart rate variability in relation to biofeedback. The global study researched the most common coherence frequencies and the impact of emotional states.

These are just a few examples of ways we are researching sound in its relation to matter and the body in correlation with emotional states.

Sound has universally been utilized as a tool to shift the human biofield for aeons, and sacred mantras and seed sounds are practiced for that reason. Even practices emphasizing the absence of sound to gain clarity or stabilization are in essence the "yin to the yang" of the idea that sound is utilized to bring balance, unify, and heal. 

The concept of seed sounds (also known as Bija Mantras within Sanskrit) are foundational within Tantric and Yogic traditions. These one syllable sounds are taught to resonate with specific chakras, elements, or energies, and are practiced within meditation to purify, balance, or activate energetic centers/chakras. 

When it comes to research on the effectiveness of Bija Mantras we can correlate studies such as those by Dr. Emoto and HeartMath Institute. Further compelling research on the utilization of Mantra, would be in the stimulation of the vegus nerve as it relates to heart rate variability and breath patterns. One study stated that, "Effective chanting of OM is associated with the experience of vibratory sensation around the vocal cords (during the production of sound) and ears (during the perception of sound), expected that these vibratory sensations are transmitted through laryngeal and auricular branches of the vagus nerve, stimulating vagal centers, causing limbic (hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis) deactivation and ANS modulation toward parasympathetic dominance. These effects, similar to vagus nerve stimulation, could alter the neurotransmitters and electrical signals, modulating the activity of the autonomic centers in the brain associated with classical 3F (freeze, flight and/or fight) response in favor of rest and digest. The result of the present study is also suggestive of improved vagal nerve function reflected as increased HF power.

In essence, the chanting of OM was correlated to a parasympathetic nervous system state which favors higher learning and functioning by way of rest and relaxation.

In the book The Body & Mature Behavior by Moshe Feldenkrais, Moshe (a pioneer of the somatic movement), explains how newer, more subtle, and complex structures within the body require more time and space to grow. Conscious activity takes place in the parasympathetic state. When the process is interrupted (as it is when the body is jolted into a sympathetic state of stress), these new formations get bypassed while the body takes the hit of intensity found in more violent stimulation. In grosser terms, our physical, mental, and emotional maturity (the combination of these within a holistic framework), often take a hit when we experience stessful stimuli. In a world where trauma is innevitable and we are constantly overstimulated, we need all the tools we can to make it back into the parasympathetic.

Within Yogic and Vedic tradition, Bij Mantras such as ONG are connected to the stimulation of Meridian Centers/Nadis found within Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. It is believed that the stimulation activates the pituitary gland by causing the tongue to strike the roof of the mouth. This intern affects the brain's chemistry, regulates the endocrine system, and contributes to energetic balance by sending vibration through the nasal passages and the brain.

Examples of some of these seed sounds are those such as…

LAM - connected to the root chakra (Muladhara) - grounding stabilizing 

VAM - connected to the sacral chakra (Svadhisthana) - creativity, sexuality, emotional flow

RAM - connected to the solar plexus (Manipura) - willpower, confidence, digestion of emotion, the subconscious mind

YAM - connected to the heart (Anahata) - love, compassion, connection

HAM - connected to the throat (Vishudda) - communication, expression, purification, truth 

OM/AUM/ONG- connected to the third eye/crown - universal consciousness, alignment, intuition, foresight, timeless knowledge, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient.

• OM/AUM/ONG is also said to be "the vibration of the GONG." 

Associations of seed sounds found within Indian classical music

Name of Cakra	Location	Associated musical note of Indian classical music
Muladhara (root)	At base of spine	Sa
Svaadhisthana (sacral/pelvic)	Sacral spine, below navel	Re
Manipura (solar plexus/navel)	Just above the navel	Ga
Anahata (heart)	At centre of chest	Ma
Visuddhi (throat)	At level of throat	Pa
Ajña (brow/ third eye)	At centre of forehead between eyebrows	Dha
Sahasrara (crown)	At top of the head	Ni

These sounds are said to relate to the 7 Chakras

The 7 Chakras are also said to correspond to musical notes and frequencies, although I have found little to no formal academic research on this. One study from the Sound Healing Research Foundation however, focused on crystal singing bowls, concluding that the Fibonacci Sequence was used to create octaves up to the visible light spectrum from the notes of the musical forth octave C Scale. The results "successfully generated the colors of the visible spectrum in order according to each bowl and each accepted chakra color, a compelling discovery since it points to a quantifiable connection between tone, color and the chakra system."

Further mantras I find important to highlight utilized within Tantric/Yogic practices such as Kundalini are those such as;

ONG NAMO GURU DEV NAMO - This mantra is said to date back to Patanjali (father, or fathers of Yoga, foundational teacher/teachings of the Yoga Sutras, the 8 limbs of yoga.) It is practiced as a way of "tuning in" or alighing ones frequency with its highest nature.

Ong - primal sound existing within all things

Namo - I bow

Guru - enlightened being

Dev - subtle (that which is unseen) 

Namo - I bow

SAT NAM - originating from sanskrit “SATYA”  translating to “pure being”, “essence”, “truth”, and Nam originating from “NAMA” meaning “name”, “identity”. 

Sat Nam is present within Sikh teaching as found in Mul Mantra's "IK ONG KAR SAT NAM", focusing on the omnipresent existence of IK ONG KAR, the primal sound/consciousness existing within all things, SAT NAM, its name being a pure essence/truth. 

WAHE GURU - Wahe is said to connect to the sanskrit sound "Vah", and calls upon an idea of ecstasy or wonder. One could think of “Wahe Guru” as being the ecstasy of embodiment, when spirit (yang) is fully integrated with material/maternal/yin nature. Wahe guru takes signicant context within Sikhism.

GURU - literally translates to dark/light. Emphasizing teachings of the Thai Chi or what some of us may think of as the Yin/Yang symbol. "Guru" translates to enlightened one.

WAHE GURU WAHE JIO -  Ecstasy of illumination within this life and existence. 

SA TA NA MA - this mantra is said to translate to infinity, life, death, rebirth and was taught as an adapted version of Sat Nam.

RA MA DA SA - connects us to RA (solar/radiant/fire/yang), MA (moon/receptivity/water/cool/yin), DA ("dhara" earth/grounding), SA (Infinity/connects to sat/ether/heavenly) 

SA SAY SO HUNG - SA (infinity), SAY (cosmic truth), SO (all encompassing), HUNG (I am that/presence). 

ONG SOHUNG - I am that, the primal one/sound

SAIBHANG - Sai/Sva (sanskrit "svayam") self/by oneself, Bhang (to manifest or be sustained) - Self illuminating/self existent (not created or dependent). As found in Mul Mantra, which appears at the very beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture).

SIRI - SRI (sanskrit) - radiance, beauty, majesty, divine grace (as appears in Mul Mantra)

Reiki Mantra 

In Reiki we use specific mantras as well, in some schools these sounds are said to be kept hidden to those practicing Reiki. Other schools incorporate more contemporary views to the use of Reiki symbols and mantras and teach them openly. For transparency I will define two of them of which I may utelize in class here.

Cho Ku Rei - The universal infinite consciousness. 

Sei He Ki - The great consciousness which brings balance to emotional energies.

Any of the mantras practiced in class can always be replaced by visualization of light/color and/or with other words that feel more aligned to the individual.