June Workshop: Yoga Healing Practices
Yoga is a practice for the body, mind and spirit. Physical exercise keeps the body strong and supple, while attention to the breath promotes mental focus, calms the nervous system, and gives us our own rhythm for movement. Sound forms part of the practice too, whether it is chanting “Om” or more complex invocations, using the healing sounds shared with Taoism, or using mantra as a practice to reveal more about one’s subconscious.
Rhythm and sound are intrinsic to life. We don’t need to look further than our own heart beat to know that we are rhythmic beings.
All life exists within a sea of vibration, and rhythm is fundamental to all of life. Diurnal, seasonal, lunar, and solar cycles, and the resonant electromagnetic field (EMF) oscillations of our planet make up the symphony of rhythms in which life on Earth exists (PubMed).
Various cultures around the world have used sound for centuries, to celebrate, invoke powers, and heal. Sound is regarded as a creative force, or the vibration from a change in energy. The syllable “Om” in yoga is called the “pranava” – prana translating as life force – and represents the seed sound of creation.
This workshop is an invitation to use sound, along with movement, hand gestures (mudra) and relaxation to feel the beneficial effects of harmonious vibrations. We will touch on three methods that use sound to create rhythm and promote physical coordination, mental focus and deep relaxation. These are
- The Six Healing Sounds, introduced in the standing practice
- Chakra Bija Sounds, introduced in a seated meditation
- Tibetan Singing Bowl, used during relaxation
What you will learn:
- How to incorporate healing sounds into your standing practice
- The bija sound and mudras for a seated meditation
- How resonant sound affects your relaxation experience
While research is ongoing to investigate the link between sound and healing, it has been shown that sound can profoundly affect the structure of water molecules. Harmonious sounds can organize water molecules into symmetrical, beautiful patterns, while dissonant sounds create chaotic, disordered forms. This is significant because adults contain around 60% water, and the organization of water in the body plays a crucial role in cellular function. Healing sounds could optimize cellular hydration, improve circulation, and enhance the body’s ability to heal itself (TheMindOrchestra).
Yoga includes chanting as well as sounds that are held for longer on an exhalation, out loud, in a whisper, or silently, internally. External harmonious sounds or “sound baths” can be created using brass or crystal bowls and other percussion instruments. These affect the brain waves, moving them from more active beta waves to more relaxed alpha and theta waves.
Pythagoras is credited with pointing out the the harmonic relationships between mathematical ratios and different musical chords. He apparently discovered that a string exactly half the length of another will play a pitch that is exactly an octave higher when struck or plucked. The mathematical measure of sound helps to define what frequencies affect us in what ways. For example, lower vibrations can create negative feelings in us, and are used to generate sound to a wide range, for example for crowd control, to discourage piracy at sea, or for mass notifications during natural disasters. These Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD) have a very high decibel capacity (160 dB at 1 meter, compared to rock concerts which run at around 100 – 120 dB or a gun shot at around 140 dB. Anything over 85 dB can damage your hearing, and at 194 Hz, sound waves become shock waves, so LRAD’s are a very aggressive use of sound. The frequency – about 2000 Hz – allows the sound to travel further.
Healing sounds include the Solfeggio frequencies, used for example in Gregorian chant and spiritual music. They range from as low as 40 Hz are being used in Alzheimer’s therapy studies to stimulate an increased neural response and fight symptoms of dementia. Frequencies from 174 Hz to 963 Hz are used to create beneficial effects on specific chakras.
Join me for this meaningful experience.
Tuesday 24 June, 7 – 8:30 pm, €20
Teach Bhride Holistic Education Centre, Tullow
(source: Solfeggio Guide)