Sound Matters

"When the Absolute is present, it is visible to everyone." So said Don Juan to Carlos Castaneda in the first of a series of mind-blowing books. Although Don Juan was referring to Mescalito, the principle is true whatever the context.

One of these contexts was the keynote presentation of Dr. Valerie V. Hunt at the recent fifth International Sound Colloquium. This gathering has grown to become one of the most prestigious international conferences of its kind.

A tall, radiant woman who looked and acted decades younger than her 81 years, Dr. Hunt was the embodiment of the "wise old woman" archetype. She spoke in a style combining the dramatics of Jean Houston, the insights of Einstein, and the scathing irreverence of Dennis Miller.

What she presented was equally profound: the first comprehensive human energy field model based on twenty-five years of sophisticated electronic field research (expanding upon NASA breakthroughs) and extensive clinical studies. As such, her vision and perspective creates a context within which smaller pieces of the puzzle of sound, healing, auras -- and beyond -- all coexist.

In effect, Dr. Hunt offered a vibrational Rosetta Stone. Like the famous tablet discovered in Egypt, her perspective may well help to translate individual theories and models into a unified field of understanding.

This was especially appealing at a conference such as this. Remember the tale about the blind "wise" men and the elephant? One grabbed the trunk, one grabbed a leg, and one grabbed the tail. Each one pronounced the nature of what an "elephant" was, based on their limited perspectives.

This was precisely the situation here, and why Dr. Hunt's research can actually serve to unify the field in a way that may not have been possible before.

What was fascinating to observe was how many of the presenters had found a system that worked for them and then extrapolated -- by a leap of faith -- that this was the truth for everyone. In essence, if their theory was right, someone else's was wrong.

Given the broad spectrum of presenters, which included Jonathan Goldman, Fabien Maman, Sharry Edwards, John Beaulieu, Vickie Dodd and Molly Scott, there was never any doubt that there would be disagreements. Some presenters held opinions diametrically opposite to another. In one workshop, the presenter stated his opinion as fact, alleging that "no recorded music could affect the subtle energy field." I knew this to be an absurd statement, based on my own experience of over twenty-five years of doing precisely that, and the research of many other distinguished scientists like Marcel Vogel and Itzhak Bentov.

After the workshop, the presenter came over to me and apologized, and said "of course he knew that my recordings were effective." He had meant to say something else, but the words came out wrong.

Well, now you know the rest of the story -- but what about the others in the workshop? They may be laboring under an erroneous conception. More on this next month, when I go into greater detail.

Although sound therapy was the focus of many workshops and lectures, music therapy was also represented. This approach works more with classical compositions than contemporary compositions, chants or tuning forks. From their literature, it was clear that a) they had hired a new public relations firm and had a much larger budget than the last time I had been at a conference with them, and b) they were loosening up and now offering programs with titles astonishingly similar to titles they had refused when I presented them fifteen years ago.

Ah yes, déjà vu (all over again)! As is so often the case, when one presents a new paradigm, first they ignore you, then they criticize you, then they attempt to co-opt you and say they've always known it.

In any case, many of us were delighted to see that there is so much new openness in the field of music therapy. In fact, their national conference is scheduled for November 19-23 in Los Angeles, and should be quite an event. (Contact National Association of Music Therapy at (301) 589-3300.)

Dr. Barbara Crowe, one of the leaders of the progressive wing of music therapists, gave an excellent presentation that demonstrated why it would be impossible to "prove" specific aspects of sound healing according to "traditional" (limited) science. I assume you've seen the movie Contact by now (if not, see it and then read on). How can you prove "faith" and the existence of God?

Many of the effects brought about by specific kinds of sound and music are electromagnetic field effects which may only be tested by scientific apparatus -- which are yet to be invented!

This is clearly another example of why the mean-spirited criticism of the field by certain self-appointed individuals is so off the mark. It would be fodder for a Peanuts cartoon if it weren't actually taking place in 1997.

In any case, another example was suggested to help us understand what we can't understand. Consider a fish swimming in a small pond. You reach down, pick it up, and after a few seconds, put it back.

What tales that fish could tell when it got back to its colleagues in school (no pun intended). If all you know is water, how could you explain "air"-- and the hyperspace dimension in which you suddenly found yourself.

I highly recommend that you get a copy of Infinite Mind, Science of the Human Vibrations of Consciousness, by Valerie V. Hunt. Malibu Publishing Co., Box 4234, Malibu, CA 90264 (310) 457-4694. She also offers a number of tapes and videos that are also available.

For a list of the recorded presentations of the colloquium, contact Jeff Volk, c/o Lumina Productions, 219 Grant Rd., Newmarket, NH 03857 (603) 659-2929. Jeff has been the driving force and organizer of these conferences. He also is the one who is distributing the extraordinary books and videos of the cymatics research of Dr. Hans Jenny. (His work is at the core of many of our careers. Not only that, it is breathtakingly beautiful. See earlier columns for details.)

Steven Halpern has earned a reputation as one of the most influential New Age recording artists. With over three million units sold, he celebrates his 20th anniversary by revisiting his World/Jazz roots with Afro-Desia, also featuring Suru, medicine man and healer, and a special guest appearance of Jai Uttal. For free in-store play, contact your sales rep or: Steven Halpern's Inner Peace Music®, phone: 1-800-909-0707 / fax 415-485-1312 / e-mail: innerpeacemusic@innerpeacemusic.com. Visit his World Wide Web site at www.stevenhalpern.com.

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