For thousands of years, virtually every culture has known of and revered the healing powers of sound and music. This was especially so in the ancient healing temples of Egypt and Greece. Virtually every spiritual and mystical tradition uses sound to elevate the frequency of our physical vibration to more effectively align and attune with the Divine.

So why is it that most individuals know very little of how to harness the healing powers for themselves?

Taking a Look at the Record

During the last 1000 years or so, the role of music has devolved from its primary role in the healing arts and became limited to the realm of entertainment. Recently, however, there’s been a profound revival of interest in the therapeutic potential of sound and music. Why? The answer is simple: it works!

But it’s not totally that simple. There’s a caveat: only certain music works. With the mainstreaming of music for reasons other than entertainment, there’s also been a flood of misinformation, disinformation and hype that has undermined the integrity and viability of the field. So how can you make sense of all the conflicting claims? I’d like to share a few insights from the perspective of my 35 years in the field that should be able to greatly accelerate your learning curve.

To begin, let me suggest that you learn to really tune in to the feedback your body gives you. For most people, this will mean becoming more aware of their unconscious responses ... so that they can take responsibility for making more healthful and effective choices. In a moment, we’ll explore the key areas of rhythm entrainment, resonance and intention. First, however, let’s talk about what we mean by “healing,” and list some of what is known about the healing powers of music.

Healing is about “becoming whole.” When I was starting out, the political climate was a bit different than it is now. Chakras, auras and other metaphysical concepts had not yet entered the mainstream. It was appropriate back then, as it is now, to suggest that an overall perspective include the idea that healing music assists the body to heal itself, in other words, to help it re-establish its genetically programmed inclination to balance, harmony and wellness.

Studies from around the world have shown that music can reduce stress, enhance relaxation (with all the associated benefits), enhance immune system function, slow down the speed of brain wave activity into the alpha range, reduce muscle tension, enhance the coherence of our electromagnetic field, increase endorphin levels and evoke feelings of inner peace.

It’s difficult to isolate exactly how or why this is so. For instance, reducing stress is a huge factor, because stress is a contributing factor in a wide range of diseases and conditions. These would include hypertension, heart attack, stroke, ulcers, migraine, irritability and the inability to concentrate or sleep. Almost any music can affect your heartbeat and breathing rate, but only certain music can reduce blood pressure, reduce the amount of anesthesia needed during surgery, as well as speed up the recuperative process after surgery.

According to Dr. David Eisenberg’s landmark 1993 study, over 30 million individuals turned to alternative and complementary practices to help them relax and feel better. On this issue alone, if certain music were an effective resource, you can see why it could be so popular. After all, something that is effective, effortless, enjoyable and legal (not to mention something that one can use at home whenever one wanted) would seem to be “just what the doctor ordered.”

However, you might also intuit that, for the same reason, the pharmaceutical industry (for example) may not be so thrilled with music’s healing potential. The emerging field of sound healing covers a wide range of applications, far beyond the classically-based (and biased) framework of many music therapists. In addition to instrumental music recorded on CD or other formats, we have the ancient science of mantra (vocal sounds, but not generally including songs with lyrics. That’s what pop music is, with entertainment as the focus.) Non-musical tools are also available such as tuning forks, crystal bowls, metal singing bowls, sound beds and one-on-one interactive sessions with healers who work with the voice and vocally-generated sounds. As you can see, there is a huge range. Were you to attend a sound healing symposium, you might be surprised to find that there are many approaches, conflicting theories and dogmas ... and yet each may have success.

It is exactly this phenomenon that has kept the field from becoming more organized (in contrast to, let’s say, the massage/bodywork field) and thus enhancing its public profile. You may find that one approach works better for you than others. From this perspective, is this really any different than one’s experience with different massage therapists, or dentists, or other health practitioners? Suffice it to say there are a lot of variables. How can you tell what’s right for you?

Rhythm Entrainment and the Beat of Your Heart

In every lecture or workshop I’ve ever presented, I demonstrate the universal phenomenon known as rhythm entrainment. It appears to be a law of mechanical physics as well as a biological reality. Entrainment describes how a stronger rhythmic pulse or oscillatory system forces a weaker system to synchronize with its pulse.

If there’s no music or TV on in the background, become aware of your natural pulse. Turn on almost any music and your pulse and heartbeat will speed up to match the beat of the music. Since the tempo of most music is much faster than your heart beats in a relaxed state (about 40-60 beats per minute), it’s not surprising that most music would therefore not be a wise choice if you were seeking relaxation.

It’s also true that different kinds of rhythms have different effects on our nervous system. Some support our basic biological rhythms, some oppose it. See John Diamond’s classic book on muscle testing, Your Body Doesn’t Lie, for further insight.

Resonance

Everything in the universe is vibration. It’s been said that the main difference between manifestations of matter and spirit are differences in the frequency of vibratory rate (think of ice, water and steam). Every atom, molecule, cell and organ in the body vibrates at its own specific frequency.

Anything that vibrates is naturally able to respond (resonate) to incoming vibrations, to the frequency, or a harmonic thereof. Our cells can be considered to be little receiving antennae that are tuned to specific frequencies. This fact is rarely taught in any music or complementary/alternative medicine curriculum—and it should be.

Music vibrates in the same frequency range as our cells and organs. This is why music can be such an effective healing modality. Of course, for the same reasons, certain sounds and music can knock us out of tune and greatly “increase” our stress.

Melodic Inevitability and the “Hear” and Now

A third major factor that comes into play is what I like to call the “anticipation response.” Not surprisingly, this is an opposite response to the relaxation response so ably articulated by Dr. Herbert Benson. We’ve been culturally conditioned to respond to familiar patterns of melody and harmonic progressions. This is generally a good thing, except when it comes to relaxation. By setting us up in a tension-resolution paradigm, our bodies are unconsciously being stressed when we listen to most music. Let me give you an example. Imagine I am singing a standard major scale. Hear in your mind’s ear the familiar do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti ... and stop right there!

Become aware of your breath. Notice if you are holding your breath, waiting for the final note, the “do” that completes the scale. If so, you are like 99% of everyone I’ve ever shared this with in my workshops. It’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop. We unconsciously project into the future, where we think the music is going to go, or what it’s going to do. This only adds to our stress, which would not seem to be the proper course of action when we want to assist ourselves to relax and create an optimum environment for healing. I call this condition “scalus interruptus.”

From a healing perspective, we may need a music of be-ing, rather than do-ing. After all, we are human beings, rather than human do-ings. Everyone’s body responds to sound in universal ways, but we also respond to music based on our personal history, upbringing and familiarity. These factors comprise the filter through which the universal is processed, and helps explain why “different stroke for different strokes” holds true for one level of our response to sound.

Another less obvious level than rhythm and resonance is that we are sensitive to the energy of the composer or performer that comes through the music. This is not a matter of simply playing the right notes. Once again, John Diamond deserves credit for popularizing the validity of the role of intention and life force in music. Another way of expressing this is in terms of quantum physics, that “music is a carrier wave for consciousness.”

That’s why I am usually amused and disappointed when I read an article or book suggesting that, for instance, simply playing some Mozart music will make you smarter. Not only has the so-called Mozart Effect been disproved with subsequent research (another entire discussion), but in my opinion, making such a general recommendation without specifying “which specific composition” and the “specific version” of that recording is disingenuous at best and sets up the listener for failure.

Listen to three different versions of the same classical selection and you’ll see, hear and feel what I mean. All versions of the same song are not created equal—unless one happens to be a composer and recording artist with his own label, as I am. In that case, there is only one “correct” version, which simplifies that level of choice.

When I began hearing the uniquely beautiful healing music in my meditations and dreams in 1969, I noticed that the music did not have the familiar guideposts of steady rhythm and melodic inevitability and harmonic progressions that most music has. I’ve always know that this was part of the secret of its effect. I invite you to apply the criteria I’ve covered as you listen to my Inner Peace series of recordings, like Chakra Suite or Gifts of the Angels, as well as any other recordings in your collection, or while auditioning samples online or at your favorite store. That way, you’ll be tuning in to the wisdom of your own body, mind and soul, and not relying on what may be written on the liner notes.

Sound healing is destined to take its rightful place in the ever-expanding field of energy medicine and in holistic, integrative approaches to health and well-being. The more you know, and the more you pay attention to the subtle clues your own “human instrument” gives you, the more effectively you’ll be able to harness the healing powers of music for yourself. After all, why wait for “research” to prove what people have known for thousands of years? I encourage you to bring more healing sound and music into your life. Sound-condition your personal and professional environments: use them to set an uplifting ambience for meditation, yoga and massage.

Listen with headphones, at least occasionally, giving the music your total attention. You may be amazed and delighted at how much the music will give to you. It’s a wonderful way to make a “sound” investment in your Self. So stay tuned and enjoy!

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Steven Halpern is an internationally-acclaimed composer, recording artist and pioneering sound healer who has touched the lives of millions. A recognized authority on the healing powers of music, he is currently celebrating his 30th anniversary at www.stevenhalpern.com with the 30th anniversary of Chakra Suite. You can order by calling 800-909-0707 or you can order online at www.stevenhalpern.com. If you have any questions or comments, we welcome you to email us at: innerpeacemusic@innerpeacemusic.com.

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