THE POWER OF SOUND

SACRED MUSICIANS AND SOUND THERAPISTS. BELIEVE WE CAN HARNESS SOUND. TO ENHANCE OUR WELL-BEING. HERE'S HOW TO ACCESS

- BROOKLYN R. WHITE

We're surrounded by sound-the low hum of electricity, the shrieks of small children, the neighbor's yapping dog, and the random clicks, beeps, pings, and whirs of our technological age. We make playlists for road trips and romantic encounters. We let the TV play in the background during dinner. Sound is the backdrop of our days, but it's more than just noise. Sound affects our experiences in ways that are big, small, spiritual, and specific. Sacred musicians and sound therapists believe we can harness it to enhance our well-being. Here's how sound can be employed in the name of physical and emotional healing.

ORIGINAL SOUND SYSTEMS The Hindu originators of yoga believed the world was born from silence, its existence punctuated by a single, holy sound: Om. This sacred syllable is in fact three smoothly linked sounds-ah, ooh, mm-followed by the sound of silence, says Rashmi S. Bismark, MD, MPH, mindfulness facilitator, yoga instructor, and author of the children's book Finding Om. In yogic circles, chanting Om is said to connect us to the higher power within ourselves and link us to the universe-one of the true intentions of yoga.

When you chant Om, the sounds resonate in different areas of the body, Bismark says. The “ah” rests in the belly, the "ooh" is in the chest, and the "mm" creates a buzzing sensation in the mouth and head.

The idea that sound moves in the body is the theory behind sound therapy, which the British Academy of Sound Therapy defines as “sound, music, and specialist instruments played in therapeutic ways, combined with deep self-reflection techniques to improve health and well-being."

But how does it work?

WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY?