by Jim Donovan
Using sound to open and balance your energy centers.
Your body contains several key centers where energy is concentrated; the top of the head, forehead, throat, heart, solar plexus, navel, and at the base of your torso. There may be times when one or several of these areas become congested from things such as under use, over use, or unexpressed emotion. The good news is that you can consciously use sound as an effective, easy, and natural way to reopen and bring your body's energy centers into balance.
Sound is essentially vibration and the very nature of vibration is movement. When you stretch or exercise you strengthen, open and release your muscles. In a similar way, you can use the vibration of sound to create movement, and thereby open the more subtle parts of your body. As you make sound you are simply bringing air from your lungs, vibrating your vocal cords and then your oral cavity. The kind of sound you make is determined both by the highness or lowness of your voice (also called pitch), and the kind of shape you make with your mouth. The specific sound and pitch that you make determines which part of your body resonates. For example higher pitches like a whistle or a piccolo flute tend to be felt more in you head, while low bass sounds, like the ones you hear in hip hop music, are felt in your belly and hips.
What follows below are specific sounds and colors which correspond and resonate with each of your main energy centers. You will also notice a "key concept" in each section. These concepts are meant to help you further understand the possible underlying issues commonly associated with each energy center. I've also included a short list of ideas to help you experience how quickly you can begin feeling good by using sound. You deserve to feel good.
Here are a few ways you can utilize these sounds.
Remember to only do what your body allows you to do comfortably. Straining or overdoing it will only cause stress and further constriction.
1. Take a deep breath into your belly, and while exhaling, make the sound using one full breath. As you make the sound, focus your attention on the specific part of your body you are working on.
2. Take a few moments to reflect on the key concept. If there is something within you that relates to this concept, you can simply hold the idea in your mind that you are dedicating the energy of the sound to bringing this issue back into harmony.
3. As you focus your attention on the specific body part, imagine it being washed and immersed with the corresponding color.
4. If you have a health issue related to the part you are working with, imagine with as much detail as possible, that this part of you is radiantly healthy. Imagine that the sound goes right to this spot within you and assists in the healing process.
5. Make each of the sounds seven times, using one full exhalation each time you make the sound.
6. Make each of the sounds one time, using one full exhalation each time you make the sound.
7. Focus on making just one sound, using one full exhalation each time you make the sound, for as long as it feels comfortable to so.
Your energy centers, the sounds, colors and key concepts.
Sound is essentially vibration and the very nature of vibration is movement. When you stretch or exercise you strengthen, open and release your muscles. In a similar way, you can use the vibration of sound to create movement, and thereby open the more subtle parts of your body. As you make sound you are simply bringing air from your lungs, vibrating your vocal cords and then your oral cavity. The kind of sound you make is determined both by the highness or lowness of your voice (also called pitch), and the kind of shape you make with your mouth. The specific sound and pitch that you make determines which part of your body resonates. For example higher pitches like a whistle or a piccolo flute tend to be felt more in you head, while low bass sounds, like the ones you hear in hip hop music, are felt in your belly and hips.
What follows below are specific sounds and colors which correspond and resonate with each of your main energy centers. You will also notice a "key concept" in each section. These concepts are meant to help you further understand the possible underlying issues commonly associated with each energy center. I've also included a short list of ideas to help you experience how quickly you can begin feeling good by using sound. You deserve to feel good.
Here are a few ways you can utilize these sounds.
Remember to only do what your body allows you to do comfortably. Straining or overdoing it will only cause stress and further constriction.
1. Take a deep breath into your belly, and while exhaling, make the sound using one full breath. As you make the sound, focus your attention on the specific part of your body you are working on.
2. Take a few moments to reflect on the key concept. If there is something within you that relates to this concept, you can simply hold the idea in your mind that you are dedicating the energy of the sound to bringing this issue back into harmony.
3. As you focus your attention on the specific body part, imagine it being washed and immersed with the corresponding color.
4. If you have a health issue related to the part you are working with, imagine with as much detail as possible, that this part of you is radiantly healthy. Imagine that the sound goes right to this spot within you and assists in the healing process.
5. Make each of the sounds seven times, using one full exhalation each time you make the sound.
6. Make each of the sounds one time, using one full exhalation each time you make the sound.
7. Focus on making just one sound, using one full exhalation each time you make the sound, for as long as it feels comfortable to so.
Your energy centers, the sounds, colors and key concepts.
Top of the head
The sounds:
1. Eee pronounced like "me",
2. mmm
Color: Violet
Key concept: Clarity of thought
Forehead
The sounds:
1. Aye pronounced like "say"
2. Om pronounced "ohhmm"
Color: Indigo
Key concept: Intuition
Additional exercise: As you make these sounds, close your eyes closed and direct them slightly upwards as if you were trying to look through the center of your forehead.
Throat
The sound:
Eye pronounced like "I'
Color: Blue
Key concept: Communication and truthfulness.
Heart
The sound:
Ahh pronounced like "wash"
Color: Green
Key concept: Compassion and love.
Solar Plexus
The sound:
Oh pronounced like "go"
Color: Gold
Key concept: Personal power
Abdomen/Navel
The sounds:
1. ooo pronounced like "you"
2. Hu Hu Hu Hu pronounced like "you"
Color: orange
Key concept: Emotion
Root/Base
The sound:
Uhh pronounced like "Huh"
Color: Red
Key concept: Creativity, Fear, Sexuality
-End-
You may enjoy my CD called the Yoga of Drum and Chant which blends simple chanting with organic trance drumming. More info...
You can experience the concepts as you drum in the "Yoga of Drum and Chant Workshop". View my workshop schedule here...
May I re-print this in my practice (massage therapy) newsletter, with full attribution? I've been writing about how to care for the subtle body and this is GREAT stuff!
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteDid you mean 1 round of each 7 sounds or 7 rounds of all 7 sounds?
Documama, Yes you may reprint it. Just include my web address and name Jim Donovan / www.jimdonovandrums.com
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it.
Hi Marcus, You can do it either way depending how you are feeling at the time. You might want to start out by doing 1 round of each of the 7 sounds and then see how you feel.
ReplyDeleteLet me know how it works for you.
Jim