An article I wrote a few years ago:
Watching David Suzuki’s Sonic Magic - the Wonder and Science of Sound, I was struck (like a bell) by the ferocious shift in big city ‘soundscapes’ over the last century. The ringing of church bells, once heard 40 blocks away, now travels only half a block, drowned out by the din of traffic and industrial noise. ‘Mindscapes’ too, reel with the internal racket of anxiety and stress. Seems like everyone deeply needs to talk and be heard, but who is there to listen?
OM (or AUM) : the world’s favourite yoga chant means something like ‘Sound of the Infinite’. Mantram (repetition of specific words & sounds to still the mind) is well-defined in India, and has been practiced in traditional societies worldwide. ‘Medicine people’ & shamans chant with drums & rattles to help clients on their healing path. Canada’s First Nations (indigenous) elders lead sacred songs helping transform trauma inherited from the painful legacy of racism and residential schools into confidence, freedom from addiction and healing peace of mind.
When mindfulness meets utterance, the magic happens: •OMMM is the pebble •silence - the still surface of the pond •sound waves - the ripples (often data from the body, intuition or unconscious mind) •study of the ripples accesses a gateway to understanding of both self & Self
Many creation stories, e.g. Hindu, Christian, Viking, state that in the beginning was the Word (logos, vibration, frequency). Even physicists talk about the Big Bang, not the Big Paintbrush. This connection between creativity and production of sound out of primordial Silence is tantalizing to those of us curious about creating our purpose and with tools (ears, voice, mindfulness) to listen and utter. The throat chakra (energy centre), ‘organ of utterance’, lies between heart and head, so provides a key to vibrational unity and consonant balance and health. Simple exercises combining these elements can be extremely powerful for self-awareness and self-healing, building new neural pathways in our psyches and brains (connecting right with left hemispheres).
80% of conscious sensory intake in contemporary society is visual, but the auditory is finally threatening to give the former a run for its money. In fact c. 80% of unconscious perception is non-verbal. Tone of voice along with body language is highly impactful. The flourishing field of neurobiology demonstrates how music unlocks areas of the brain to promote learning, healing from trauma & various medical conditions as well as enhancing communication.
The ‘Naked Ear’. Before the Big Bang …
…was Silence (the calm before the storm), we might surmise. Have you experienced the “music of the spheres” or sound of silence when relaxing in a very quiet place? There are teachings which encourage us to develop a subtle listening faculty to discern these subtle, exquisite melodies and rhythms not heard by the physical hearing faculty. Finland now markets itself to potential tourists as a quiet land where not much happens. It’s working! In New York City, customers pay big bucks to sit in a totally silent room for an hour on the way home from work. Whether choosing or being forced, many are reaching out not with arms but ears to find, often in Nature, the embrace of quietude in order to simplify, soothe and heal.
Conscious attention to sound as well as silence provides an effective tool for stress management and alleviating depression and burn-out (the modern plagues). Sound can stimulate, but also relay safety and emotional nourishment (imagine a mother singing to her infant). As contemporary adults, how can we take in, also then give out (through our words, stories, sounds and songs) that which will heal, not hurt …soothe, not singe?
From Healing Power of Sound (HPS) to Authentic Voice & Dialogue (HVA)
In the evolution of HPS we journey through stages of increasing application:
Silence - being comfortable, still and listening deeply to the ‘Audible Life Stream’, inner sound or ‘music of the spheres’.
Sound - listening and producing all manner of physical sound: breath, noise, music, talk, birdsong, etc.
Voice - discovering and cultivating the ‘authentic voice’, both natural physical voice and psychological (voicing our truth).
Dialogue - taking this enhanced instrument into conversation, consultation, negotiation, communication in general and building ‘authentic dialogue’ in group and relationships - both personal & professional.
Listening globally - chanting locally
Thanks to the internet (including YouTube & right here on Substack), we get front row centre seats at the great planetary concert hall & public forum) and can learn secrets of sound and chakras, vibration, binaural study aids, the quiet language of plants and listen to the growing chorus of sound and voice gurus. Mongolian overtone singing, once only heard in its homeland, now is enjoyed through concerts and workshops everywhere. Meet-up groups as well as spiritual communities offer study and practice of the HPS, voice and chanting as well as deep listening within the context of mindfulness meditation.
Over 70 years (since age 7) I’ve developed the Korason Method (KM) for Authentic Voice & Dialogue - a joyful, deep, though easy-to-learn vehicle for the evolution & application of true, empowering voice. Some of this will be shared here with my much-appreciated subscribers.
Through all this perhaps we can regain sacred healing ground, purifying perception by remembering how to hear through the ears of a child while singing with the throat of a shaman or sage. - Hugh
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Recently finding my way in Substack and loving it! I aim to share wisdom bits & best practices I’ve been fortunate to accumulate during 78 years on this beautiful planet. All are welcome to enjoy the free subscription. And …I’ve been waiting to launch an ‘art + dialogue’ project collaborating with indigenous groups in the Americas & Africa, e.g. see recent podcast with Tanyi, Nigerian Soul Poet. So, as time goes by, and if you’d like to support my work, feel free to upgrade to the paid subscription status.
Free Subscribers will receive: •at least one video (interview or just me) & one blog weekly •a monthly Hugh’s News(letter) - to inform, inspire & pose really cool questions 😀
Paid Subscribers will additionally receive: •one bi-weekly 15-minute 3Ts (Tips, Tools & Techniques) video with somatic, mindfulness-based exercises from Korason & Hakomi Methods for mind-body delight, •one monthly hour-long Zoom workshop (sometimes with guest co-facilitator) to deepen KORASOMI (Korason + Hakomi) knowledge and practice. And if you miss a session or post, you can always access the material here later. This extra combined 1.5 hrs. of experiential learning alone has a ‘street value’ of over US$40. Thanks - Hugh
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