Lesson 1: Types of Sound Instruments Used

Gongs

Gongs have been used as an integral part of healing for about 4,000 years. The rich sounds produced when they are struck create a strong vibration that can put the brain into a meditation pattern within a minute.

Bells and gongs are used in monasteries throughout the world because it is believed that the sound can carry you to enlightenment. The sound of the gong can transcend time and space into another reality.

Bells

Bells continue to resonate far beyond the time you hear them. They originated in Asia, and archaeologists have found bells as far back as 800 B.C. The Celtic tribes were known for their metal-casting techniques and are credited with bringing bells from Asia to Europe.

There are two ways to ring a bell: striking or ringing. You can use the clapper inside or create your own external clapper. When you strike a bell externally, you have more control.

Tuning Forks

The tuning fork was invented in 1711 by John Shore, a renowned musician, instrument maker, and trumpeter to the English Royal Court.

A tuning fork is precisely tuned to a specific frequency that aligns with the frequency of particular organs. Applying the fork directly to the body helps to restore balance. Its vibrations work to unblock energy channels and release tension stored in the muscles.

The energy emitted from tuning forks has electromagnetic properties that can address physical and emotional imbalances.

The right sound frequency can harmonize your body's energy, promoting overall well-being. As your brain waves slow and every cell in your body shifts from dis-ease to ease, stress and pain begin to dissolve, making room for feelings of joy and calm.

Singing Bowls

Singing bowls have been used in Tibetan culture since the 12th century.

Everything in the universe is vibration, and elements like crystals, precious metals, gemstones, and earth substances carry distinct vibrational qualities and healing gifts.

When these elements are blended with quartz and played in a singing bowl, their alchemical properties are amplified through sound, enhancing their healing and awakening potential.

Each bowl is unique and never to be replicated. Like people, bowls are not just made—they are born, and we uncover their unique qualities only after they are created.

If a bowl resonates with you, almost like it speaks or whispers to your soul, you know you've found your bowl mate.

A mallet is used to glide along the inner or outer rim of the singing bowl, producing a tone that gradually increases in richness and intensity.

The energy fields created by singing bowls are extraordinary. The sound spirals outward in ever-expanding circles while simultaneously drawing energy back into the bowl’s center.

Notably, this spiraling energy forms a sacred vortex, inviting cosmic energy into your space, your home. As it expands, negative and stagnant energies are swept away while the bowl’s center draws in etheric, luminous energy.

Singing bowls are unique in their ability to clear and invoke energy simultaneously.

Drums

“The Sun and the Moon are the drumsticks playing upon the Earth, bringing harmony and peace to all the Earth’s children.” —- Ancient Cherokee Belief

Drums carry the heartbeat of Mother Earth and embody the Spirit of Life.

Their rhythmic pulse has the power to shift and synchronize group consciousness. Even the simple percussion of a drumbeat or two sticks tapping can clear energy, as the sound alters brain waves and sets energy in motion.

The drum’s vibration is so potent that it immediately ignites movement and flow. Drumming can banish and invoke energies, with its beat said to carry you to the stars and bring you back to your roots.

The drum, being feminine, and the drumstick, representing the masculine, come together to harmonize the yin and yang—the two opposing forces of the universe.

This balance is the essence of the drum’s sound medicine. Drums, especially those made from animal hide, are circles of power that can quickly realign the energy in your space.

The tone of the drum shifts with changes in air moisture, temperature, and the energy of its environment. The hide expands and contracts throughout the day, producing different sounds, leading many to believe that the drum "speaks."

Place your drum in a place of honor, and avoid laying it facedown on the ground, as this is seen as a sign of disrespect.

• Wind Chimes

Wind chimes are more than decorative pieces; they have a rich history, dating back thousands of years in Indian and Chinese civilizations. They center and ground the mind, promoting relaxation and peace.

Wind chimes represent the element of Wind, inviting the Spirit of the Wind into your space. Even in stillness, they offer protection and healing energy.

You can place wind chimes inside your home and gently touch them as you pass to release their soothing tones.

When struck, their ethereal, almost mystical sound ranges from deep to high notes, filling the air with calming vibrations.

Other Sound Instruments Include:

• Rattles

• Clap Sticks

• Clapping

• Toning, using your voice

• Chanting, repetition, even using your own name to remind you of your power. English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson stated in a letter: “A kind of walking trance —- for lack of a better word —- I have frequently had, quite up from boyhood, when I have been all alone. This has come upon me through repeating my own name to myself silently, till all at once…individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being, and this, not a confused state, but the clearest, the surest of surest, utterly beyond words.”

• Didgeridoos

• Kalimbas

• Hammered Dulcimer

• Monochords

• Flutes including Native American Flutes

• Rain Sticks

• Hanghang

• Solfeggio Frequencies

• Binaural Beats

• Humming, strong vibrations pervade the whole body.

• Natural Soundscapes

• Harmonies

• Conch Shells

• Tibetan Singing Bowls

Ultimately, all these healing methods aim to restore balance to the mental, physical, and emotional bodies, returning them to homeostasis.

This state of equilibrium allows the body to function optimally, free from discomfort or illness caused by imbalance within the whole system.

While we may only see the physical body, it doesn't exist in isolation; the mental, emotional, and energetic bodies are interconnected and interdependent, influencing each other profoundly.