Contents
Why some people are bothered by a sound that others love
Psychology
The composer, musician and sonotherapist David Villar reveals in his work «Sound Medicine» the physical and therapeutic qualities of sound and the importance of silence
Since ancient times, humans have used sound in spiritual rituals and ceremonies and as a means to stimulate their physical, mental and emotional balance. Currently, we know that certain sounds can influence the autonomic nervous system, modify cell vibration, strengthen the immune system and reduce stress levels. In his book «Medicine of sound. Musicamento para el alma »the musician, composer and sonotherapist David Villar makes an extensive tour of the physical and therapeutic qualities of sound, the importance of silence, the instruments and techniques most used in sonotherapy.
How can we reduce the stress and anxiety that prevails in these uncertain days through sound?
Stress is, in my opinion, the great pandemic of the civilized world and is behind a great majority of chronic diseases. Stress generates a true depression of the immune system and a disharmony at all levels within the human body.
Through the harmonic sound of instruments like Tibetan bowl, the gong, the shamanic drum or the voice, we can influence the physical body and subtle bodies of a person in various ways, in such a way that we restore that state of calm and well-being and, with it, the body’s own “self-healing” power. For example, at the level of brain waves we know that the brain is an electrochemical organ and that brain functions are based on the electrical activity generated by its neurons. By stimulating, by resonance, these brain waves (alpha, theta or delta) with what is known as «binaural sound» we achieve a state of stillness, relaxation y calm mental. It is also possible to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the one that allows us to return to a state of rest after a stressful process. In this sense we can do a vibrational massage with Tibetan bowls on the body itself and activate the vagus nerve with which we will reach a state of relaxation.
How important is silence also in that situation and in that context?
There is a quote from Arturo Graf that I highlight in the book that says: “If you want to hear your soul sing, make silence around you.” Silence is a true treasure within our grasp that is becoming more and more necessary. We live immersed in a lot of noise, not only environmental, but also mental noise as a consequence of an excess of visual and auditory information. We have our five senses and our mind alert and constantly active. We could say that we are addicted to action and agitation. We find the absence of sounds uncomfortable.
Therefore, some type of meditative practice or meditation is essential. relaxation that activates the intervention of the parasympathetic nervous system, as I said before, the one that brings us back to a state of calm. A large number of studies show that these practices and the silence that we find, for example, in nature, restores well-being and recharges us with vital energy. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the body is replenished not by sleep, but by the repose and the stillness. When we practice silence we become more awake, more creative, we listen to the signals of our body, we feel our intuition more clearly and we recharge ourselves with the necessary energy to face our intense day to day.
Silence is nothing and is everything. We must learn to appreciate moments of silence without having to fill it in, limiting ourselves to stopping and breathing.
Insomnia is another problem we are facing these days, how can the use of sound help us?
El insomnia It is, to a large extent, a consequence precisely of that stress and anxiety that we are accumulating. In therapy I work with many people with this problem. It is vital to rest well and have a good quality of sleep. The therapeutic sound It is a fantastic tool to eliminate that mental agitation that makes our mind remain active at night and does not allow us to fall asleep. In fact, I have created some recordings, which I call “Musicamentos”, with binaural sound that promotes sleep and helps improve rest.
What perception do you have about whether or not we are aware of how sound and silence can influence our lives?
Eastern cultures are quite ahead of us in this regard. Although there is still a long way to go, I feel that little by little we are becoming more aware of the need to find hearing-friendly environments. Just as we have an awareness of eating or caring for the physical body through sports, it is important that we have a auditory awareness, that is to say, knowing what we hear, the message and the energy of what we hear and that we also dedicate some time of the day to be in silence.
Today, noise is an evil that afflicts our fast-paced and hectic societies. Noise pollution is often cited as one of the main problems in the world’s big cities. I will give you a striking fact. Noise causes at least 10.000 cases of premature death in the European Union every year. Spain, specifically, is, according to the WHO, among the ten loudest countries in the world, although behind others such as the United States, China or Egypt.
Noise exhausts us and tires us. Unlike other pollutants, noise does not leave residues, but its consequences cause very varied effects that range from simple annoyances to irreversible clinical problems or severe mental disorders.
Why are some people bothered, overwhelmed or even angered by a certain sound that others nevertheless like or find satisfying?
This is curious but has an explanation. Sound is an energy that impacts on our ears, but also on our skin, and reaches our cells.
Each person has their own Energy, his own vibrational frequency, your energy block and your mood. The same sound that resonates with one person and calms down their state, can make another person nervous and a third can leave them indifferent. But those same sounds another day, those same people can have a totally different effect. When sound comes into contact with the body it finds own resistances of our vibrational and energetic state. The fact that a person is overwhelmed or even physically painful by a sound means that the sound is “breaking” a resistance or an energy blockage.
In other cases, sound relaxes and calms us because we “need” that sound. frequency or that sound. Let’s think of sound as a food that nurtures our vitality. Somehow, it is the same with smells, flavors or colors. That is why you cannot give magic recipes with sound. In therapy, you have to see what sounds lead to what we want to provoke or achieve in the patient.
Similarly, there are sounds that connect with our mind at a subconscious level and can remove any trauma or blockage that makes us feel uncomfortable, restless or irritable.
Are there specific sounds or specific types of music that calm in a generic way or is it something that only depends on each person?
As a general rule, all natural sounds, the sea, the field, animals or the elements usually connect us with our essence and give us vitality, just like harmonic instruments. For example, sounds with a low frequency bring us to a state of calm while high frequencies they activate us.
On the other hand, if we talk about music instead of sounds, this is something more personal and subjective. We tend to self-prescribe almost unconsciously the music we need in each moment, the one that resonates with our emotional state at a particular moment.
The music therapy we would say roughly that music with a slow beat They calm us down and, nevertheless, those with a fast tempo energize us and “put the batteries” on us. Also the songs in a minor key usually lead us to connect with an emotion of melancholy and, on the other hand, if they are in a greater tonality, with a greater joy. Although the truth is that there is a very strong subjective component in music and each person perceives it in a very particular way.
And could we talk about sounds or types of music that alter us or that do not benefit us in matters related to stress and anxiety?
Indeed, and not only because of the type of music or sound, but also because of the costumes that we use when listening to them. Strident, non-harmonic sounds and music with a high tempo lead us to become emotionally activated or altered.
The effect of music on mood and human behavior has long been a topic of curiosity. There is something that makes it a natural phenomenon, an intimate link between physics and emotion. From the neuroscience It has been observed that it is possible to modulate activity in any emotional brain structure thanks to the sensations that music awakens.
Therefore, we would not benefit from strident, little harmonic sounds, with very high frequencies and fast rhythm.
What is sonotherapy?
Sound therapy or sound therapy consists of a millenary discipline that raises the use of the voice and other musical instruments to generate certain vibrations that have a beneficial effect on our body. Its scientific basis rests on the resonance and entrainment principles, by which a vibrating object causes changes in the vibration of another.
I like to distinguish it from the term “Music Therapy” which, although it may seem the same, it is not. It is about the application of music in a structured process, with the aim of recovering, improving or maintaining mental and physical health. Therefore, we are talking about an allied profession in the field of health.
What are the instruments and techniques most used in sound therapy?
We could highlight the gong, the Tibetan bowls, quartz crystal bowls, the shamanic drum, the Native American flute, the Shruti Box and, our own instrument, the richest and most powerful, the voice.
Each therapist uses their own techniques. But as a general rule, the most used could be the gong baths, which are 45-minute sessions with this instrument as the protagonist, vibrational therapies with Tibetan bowls, placing these on the body, the chanting of mantras and the diphonic chant. techniques lead us to balance the cardiorespiratory system, calm the nervous system, promote calm and well-being, facilitate meditative states, calm the flow of thoughts, promote spiritual growth and harmonize our energy centers (chakras).