The Power of Harmonics
The Power of Harmonics
The aim of this portion is devoted to the spiritual and the psychological power of harmonics as well as the physical well being.
Alfred Tomatis is a French physician and specialist in otolaryngology, who has been working with understanding the function of the human ear and the importance of listening for forty-five years. In this connection we will look at his discoveries of sound, which "charge" the listener. Tomatis found that sounds that contain high frequency harmonics, such as those found in Gregorian chants, are extremely beneficial. It is these high frequencies around 8000 Hz, which are capable of "charging" the central nervous system and the cortex of the brain. In many of the sacred chants of the different tradition, the main out put of high frequency harmonics are dominant, which offer stimulation to the brain.
Tomatis himself discovered this when he was called to help a Benedictine monastery, where the monks were suffering of fatigued and depression. He found out, that they usually six to eight hours of chanting - due to a new decree - has been ceased, and within a short period of time the monks was unable to perform their many duties. WhenTomatis re-established their daily chanting, the monks were soon able to continue their rigorous schedule of work and prayers.
For Tomatis, a major aspect of the therapeutic affects of vocal harmonics lies in the conduction of the bones, which are stimulated by resonance of around 2000 Hz. He says:
"The sound produced is not in the mouth, not in the body, but, in fact, in the bones. It is all the bones in the body which are singing and it is like a vibrator exciting the walls of the church, which also sing."
Bone conduction's actually amplifies the sound through resonance of the cranium and the skull. According to Tomatis, bone conduction stimulates the stapes muscle of the ear, which he believes is the key to stimulating and charging the brain. Tomatis himself manages with a small amount of sleep, less than four hours a night. He attributes this to his listening to sound, which are rich in high harmonics.
Tomatis has described a phenomenon, which has been called "The Tomatis Effect", that states that the voice can only create and duplicate those sounds, which the ear is able to hear. This means that until you are able to hear various overtones, you will not be able to create them in your voice.
Listening is undoubtedly a key, not only in obtaining the ability of creating vocal harmonies and improvement of the voice, but of understanding aspects of other levels of consciousness. In the Hindu tradition there is a great awareness of listening as a tool for enhanced consciousness. The art of listening to the outer and inner sound.
Inner and outer sound
In the Vedic language of Sanskrit, there is a differentiation between inner and outer sound. There is audible sound, called "ahata", or struck sound and is the result of vibration on the physical plane. There is also the "anahata", the inaudible, inner sound which are not the result of some physical vibration, but rather are "unstuck" which can ridden like a flying horse to other planes of existence in meditation.
The American throat singer, Jonathan Goldman, formulates an interesting statement in the book," Healing Sounds", the power of harmonics:
"I have always wondered if harmonics might not somehow be the bridge between "ahata" and "anahata", the struck and the unstuck sound, but the harmonics which are created do not occur themselves from having been physically struck. Perhaps they are the bridge between the physical and the meta-physical." (p.78)
Pir Vilayat Khan, head of the Sufi Order of the West, said that the overtones can be followed with the conscious mind and used as "Jacob's Ladder" to climb to other planes of existence.
Sound as a carrier wave of consciousness
If we for a moment give up the common notion about sound as air waves the ear can hear, and extend it to a member of the universal family of vibrations, we will open up for the Hermetic Principles that tell us about the Universe is nothing more or less than an endless number of vibrations and rhythms from the atoms to the stars.
Hermes Trismegistus, Thrice Great Hermes, the scribe of the Gods, as the ancient Greeks named the mystical Egyptian God Thoth, was said to create by the sound of his voice alone. The sacred writings of the ancient mystery Schools over the world, were attributed to him as mediator of divinely revealed wisdom. In thus center of learning the knowledge of sound was a highly refined since based upon an understanding of vibration as the primary causative form of the universe. While there are many mystical and spiritual paths, the Principles laid out by (the post atlantian?) Hermes Thoth seem to be incorporated in all of these paths. There were Seven Principles upon which the entire Hermetic Philosophy was based. Describe in "The Kyballium: a study of Hermetic Philosophy" these are:
1. The principle of Mentalisme: "All is mind"
2. The principle of correspondence: "As Above, so Below".
3. The principle of Vibration:" All is in vibration".
4. The principle of Polarity: " Everything is dual".
5. The principle of Rhythm: " Everything flows".
6. The principle of Cause and Effect: " Everything happens according to Law".
7. The principle of Gender: " Everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles"
Resonant frequency
Every organ, bone and tissue in the human body has its own separate resonant frequency. Together they made up a composite frequency, a harmonic that is your own personal vibratory signature. This signature encircle the whole body with a field, which some gifted people can see as an aura, and can be recorded by means of Kirlian Photography
Just as it is possible to set an object into its own natural vibratory state through resonance, so it is possible to restore the natural motion of an object, that may be out of tune or in disharmony. We call this disease. When disease sets in, a different sound pattern is established in that part of the body which is not vibrating in harmony. Therefore, it is possible, through use of externally created sound that is projected into the diseased area, to reintroduce the correct harmonic pattern.
The different rhythms of the body may also be changed through sound. This is known as entrainment and involves the ability of the more powerful rhythmic vibrations of one object to change the less powerful rhythmic vibration of another object and cause them to synchronize their rhythms with the first object. Through sound, especially chanting or overtone singing, it is possible to change the rhythmic pattern of our brain waves, as well as our heart beat and respiration.
Different brain wave rates have been equated to different state of consciousness. There are four basic categories of brain waves:
1. Beta waves, from 14 to 20 Hz, which are found in our normal waking state of mind.
2. Alpha waves, from 8 to 13 Hz, which occur when we daydream or meditate.
3. Theta waves, from 4 to 7 Hz, which are found in states of deep meditation and sleep, as well in shamanic activity.
4. Delta waves, from 0,5 to 3 Hz, which occur in deep sleep and have been found in very propound states of meditation and healing.
The use of music in sacred ceremonies and shamanic rituals has occurred since ancient times. The changing of these rates creates change in consciousness.
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