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Pure sound in the form of chants, mantras, singing, and through instruments, has been used in ancient cultures all over the world to cure ailments, heighten consciousness, and balance chakras. But Sound Healing, or using sound skillfully by playing specially-chosen, sometimes unique instruments as part of a spiritual and therapeutic practice, is only beginning to attract mainstream attention.
Sound Healing rests on the premise that because everything in the world, including every part of our bodies, is vibrating, an imbalance in the body (and hence mind and spirit) can be healed with the right frequency of sound. Sound Healers decide which instruments best dispense those frequencies through theory and intuition.

As a small group of guests convened in IX’s front room, seated on yoga mats and presided over by IX’s Master Crystals, the stage was set for a vibrational symphony that would realign our minds and moods. In a hypnotic and yet deeply grounding 90-minute sound-healing session, Aurelio, Satya, and Sumitra bathed us with the sounds of a variety of instruments chosen specifically for the session. As we sat or lay with eyes closed, they weaved around us, playing unique instruments including percussive drums, rattles and shakers; metal instruments such as Himalayan Singing Bowls, Tinghsa Bells and Tuned Pipes; and musical instruments like the Kalimba and Tanpura. This sound bath surrounded us, penetrated us, and at times, we felt at one with the sound.

“Several of the instruments were developed by Aurelio, such as his Ocean and Storm Drums and Pulse Tubes,” explained Sumitra Daswani, a Board Certified Health Coach, Certified Sound Practitioner, and Founder of Born from the Earth, a natural healing company.

“We carried people on a sonic journey, moving from one frequency combination and elemental pattern to another, in order to create a story that would harmonize and be reflective of the crystals we were honoring that day,” Daswani continued. “Though we anticipated a basic structure in advance, it was intuition that guided us to create a symphony that best encapsulated the energy of the space at the time. The best sound sessions are guided by intuition, intent and reflective of what is needed in the time and space. Everyone’s experience is unique, as they connect with the elements they most need in the moment (Earth, Fire, Water, Air or Space).”

If our cells, as the theory goes, vibrate at different frequencies and can become unbalanced because of physical, emotional, or mental disturbances, sound and its vibrational frequencies can also be used to help body, mind, and soul repair themselves.

“Music needs melody, form, pattern, mood and human expression,” says Sumitra. “Sound, on the other hand, is simply a pressure wave created by a vibration. Arguably, some people may find sounds musical in nature. But, in our sessions, we are manipulating sounds, not to create music, but to have a positive effect on your energetic body, your physical body, and your spirit. Sound is a type of energy medicine that allows one to heal from physical, mental and emotional disturbances.”

Its adherents claim that Sound Healing helps to relieve stress, heals the body and soul of what ails it, and puts the mind in its “quieter” alpha state, which makes it calmer and more open to creativity. Studies are even being done to see if sound healing can have the same effect in quieting the brain — and hence healing the body — as meditation does.

“In today’s hyper-stimulated times, living within continuous states of stress, the primary aim of sound therapy will greatly benefit balancing the human vagus nerve, reducing physiological inflammation and reframing the memory patterns of our human brain,” says Satya Hinduja, a multidisciplinary artist working with a range of musical instruments, voice and experimental electronic composition for spatial sound environments to help bridge ancient practices of sound and energy medicine with emerging technologies. Her recently staged “Alchemic Sonic Environment”— an “immersive, multisensory experience designed to invoke states of deep reflection, receptivity and exchange,” commemorated the 18^th anniversary of 9/11.

The vibrational confluence of both Crystals and Sound Healing instruments was powerful indeed, amplifying the meditative state we were in with a feeling that went beyond relaxation. This experience underlined the importance of such spaces as Instituto Xilonen, where synergies between different forms of healing can converge and amplify one another.

When Instituto Xilonen’s Gonzalez was asked if she plans on incorporating Sound Healing sessions into IX’s offerings, she replied, “Definitely. Sound Healing and the Power of Crystals complement each other and benefit us. Each amplifies the power of the other. I’m reminded of a Tesla quote: ‘If you want to find the secrets of universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.’ ”