REVELATIONS- October 2016 - Kansas City

Journey Into Sound Healing for the Body, Mind and Spirit

By Mark Allen Gossman

 

From as far back as I can remember I knew that I would be moved by certain sounds. Whether it be the startling buzz of a passing hummingbird or the toe tapping teachings of Disney’s Professor Ludwig Von Drake, my joy of being has centered around the sweet sense of sound.  I also was acutely aware of the pain and despair of the cries of large cats pacing in their cages at the zoo.  I knew that sound could sooth or slay the very spirit of life that I wanted to portray.

 

After many years of dabbling in various forms of music I was gifted with the opportunity to learn how sound can heal and strengthen the body, mind and spirit.

 

In the summer of 2008 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  After flirting with the idea of natural healing remedies I decided to take the traditional route and get radiation treatments.  During treatments I was encouraged by enlightened friends to start a drum circle.  Here is where I discovered that drumming is actually a sound healing modality.  Therapeutic rhythm techniques have been used for thousands of years to create and maintain physical, spiritual and mental health.  Through the process of entrainment, where everyone suddenly drops into a single rhythm, heart rate becomes regular and a general sense of well being fills the individual, this boosts the immune system and encourages a feeling of support and connection.  It has been known to be effective with Alzheimer’s patients, trauma patients, autistic children and many people suffering from emotional disorders.  Drumming can be an adjunct treatment for a wide range of physical disabilities and …cancer.

 

While polishing my skills as a drum circle leader I was invited to accompany a group that was forming to take people into a state of bliss and well being through a call and response singing practice known as Kirtan.  Kirtan is an ancient method of connecting with Divine qualities as portrayed by Gods and Goddesses from devotional religions of India. It is a form of Bhakti yoga.  Now I am connected to another form of sound healing, chanting. The healing qualities of chanting include inducing a relaxation response, lower blood pressure, integrating brain waves and regulating respiration.  Many believe that reciting mantras enable the tongue to stimulate the meridians inside the mouth and synchronizing the left and right hemispheres of the brain.  Certain mantras can cause the release of melatonin hormones which help a person with sleep and relaxation.

 

It is important to note that one does not have to be a virtuoso singer in order to benefit from chanting.  It’s not only the sound that one makes but also the intention of the person making the sound that produces the beneficial effects. Thus in different disciplines results from the same chant can have varied effects.  As Jonathan Goldman puts it, “Vocalization + Visualization = Manifestation."  Regardless of your faith, creed or culture it is important to remember to be careful with words because they do carry power.

 

More recently I have been utilizing the profound healing effects of gongs and Tibetan bowls.  Gongs have been utilized for over 5000 years.  The unique capacity to produce all audible tones attest to their holistic effects on the human psyche.  Most of these instruments are hand forged and carry a unique set of tones and harmonics.  Because of the effects of differing heat, pressure and conditions even those which are mass produced will vary.  A well made gong accompanied by a skilled player can produce relaxing benefits similar to meditation, exercise and breathing without physical or mental effort.  Subjects are encouraged to lie down or sit in a comfortable position while being washed over with the sounds.  High levels of prolonged theta brain waves similar to lucid dreaming can occur.  People have reported never having felt this relaxed without falling asleep.  From this perspective the session can be very therapeutic.

 

Depending on how the instruments are played and their sonic compatibility, subjects can achieve different effects in the emotional, mental and physical body.  It can rejuvenate the parasympathetic nervous system and regulate the sympathetic nervous system.  These instruments have proven to be helpful in overcoming the damages of drug abuse and stress related illnesses.  In Bali gongs are used to treat schizophrenia.

For many the gong is like a star gate which brings in a vortex of energy facilitating a connection with the infinite higher self.  Expanding the mind and opening the heart.

 

Sound therapy is a viable medium to address distress, enhance learning and create an atmosphere that is conducive for healing.  It balances the brain and releases energetic blocks, allowing us to cleanse and detox at a cellular level.  For me it has proven to be an avenue for profound healing and an opening into vast realms of self discovery.

 

For many the gong is like a star gate which brings in a vortex of energy facilitating a connection with the infinite higher self.  Expanding the mind and opening the heart.

 

Sound therapy is a viable medium to address distress, enhance learning and create an atmosphere that is conducive for healing.  It balances the brain and releases energetic blocks, allowing us to cleanse and detox at a cellular level.  For me it has proven to be an avenue for profound healing and an opening into vast- realms of self discovery.

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