From the rhythmic beats of indigenous drums to the delicate tones of Tibetan bowls, sound therapy has evolved and translated across cultural boundaries for centuries. Ancient Wisdom Traditions know the benefits of using sound medicinally to supersede the mind and influence the body and nervous system. In yogic traditions that use chanting and mantra, sound is vibration, and vibration is the essence of all things.
So, it is no surprise that we can use the body, sound, vibration, and intention, to reach deep within the human psyche to alter states of consciousness, access beliefs, and shift emotional patterns.
In the book Healing Sounds, The Power of Harmonics, Jonathon Goldman refers John Beaulieu, Ph.D and his understanding of sound and consciousness. Most interesting to me is the idea that cultures such as the Australian Aboriginal people use the didgeridoo to create an interdimensional sonic window by which the facilitator supports a sound journey into deeper layers of consciousness as the listener travels on the sound current.
Since I was a child growing up in a household that sang and played music, I was always aware of the healing power of music. To me, music was a doorway into the body, the emotions, and the soul. Today, I use music daily to enter into the body, relax the mind, and travel into deeper states of non-ordinary consciousness. In these states, I can engage in explorations of the inner child and the soul while also gaining insight and deeper perspectives into the mysteries of life.
My programs offer participants what I refer to as Inner Alchemy Sound Journeys. Similar to a psychedelic or spiritual journey, we use intention, sound, and a connection to our own embodied consciousness to open the dimensions for travel into higher states of consciousness. As we create a bridge for traveling, we enter into a deeper layer of the subconsciousness or what psychologist Carl Jung referred to as the collective unconscious. However, we do not leave the body in this practice. Rather, we enter in and through the body as the doorway into the subconscious, the inner child, and the soul essence.
As with any body-based therapy experience, this process engages the participant’s self-healing capacities as old tensions and patterns are released, reorganized, and reintegrated into something new. These patterns can include stuck beliefs, old traumas, and unattended emotions keeping us locked in survival strategies and limiting our potential.
Types of Music Used in Inner Alchemy Sound Journeys
Sound Journey music is akin to ancient music used for spiritual or psychedelic journeys. Sound, beats, and rhythm help us to enter into our right brain processes deep into the psychological structures of the body and mind. Inner Alchemy Sound Journeys can include any of the following types of music that take us into deep parasympathetic states to enhance the body’s self-healing capacities.
In a traditional psycho-spiritual journey, the facilitator uses a drum or instrument to take the person on a journey into non-ordinary states of consciousness. In our programs, I will use a range of music depending on the needs of each person. Each course will offer a range of music to listen to and it is therefore not set up the same for each person in the group.
Sound Journey Music
Earth-based or sonic journey music can range in type, frequency, and rhythm. I am comfortable using music from healers that is available through Spotify using traditional music tones or one of the programs below.
Modern Technology Programs:
Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP)
Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) developed by researcher Dr. Stephen Porges uses prosodic vocal music that has been filtered to train the middle ear to tune out low-frequency sounds which can be considered signals of danger, while tuning into high-frequency sounds that signal safety, like human voices. Developed as a protocol for children with autism, the trauma community discovered this potent tool in 2017 and we have been using it since then. I have been using the SSP, Somatic Experiencing, and Biofield Therapy together for many years to help restore foundational regulation, heal attachment wounds, and support reunion with the soul essence. This program is delivered by a Certified Provider and I offer advanced training in the use of this program as a Biofield Therapy instrument.
BIO-lateral Music
BIO-lateral music was created by Dr. David Grand, the developer of Brainspotting (BSP), and is used as a part of Brainspotting therapy. Brain Spotting is a combination of EMDR and Somatic Experiencing. This music is designed to help with limbic system processing by crossing the brain’s hemispheres by increasing in volume in the left ear then decreasing in volume before slowing increasing in volume in the right ear then decreasing, back and forth. Ideally, it is played through headphones at a very low, almost imperceptible volume. Many people find it calming while also deepening access to the midbrain for deeper processing. Although there are a variety of bio-lateral music programs, my sound journeys use “David Grand” or “Brainspotting” music specifically.
Binaural Beats
Binaural Beats are a technique of combining two slightly different sound frequencies, one in each ear, to create the perception of a single new frequency tone in the brain. Binaural beats work through a fascinating process that involves both the ears and the brain. The term “binaural” literally means “having or relating to two ears,” and this is key to how the phenomenon functions. By sending a slightly different sound frequency to each ear through headphones, the brain reacts uniquely. Binaural beats are also readily available online.
Curated Music
Over the years I have become accustomed to listening deeply during the sound journey experience as I track the emotional tones that are being processed by the groups’ field. As a Biofield Tuner, Biofield Therapy Practitioner, Sound Journey Guide, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, I use many types of music to take you into the psyche and soma. In addition, I have developed an ability to discern the frequencies that are being held in the unconscious patterns in and around the space. In my sound journey experiences, I will share this music with the group to deepen into the journey to tend to the wounds of the inner child parts and help awaken the participants to new perspectives within themselves.
If you are interested in experiencing the healing power of sound, join one of our
upcoming programs: https://paulascatoloni.com/programs/rebirthing-ourselves/
