There’s no question that millions of people rely on their 5 senses every day to function throughout life, but some find certain senses more prevalent than others, for example the sense of sound. 
Music continues to be a respite for many people whether you are suffering from a recent breakup, looking to boost your confidence before a big event, or simply need to wind down after a hectic day at work. This article aims to shed some light on the inner workings of sound and music, how it has been integrated by various cultures, as well as how it can help to heal your mind body and soul.
The Science of Sound
To understand the fundamental properties of music, one must first understand the science behind sound. Sound is a series of vibrations spread across various frequencies. From the AM waves of the 50’s to modern FM radio, to ipods, music venues and so much more, sound is everywhere. Sound is created when a truck drives by your home, when you type on the computer, the friction between grinding gears, and everything in between.
More precisely, sound is created by something emitting energy in the form of vibration. Areas of high and low pressure move along to create a longitude line, thus creating the sound wave. The reason it’s important to understand the basic science behind sound is to fully comprehend how it impacts everything around it.
Sound has been used to show new parents an image of their unborn child, sound has been used to boil water, levitate objects, and even heal the human body. It’s been long understood that sound has healing properties and cultures all over the world have taken this natural remedy and used it for various treatments, ailments, and other useful applications.
Music and Culture
Carnival of Cultures in Berlin, Germany
While many continue to debate the origin of music, others firmly agree that music in itself predates any form of language, making it the very first form of communication. Thought Economics researched the history and impact of music on various cultures, pointing out that, “Music transcends the limits of language. The English lexicon is vast, but still is limited. Music comes in to fill the gap. It looks at the way we can’t express ourselves through the spoken or written word and makes up for the lack.”
Music is a cultural catalyst that can bring two groups of people together on common ground, without judgment, personal perceptions and misunderstanding. Making it one of the greatest tools in healing a country and men.
The Power of Sound
While cultures continued to communicate through music, the human body was doing it’s own communication in relation to various sound waves. The Law of Vibration states that everything in the universe moves and vibrates. At one speed or another, every physical being, innate object, and everything in between is moving at one speed or another. The difference is the frequencies at which said objects vibrate. This is the fundamental idea of what makes us appear separate from every other thing in the world.
With that law in mind, it only begs to question how music, another level of frequency and vibration, affects our body. Many believe that sound directly impacts our current frequency levels and the has a major effect on our health. Practical Spirituality covered the topic in detail outlining the work of sound pioneer Dr. Hans Jenny. Dr. Jenny, a Swiss medical doctor and scientist, conducted a series of tests where by he used precise sound vibrations to alter substances such as water, sand and other fluids.
This was the basis of what many hold true to the impact of sound on any object including the human body. The body’s cells respond to music in a way that either harmonizes or agitates the cells within our self, giving way to both therapeutic and destructive influence.
Another popular scientific study was done by Japanese scientist, Dr. Emoto, who taped various words and phrases to a jar of water. Freezing the water, he then took photographs of the ice crystals created in each jar. It is reported that the jars with positive words and phrases, such as thank you, and love, contained a variety of beautiful geometric images. Where as the opposite jars including hate, sick and others were a web of chaotic and disconnected design.
Considering that our bodies are made up of 70% water, this study, among others have a major implication on how external sound affects the molecular level or our mind, body and soul.
Sound Healing Therapy
Now that we know the basics behind the theory of sound and have a taste of various experiments and how sound can affect things, what does that mean for your health? Sound Healing has been around since the beginning of time, but we wanted to give you some specific therapy types to explore.
The Human Voice – singing, chanting and toning have been used in therapy for thousands of years, and studies show that depending on the setting of said voice exercises, brain images show an increase in blood flow, increased sense of well being, and an increased level of immunoglobulin A, which is essential to your immune system.
Singing Bowls and Tuning Forks – If singing is not your thing, or you sound like a frog when trying to bout out your favorite tune, then using a highly tuned instrument might be the way to go. 
Acoustic instruments such as tuning forks and Tibetan bowls have been used in sound healing for centuries. Attributed to the release of Nitric Oxide based on specific tones produced by both tuning forks and singing bowls, NO is a neural signaling molecule that boosts your immune system.
Sound Technologies – For those looking to enhance the natural order of sound, scientist have conducted many studies and worked with high end technology to produce levels of sound and vibration never before created. These studies have been key to providing “tested” and “controlled” results of how sound can affect the human body. 
For example, if 315Hz is played in the left ear, and 325Hz is played in the right, the human mind begins to beat to the 10Mz frequency which is attributed to the Alpha brain wave range. The Alpha brain wave is related to your brain’s resting state, high levels of meditation, and mindfulness.
While there are tons of ways to use music to better your life, including loosing all inhibition as you sing in the car to your favorite song, or sit down and listen to some Mozart before starting your day, there’s also a growing scientific field of study proving that what many have known for thousands of years is in fact true. Music is for the soul and there is no question that sound affects not only your own personal body but every physical thing in the universe.
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