What is Music Therapy and Sound Therapy?

Music therapists work in a variety of settings including halfway houses, hospice programs, medical hospitals, nursing homes, private practice, psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitative facilities, schools, wellness programs, etc. An introduction to music therapy can systematically address addictive/dependency disorders, brain injury, emotional intimacy, music assisted childbirth, neurological impairments, pain management, physical limitations, reality orientation, self awareness, self expression, speech and hearing impairments, stress reduction, etc. Music therapists use music to assess cognitive skills, communication abilities, emotional well-being, motor skills, physical health, social development, and spiritual enhancement through musical responses. Interventions may include active music making, music improvisation, drumming, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, and learning through music. 

 Music is processed by the emotions, through mental imagery, intuitively, analytically, and physically. Music is immediate, always changing and moving, encouraging the listener to be present and mindful of what is taking place. By listening and responding to these energy patterns a person gains insight into one’s own energy patterns. The main priority in music therapy is to address the individual’s needs and problems through music, not to promote or perpetuate music as an art form for its own sake. Within music therapy, the behaviours of primary interest are those that have a significant effect on the person’s adaptation, education, or development. Music in this context is used to increase, decrease, modify, or reinforce carefully defined target behaviours.

Researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center's Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine conducted the study, which included 272 premature babies 32 weeks gestation or older in 11 mid-Atlantic NICUs. They examined the effects of three types of music: a lullaby selected and sung by the baby's parents; an "ocean disc," a round instrument, invented by the Remo drum company, that mimics the sounds of the womb; and a gato box, a drum-like instrument used to simulate two-tone heartbeat rhythms. The two instruments were played live by certified music therapists, who matched their music to the babies' breathing and heart rhythms.

The researchers found that the gato box, the Remo ocean disc and singing all slowed a baby's heart rate, although singing was the most effective. Singing also increased the amount of time babies stayed quietly alert, and sucking behavior improved most with the gato box, while the ocean disc enhanced sleep. The music therapy also lowered the parents' stress.

The healing power of vibration

At its core, music is sound, and sound is rooted in vibration. Led by Lee Bartel, PhD, a music professor at the University of Toronto, several researchers are exploring whether sound vibrations absorbed through the body can help ease the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, fibromyalgia and depression. Known as vibroacoustic therapy, the intervention involves using low frequency sound — similar to a low rumble — to produce vibrations that are applied directly to the body. During vibroacoustic therapy, the patient lies on a mat or bed or sits in a chair embedded with speakers that transmit vibrations at specific computer-generated frequencies that can be heard and felt, says Bartel. He likens the process to sitting on a subwoofer.

In 2009, researchers led by Lauren K. King of the Sun Life Financial Movement Disorders Research and Rehabilitation Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University, in Waterloo, Ontario, found that short-term use of vibroacoustic therapy with Parkinson's disease patients led to improvements in symptoms, including less rigidity and better walking speed with bigger steps and reduced tremors (NeuroRehabilitation, December, 2009). In that study, the scientists exposed 40 Parkinson's disease patients to low-frequency 30-hertz vibration for one minute, followed by a one-minute break. They then alternated the two for a total of 10 minutes. The researchers are now planning a long-term study of the use of vibroacoustic therapy with Parkinson's patients, as part of a new partnership with the University of Toronto's Music and Health Research Collaboratory, which brings together scientists from around the world who are studying music's effect on health.

The group is also examining something called thalmocortical dysrhythmia — a disorientation of rhythmic brain activity involving the thalamus and the outer cortex that appears to play a role in several medical conditions including Parkinson's, fibromyalgia and possibly even Alzheimer's disease, says Bartel, who directs the collaboratory.

"Since the rhythmic pulses of music can drive and stabilize this disorientation, we believe that low-frequency sound might help with these conditions," Bartel says. He is leading a study using vibroacoustic therapy with patients with mild Alzheimer's disease. The hope is that using the therapy to restore normal communication among brain regions may allow for greater memory retrieval, he says.

"We've already seen glimmers of hope in a case study with a patient who had just been diagnosed with the disorder," Bartel says. "After stimulating her with 40-hertz sound for 30 minutes three times a week for four weeks, she could recall the names of her grandchildren more easily, and her husband reported good improvement in her condition."

The goal of all of this work is to develop "dosable" and "prescribable" music therapy and music as medicine protocols that serve specific neurologic functions and attend to deficits that may result from many of these neurologically based conditions. Rather than viewing music only as a cultural phenomenon, Bartel says, the art should be seen as a vibratory stimulus that has cognitive and memory dimensions.

"Only when we look at it in this way do we start to see the interface to how the brain and body work together."

Information from the American Psychological Association.

Music Therapy is a form of therapy is process-based and relies heavily on the therapist’s knowledge of music’s structure, rhythm and melody to influence, motivate or effect physical, emotional, or social changes in a person.

With Sound Therapy - Sound Healing, as with music therapy, both can use instruments or the voice to impact a client’s wellbeing; both can engage the client in music making.

The differences between music therapy and sound healing are subtle but distinct: The intent of sound healing is to facilitate and direct specific sounds, and their resulting vibrations, to impact well being.

Here is what Jonathan Goldman, a pioneer in sound healing, had to say about his work:

“… the basic principle of sound healing is that everything is in a state of vibration, including our organs, bones, tissues, etc. If these parts of the body become imbalanced they may be healed through projecting the proper and correct frequencies back into the body. This works for imbalances and over- or under-activity in the chakras and the energy fields.”
So, to summarise, both forms of therapy use music as a basis for impacting clients’ well being. Music therapy bases its protocols on what is known about music’s structure and rhythm to actively engage a client in music making for the purpose of addressing a specific health outcome.

Similarly, sound therapies use music to guide healing, but protocols are not based solely on the process of music listening or creation, but rather on finding and producing specific frequencies, which may be unique to the individual, that then can be directed internally to facilitate healing.

The human voice is a very powerful instrument. Our voice provides clues of our well-being and emotional state. 

"We arrive on this planet with every thing that we need to heal ourselves, and when we came; our voices were rich with all the necessary frequencies to maintain us in a healthy state of resonance. Due to the conditioning of childhood and the suppression of our true thoughts and feelings and the accompanying sounds that go with them, by the time we arrive at adulthood our speaking voice no longer contains the same frequencies it did as a child. Our voice will always reflect our current mental and emotional states of being. When a person feels alive, healthy, happy and abundant, their voice sounds much different than if they are depressed, unhappy, angry or afraid. You may notice a difference in your own voice when speaking your truth compared to when you are not, it feels different in your body as well, and from an energetic standpoint the cells of your body are not getting the frequencies they need to stay healthy."  The Healing Voice

Sound therapy
Sound therapists believe that our bodies contain 'energy frequencies' and that sonic frequencies can be used to re-attune these energies when they go off key. All you have to do is lie down and bask in the tuneful beauty of 'pure' sound.
We are all made up of different energy frequencies. They use sound frequencies to interact with these, thus attempting to rebalance the body's energy.

Before each session, the practitioner will ask the client about their medical history and any current health problems. The practitioner will then adapt their treatment accordingly, using relaxing or stimulating sounds to try to rebalance the body - gongs, drums, bells, bowls, tuning forks and the human voice are all used. According to practitioner Lyz Cooper: "Clients are wrapped up in [these sounds] like a cocoon, and allowed to go on a journey."

A recent study conducted by the British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST) found that

95% of clients suffering from stress-related disorders felt an increased state of calm following treatment (though of course, this can hardly be called unbiased research!)
Another preliminary study conducted by BAST measured the effects of sound therapy on the autonomous nervous system (ANS). Clients were connected to a machine that monitored stress responses (much like a lie detector).

Each client demonstrated an overall decrease in arousal of the ANS compared to the control group, who were lying down relaxing. This study suggests that sound therapy has a deeply calming effect on stressed-out clients.

Sound has been used as a healing or calming tool for thousands of years. Himalayan singing bowls (standing bells that "sing") have been used throughout Asia for thousands of years in prayer and meditation, and are now used to promote relaxation and wellbeing. Sound therapy was formally introduced to the UK in 2000 with the establishment of BAST (The British Academy of Sound Therapy and Soundworks.). Sound therapy is a complementary medicine designed to work alongside orthodox medicine. BAST attempts to treat individuals with fertility issues, chronic pain, cancer, stress-related illnesses, IBS, ME, tinnitus, mild depression, anxiety and arthritis. BAST founder Lyz Cooper believes: "Whether you come for a regular tune-up or relaxation session, or have a chronic long-term illness, sound could help you to enjoy a better quality of life."

Sound therapy is said to help not only physical illness, but also help balance the emotions and quieten a busy mind. Most people feel calm and relaxed following treatment. For some, this feeling will last several days. You may also be given exercises to practise between treatments.

Contra-indications
Pregnant women are not advised to undertake sound therapy and anyone with serious mental health problems should consult their doctor before receiving treatment.

New directions in Sound Healing - Biofield Tuning Sound Balancing
Biofield Tuning is a unique non-medical therapeutic method that uses sound waves produced by tuning forks in the bio-magnetic field, or biofield, that surrounds the human body. Biofield Tuning was developed by pioneering researcher and practitioner Eileen Day McKusick and is based on her 20 years of clinical inquiry into the Biofield Anatomy. It is a simple, non-invasive, and efficient method that can produce profound and powerful outcomes.

Tibetan Singing Bowls – The ancient brain entrainment methodology for healing and meditation

Tibetan Singing Bowls have been used for centuries for healing and meditation purposes. They create a range of sounds to restore the normal vibratory frequencies of diseased and out-of-harmony parts of the body, mind and soul.

The sounds generated by Tibetan Singing Bowls are a type of energy medicine that promote healing from stress disorders, pain, depression, and most forms of dis-ease.

Healing processes are initiated through entraining our brainwaves to synchronise with the perfect resonance of the bowls. Unique tones create the perfect state for deep meditation, creative thinking and intuitive messages.

The pure sonic waves that ring from Tibetan Singing Bowls wake up our ability to hear with more than our ears. We feel the sound Tibetan Singing Bowls as much as we take it in with our ears.

“If we accept that sound is vibration and we know that vibration touches every part of our physical being, then we understand that sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies. One reason sound heals on a physical level is because it so deeply touches and transforms us on the emotional and spiritual planes. Sound can redress imbalances on every level of physiologic functioning and can play a positive role in the treatment of virtually any medical disorder.”
Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, director of Medical Oncology and Integrative Medicine, the Cornell Cancer Prevention Center in New York

Sound Healing expert, Diáne Mandle states that Tibetan Singing Bowls don’t only affect a great deal of physical healing but also have far-reaching implications that occur on emotional and spiritual levels. It is a regenerative process married to a spiritual awakening that can have profound consequences on illness, disease, and all aspects of our lives.

In fact, mainstream medical teaching facilities like Duke University and the University of North Carolina have added programs that link body, mind and spirit to the treatment of cancer. Cancer prevention centers are utilizing sound as a vital part of the healing process for patients with astounding results.

Dr. Mitchell Gaynor has been using sound, including Tibetan Singing Bowls and chanting in work with cancer patients for many years. The medical director of the Deepak Chopra center in California, Dr. David Simon, found that the sound from Tibetan Singing Bowls as well as chanting are chemically metabolized into ’endogenous opiates’, that act on the body as internal painkillers and healing agents.

How do Tibetan Singing Bowls help in the healing process?

It can be said that illness is a manifestation of dis-harmony within the body—an imbalance in the cells or a given organ. Since all matter is energy vibrating at different rates, by altering the rate of vibration we can change the structure of matter. Sound from Tibetan Singing Bowls entrain the brain to move into the Theta brain wave frequencies that induce deep meditative and peaceful states, clarity of mind, and intuition. The sound vibrations impact our nervous system, engaging our relaxation reflex and inhibiting the stress or pain response.

Through listening to Tibetan Singing Bowls one’s internal dialogue, the ’inner critic’ is quietened. Their sound synchronizes brain waves and enhances awareness of the mind/body connection.

All parts of your body possess a different resonant frequency. When an organ, or other part of the body, is vibrating “out of tune” or non-harmoniously, it is called “dis-ease”. A body is in a healthy state when each cell and each organ resonate in harmony with the whole being.

Using Tibetan Singing Bowls for healing is based on the idea that all illness or disease is characterized by a hindrance to the flow of energy in the body. When energy flow is hindered, the organ or tissue in question stops vibrating at a healthy frequency, and thus it results in some kind of weakness or illness. The sound frequencies created by Tibetan Singing Bowls restore and optimise the flow of energy in the parts of the body where this is required.

In the words of the great Tibetan master/Bodhisattva Gwalwa Karmapa, the Singing Bowls of Tibet emit the “Sound of the Void”, the sound of the universe manifesting. They are a symbol of the ’unknowable’ and as an alloy, date back to the Buddha, Shakyamni (560-480 B.C.). Their origins and detailed histories are shrouded in the distant past and are surely a gift from the shamanistic ’Bon’ religion which precedes Buddhism in Tibet by centuries. For centuries they have been utilized for healing and consciousness transformation. We are now discovering the science behind this powerful ancient modality which is so effective for healing today. Modern medicine can now measure and thus confirm the practice of sound as a means to heal.

Tibetan Singing Bowls and Brainwave Entrainment

The Tibetan Singing Bowls are an ancient technology, about 2500 years old, for stimulating our brainwaves. Just like the new technologies of Brainwave Entrainment, Binaural Beats & Isochronic Tones, Tibetan Singing Bowl create a pulsation of sound to entrain our brain.

Tibetan Singing Bowls create a pulsating tone, that feels good and helps you to relax. The more you listen the deeper you relax, as your brainwaves begin to entrain with the Tibetan Singing Bowl’s tone.The benefit of this entrainment is that your brain waves can be “toned” so that you can deliberately experience pleasant and/or productive mental/emotional states.

The upper end of the theta brainwave range is of great importance to healing the body, mind and spirit. At 7-8 (Hertz) cycles per second our deeper intelligence, creativity and self-healing mechanisms of the body are activated. This is what is commonly referred to as “being in the zone”. Tibetan Singing Bowls can be used to put you into this special brain wave state that supports the achievement of your unique goal toward better health.

Producing theta brainwaves through the use of Tibetan Singing Bowls in conjunction with sophisticated audio technologies is facilitated through listening to the Healing Tance-Formationsrecording.

Dr. Hans Selye, “the father of stress” was an endocrinologist in 1950’s who did research on the response of organisms to stress. He determined that stress is the underlying cause of all illness and dis-ease. His research was taken a step further by Dr. Herbert Benson.

Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard’s Mind Body Institute , has studied stress reduction for 35 years. Dr. Benson found that stress causes physical or emotional blockages. Dr. Benson found that stress reduction was essential to creation of health. He coined the phrase “relaxation response”. He defines this as “a physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress – for example: decrease in heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension.” He also found that regular elicitation of the relaxation response has been scientifically proven to be an effective treatment for a wide range of stress-related disorders. In fact, to the extent that any disease is caused or made worse by stress, the relaxation response is essential to healing it.

Chakra Balancing

Chakras are energy vortices originating in the ancient Indian system of healing. Most literature discusses seven main chakras but there are literally hundreds of vortices of energy all over the body.

Chakras are the connection between the spiritual aspect of our being and the physical. There is an endocrine gland associated with 7 of the main chakras. In the Indian system of healing, when a physical dysfunction is in place, one or more chakras are considered to be blocked, dysfunctional or unbalanced. Unbalanced chakras are reflected in a whole range of mental, emotional and physiological dysfunctions.

Chakra balancing is used to correct the chakra so that the endocrine gland and all the associated structures and organs effected by that gland balance and begin to function correctly. Historically, chakra balancing has been done in a number of ways but it has been most effectively done by someone who has the capability to either feel or see (or both) the chakras and their state of unbalance. They then use energy healing techniques to adjust and balance them.

Tibetan Singing Bowls naturally cause chakras to self correct. The sound waves, in the form of sine waves run correcting frequencies to the unbalanced chakras, bringing them back to normal functioning.

The overall balancing effect of the Tibetan Singing Bowls and theta brainwave entrainment combine to enhance and support the corrective rebalance of the sine waves effect on each chakra. The result is balanced chakras which then in turn enhance cellular and systemic healing throughout the body that is facilitated by the theta rhythms.

The Healing Trance-Formations recording includes the appropriately pitched tones for all seven of the major chakras, thereby providing each chakra with its specific key for optimal balancing:

Root chakra – C
Sacral chakra – D
Solar Plexus chakra – E
Heart chakra – F
Throat chakra – G
Third Eye chakra – A
Crown chakra – B

Repeatedly listening to the Healing Tance-Formations recording over time can assist the body/mind to throw off toxicity and diseased states, while simultaneously retraining the chakras and physical body to remain in a state of balance. Increasingly over time the body will return to a state of ‘ease’ or good health.

Though Chakras are far from a scientific fact, ancient literature suggests that their balancing was part of the whole process employed when healing any level of dysfunction. Balancing the body in the way ancient cultures have may be the missing link in health care today.

More from Jevon Dangeli Hypnotherapist, NLP trainer and coach 

Cymbals the way you have never seen them!

Cymbals – the grooviest instrument around?

The grooves on the surface of a cymbal are not there for looks: they're crucial to the sound of the instrument. They're called 'tonal grooves' and they help to spread the vibrations around the body of the cymbal – the depth, width and shape of the grooves all affect the sound quality.

But underneath the grooves, there's already precision engineering going on. Starting with the metal itself: cymbals are made of bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin, but there are different types of cymbal bronze: "B20", which is 20% tin, and "B8", which is just 8% tin. In B8 bronze, the grains in the metal run in a single direction, which gives you a narrower spectrum of frequencies (a more 'focussed' or 'compact' sound). B20 bronze is rolled in more than one direction, so the molecules interweave to form a lattice structure.

And then cymbals are hammered, not pressed, into shape. Every stroke of the hammer compresses the metal slightly at the spot where it hits, making it a little bit more dense just at that point, and that changes the range of frequencies. So the hammering needs to be done very evenly over the surface of the cymbal, to make the instrument as resonant as possible.

The whole process is so stressful that it takes the molecules in the metal a few weeks to settle down again, which means that a brand new instrument will actually have a different sound from one which is a month or so old.

Amazing, what goes into making a great cymbal crash!

Take a historical, musical and factory tour to one of the world's oldest and largest cymbal making family business, the Zildjian! What a Wall of Fame! What is even more interesting, the women of the Zildjian are making their mark on the family business!

A few examples of cymbals used different ways! Enjoy!

No 1.Cymbals Sound Test:

No 2. A little wild but introduces the cymbals pretty well!

No 3. Cymbals the way you have never seen them being played!

No 4. Bosphorus Cymbals Factory, Istambul.  A video of their  %100 Handmade manufacturing process with some great music!

No 5. Sabian Cymbals Factory Tour Part 1 of 4. Here you really can see the whole process of producing high quality cymbals!:

Generating Theta Brainwaves for Healing

Of the 5 frequencies (beta, alpha, theta, delta & gamma) that our brain experiences, the theta brainwave range is the one in which the body and mind’s natural self healing processes are activated and optimised. 

Theta brainwaves are present during deep relaxation, dreaming, meditation and hypnosis. Theta brainwaves can be a source of creativity, intuition, increased memory and enhanced concentration. When theta brainwaves are induced by certain mental practices,  they lower stress and anxiety levels, as well as facilitate healing and growth.

Theta is an important wave, not only because it facilitates the ideal mental/physiological state for healing, it also enables us to access the power and wisdom of our unconscious mind, that is normally inaccessible in more alert states.

Benefits of stimulating our brain with theta brainwaves:

Mind and body healing
During theta brainwave activity, both the body and mind experience enhanced rejuvenation, growth, and healing. Due to the deep levels of relaxation that theta brainwaves facilitate, the body and mind are easily able to restore themselves during and after illness, as well as after mental burnout and physical exertion.

Boosted immune system
Increasing your theta brainwaves helps to optimise your immune system’s function due to the fact that theta brainwaves are associated with vitality and the elimination of stress. Stress and anxiety can do harm to the immune system by releasing a surplus of harmful chemicals such as adrenaline, including the hormone cortisol, which in oversupply are damaging to the immune system. Theta brainwaves activate the release of pleasant chemicals and neurotransmitters to help keep your immune system at its peak.

Deep levels of relaxationTheta brainwaves are most common during sleep, deep meditation, self hypnosis and amongst young children. Through entraining your brain to theta rhythm, you can access pleasantly relaxed states that are rare amongst adults during daily routines.

Stress and anxiety reduction
Theta brainwave entrainment causes deep mental and physical relaxation, which in turn reduces stress and anxiety levels.

Intuition increase
Through accessing theta brainwaves, your intuition will increase as well as your ability to identify “gut” feelings. In other words, your ability to ‘see’ and ‘hear’ outside the borders of the physical senses expands, and therefore your perception of reality expands too. Through training your brain with meditation, self hypnosis or brain entrainment, you awaken your deeper intelligence, also known as the ‘inner genius’.

Subconscious connection
Theta brainwaves allow you to connect deeply with your unconscious mind (subconscious). Your unconscious mind is the collective intelligence of all cells in your body. It regulates all your autonomic body functions. It houses your emotions, imagination, memory, habits, intuition, and is your personal pathway to even more subtle levels of consciousness.

Ability to program your unconscious mind (subconscious)
Meaningful personal transformation results from a shift in the unconscious mind. The only way to reach and change major set beliefs and emotional responses of the unconscious mind is through hypnosis or theta brainwave entrainment.
Through self hypnosis or theta brain entrainment, you can access the unconscious mind for the purpose of facilitating core healing and change. Therefore theta brainwave entrainment is a great resource for both Hypnotherapists as well as those using self hypnosis.

The use of affirmations, mental imagery and hypnotic suggestion is far more effective when your brain is in theta rhythm. In this state you bypass your conscious mind that often acts as a “filter” and prevents you from changing your unwanted thought and behaviour patterns. Through being deeply relaxed, your unconscious mind accepts any healing related statements or mental pictures that you give it, without question, and begins to act on it immediately. Therefore it’s easier to clear any thought and behaviour patterns that you may want to change, and to install new, desirable thinking and attitudes as part of your personal development and growth.

High levels of creativity
Theta brainwave dominance is often found in highly creative individuals. Many talented musicians, inventors, and artists are found to have extremely higher than average amounts of theta brainwaves. Through entraining theta brainwaves your creativity will be enhanced.

Advanced problem solving skills
Theta brain waves help you to overcome “mental blocks” and enable you to access the FLOW state. The inability to solve problems is related to your inability to change your mental state. Inducing theta brainwaves changes your mental state and thereby offers new levels of thought and perception that enable you to approach any problem with greater resourcefulness. Theta brainwaves have also been associated with the ability to “hyperfocus” which means staying intensely focused and motivated with one idea.

Increase of the learning ability
It has been said that as your brain enters the frequencies of the theta range, you will be able to retain over 300% more information than you can while in your normal daily (beta brainwave) state. Theta brainwaves allow people to learn large amounts of information in a much quicker time than beta brainwave state.

Research has been done on language learning and development, claiming that the reason why children are able to pick up new languages so quickly is because of their increased amount of theta brainwaves. Adults and students of a new foreign language may greatly benefit from shifting their brainwaves to the theta range.

Improve long-term memory
As theta brainwaves increase, the ability of the brain to recall and store long-term memories increases. The hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in storing and processing memories, normally has a theta brainwave rhythm. With increasing levels of stress, beta brainwaves ‘disrupt’ the hippocampus. This is why stressed people often have a poor ability to recall long-term memories. One of the reasons why Hypnotherapy is effective is because clients, through having theta brainwaves induced, are able to recall “forgotten memories” as part of certain healing processes.

Emotional connection
Theta brainwaves are associated with your ability to feel emotions. Blocked or suppressed emotions can be experienced when theta brainwaves are stimulated. In this way you can learn to feel and understand your emotions better.

Bridges the spiritual connection
Many consider the peaceful and blissful state associated with theta brainwaves to be the bridge between the physical body and the spiritual realms. In the theta brainwave rhythm people sense a deep spiritual connection. According to some, the theta brainwave range provides enhanced spiritual awareness and profound insight. Many spiritual experiences and phenomena are commonly experienced in the theta brainwave state.

Paranormal experiences
For those who are open to it, theta brainwaves are also associated with psychic experiences, such as Out Of Body Experiences, remote vision, ESP, and other phenomena. Even though most paranormal and psychic experiences can be argued to be real or fake, there is evidence that most people tend to have them when their mind has theta brainwave dominance. Some psychics are apparently able to access theta brainwaves in order to connect with non-physical beings and subtle realms of consciousness.

Technically, theta brainwaves are patterns of electrical activity of the brain ranging from 4 to 8 Hz. Here are the typical qualities of the entire theta range:

4.5 Hz – Brings about Shamanic/Tibetan state of consciousness, Tibetan chants.
4.9 Hz – Induce relaxation and deeper sleep
4.9 Hz – Introspection. Relaxation, meditation
5 Hz – Reduces sleep required. Theta replaces need for extensive dreaming
5.35 Hz – Allows relaxing breathing, free and efficient
5.5 Hz – Inner guidance, intuition
6.5 Hz – Centre of Theta frequency. Activates creative frontal lobe
7.5 Hz – Activates creative thought for art, invention, music. Problem solving
7.5 Hz – Ease of overcoming troublesome issues
7.83 Hz – Schumann earth resonance. Grounding, meditative, Leaves you revitalized
3 – 8 Hz – Deep relaxation, meditation. Lucid dreaming
3 – 8 Hz – Increased memory, focus, creativity
4 – 7 Hz – Profound inner peace, emotional healing. Lowers mental fatigue
4 – 7 Hz – Deep meditation, near-sleep brainwaves.

Interestingly, the planet Earth resonates at a Theta frequency of 7.83 Hz, a frequency known as Schumann Resonance.

Certain Healing Trance-Formations recording entrains your brainwaves to 7Hz, for almost the full duration of the one hour track, and increases to 12Hz in the final 6 minutes, to leave you in alpha state (relaxed body and alert mind) at the end of the track.

Important Medical Warning
If you are using a pacemaker, or if you have had or are prone to seizures, or are epileptic, then brain entrainment technologies, should only be used with permission from your Medical Doctor.

Theta brainwaves are typically more predominant amongst those with ADD, therefore using products that stimulate theta brainwaves is not recommended for people with ADD. If you have been diagnosed with ADD or think that you may have this disposition, please only use theta brainwave producing recordings with the permission and care of your Medical Doctor.

Of the 5 frequencies (beta, alpha, theta, delta & gamma) that our brain experiences, the theta brainwave range is the one in which the body and mind’s natural self healing processes are activated and optimised.

Theta brainwaves are present during deep relaxation, dreaming, meditation and hypnosis. Theta brainwaves can be a source of creativity, intuition, increased memory and enhanced concentration. When theta brainwaves are induced by certain mental practices, they lower stress and anxiety levels, as well as facilitate healing and growth.

This article is by Jevon Dangeli hypnotherapist, NLP trainer http://jevondangeli.com

 

Gong bath for Stress

Gong meditation is a powerful sonic practice that enables one to experience how it feels to step out of the reality we are all taught since day 1. The first Gong was accidentally made over 4000 years ago. Although Gong meditation could be thought as merely just another fad activity, it really is not.

Gongs have been used as shamanic tools and celebratory instruments for thousands of years, and are truly part of the tradition that is sound healing, which uses techniques such as chanting, drums, and Tibetan bowls to name few. 

The benefits one can get from being exposed to the tones of the gongs are numerous, yet vary considerably. Most people when they are around gongs have been noticing a major improvement in the quality of their sleep, a better ability to cope with stress, and a sense of familiarity with stillness and contentment.

I have been practising Yoga and Meditation for decades so would like to write about how Gongs can alter the state of consciousness.

Our normal waking consciousness corresponds to the Beta state, which is our brain emitting waves between 13-30Hertz. The feeling of relaxation and concentration is linked to the Alpha state, which sends waves between 8-13Hertz. Then we can go into Theta state (5-7Hertz), associated with Rapid Eye Movement and release of muscular spasms and energetic blockages. Last but not least, Delta state (0.5-4Hertz), emitting extremely low vibrations associated with deep sleep and other unconscious states.

To illustrate this frequency state, a lot of us tend to be on a full on Beta state with a little dash of Alpha during the day, and if fortunate enough, a decent amount of hours spent emitting Delta waves at night. We do not necessarily want 10 hours of Theta waving nevertheless, we all need considerably more time spent in Theta state, so that we are able to concentrate and relax on demand through Alpha waves.

Talking about switching from one state to another, most Yogis excel at the task. Some of them even can alter their heart beat, production of body heat as well as sweat production!

Gong symbolises G Force, Generating, Organising and Destroying Force. It puts the mind in a deep meditative state. It is extremely powerful. Gong played well is a gift of God, putting Heaven right on Earth. Bad gong playing can actually damage you. It can disrupt the flow of energy in the body. 

The Gong sound brings the mind to its most positive point where it can be at its most productive and efficient. It will tell the body to go to its optimum strength where healing and vitality can be released.

The Gong sound is associated with the Universe and with Ancient cultures. You feel the sound vibration right in your core, in your gut. It is an incredible experience. Listen and enjoy the Gong bath experience! If you ever have the chance to participate in a live gong bath, don't miss it! Recording will never replace live music experience and I mean no amplification either! Real, live, natural sound!

That 8 glasses of water a day revisited

This article came in the Newsletter by email from my Physio where I do Pilates every week:

DO WE NEED TO DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY? 

We’ve heard it for years: "you need to drink at least eight glasses of water a day". But is this actually true – do we need this much water every day? You only need to walk down the street and see the number of people carrying water bottles to know that water (particularly bottled water – but that’s another story) has become a big part of our lives. Many people have become “aquaholics” and it has almost become part of our daily checklist to ensure we have a full bottle of water to take out of the house with us.

In reality, 8 glasses of water equates to approximately 2 litres of fluid per day. Water is present in many other forms and foods than just tap or bottle water. Water is in fruit and vegetables and many of the other foods we eat. It’s in tea and coffee, alcohol, juices. 

So the reality is – you do not have to consume all the water you need through drinks.

It is possible that the “8 glasses of water a day” advice stems back to 1945, when the US Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council wrote: "A suitable allowance for adults is 2.5 litres daily in most instances. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods". So, as mentioned above, most of the water you need is already there in the food you eat. It seems that this last important sentence: "Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods" just got ignored.

In reality, we get approximately 1 litre of water a day from our foods (4 cups worth). Your body produces another 250 mls (1 cup) of water a day as it metabolises fats, proteins and starches within the body. So using the above recommendation, you would really only need an additional 4 cups of water a day to satisfy the above recommendation. Even tea, coffee, milk and juices have fluid content that counts in this additional 4 cups worth – it doesn’t have to be solely plain water!

So it seems that there is no magic threshold of water consumption that we need to strive for each day. So the question really becomes “Are we healthier if we drink more water”. There is no doubt that replacing carbonated, sugar filled soft drinks with water would be a much healthier option, but unfortunately scientific studies have failed to find any evidence that simply drinking more water results in better health outcomes.

What about drinking water to stave off dehydration? Do we need a recommendation to ensure we don’t drink too little water? The human body is an amazing structure, and it is finely tuned to signal you to drink long before you’re actually dehydrated. So listen to those little signals from your body – that feeling of thirst will tell you when fluid is required. This doesn’t mean you should wait until you are thirsty to drink – it just means that if you really require fluids because of low intake, your body will signal you before you enter the real dehydration phases.

And don’t forget that besides thirst, the body has another inbuilt mechanism by which you can detect if you require extra fluid – your urine colour! Ideally your urine will be a very pale yellow, but if it is showing a stronger yellow tinge, you are probably best to increase your fluid intake in the short term. And if you are over-hydrating (which is just as big a problem, as you will learn below) your urine will be almost clear and you should slow down your fluid intake.

CAN YOU DRINK TOO MUCH WATER? 

Unfortunately the answer is yes, and there are quite a few cases of this in the literature. It is common in endurance events, hot conditions, or for conditions such as cramping, to recommend the intake of high volumes of water. However science now suggests that the effect of over-hydration is quite possibly more dangerous than dehydration!

Hyponatremia occurs when someone consumes so much water that his or her body can’t rid itself of the excess via the usual means of sweating or urination. As a result, water levels rise in the bloodstream and sodium and electrolyte levels become diluted and fall as a consequence. This electrolyte imbalance can cause irregular heartbeat, brain malfunction, seizures and even death. The process of osmosis tries to balance this inequality by drawing water out of the blood and into the surrounding body tissues, causing the cells of these tissues to swell significantly. In effect, this process drowns the cells of the body in fresh water. If this process occurs in the brain, the response can be lethal. Think of it like “water intoxication”.

Hyponatremia has long been associated with endurance events like the marathon but is becoming increasingly common in sports such as triathlon. Thankfully hyponatremia is rare in the general population – it is more these endurance sporting events or hard climatic conditions that pose the risk.

What is fascinating (from a medical perspective) is that many of the deaths that happen with trekkers on the famous Kokoda track occur in young, healthy, and fit individuals. And even more interesting is that the majority of the deaths and evacuations happen in the first few days of the trek (not the last few torturous days as you would expect). In 2009 alone, four previously well hikers died of supposed hyponatremia. The thought process here is that on arriving at Kokoda, trekkers are hit immediately with the harsh and humid conditions, and knowing that the first few days of the trek are amongst the toughest climbs, try to “get ahead” by hydrating excessively. In an environment where your electrolyte balance is critical, drinking too much can have devastating effect!

There are however cases in the literature of people drinking themselves to death – there are a variety of reasons: dares, mental illness, and the attempt to overcome heat illnesses being a few. In one such example in 2007, a mother-of-three entered a contest run in California by a radio station. The person who could drink the most water without going to the toilet would win a Nintendo Wii game console. She drank about 7.5 litres of water, suffered severe swelling of the brain and died. She drank in a few hours three times as much as she normally took in over a whole day.

Consider even these thoughts related to excessive fluid intake:

• Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) sufferers often drink excessive fluid to replace the large amount of fluid they lose through sweating. However research suggests that it may be the excessive fluid intake that causes the excessive sweating: a self-reinforcing cycle that begins with the fluid intake, not the fluid loss!
• Excessive fluid intake in the evening can disrupt sleep. Overnight, the body releases an anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) to slow kidney function and make the urge to urinate weaker. Larger volume fluids in the evening can over-ride the ADH, fill the bladder, and wake you with the urge to urinate.

In summary, there is no evidence based recommendation for a specific amount of water people require daily. Amounts can vary greatly depending on what people eat, where they live, their body size, physical activities etc. What we can take from the evidence is that obsessing about reaching some water goal every day is unproductive. In fact obsessing about water intake can potentially result in the severe consequences of over-hydration. Most of us are going to get in three to four cups without doing anything out of the ordinary, and that’s likely to deliver nearly all of the benefits of water intake that we require.

For more interesting articles on health and exercise visit Southern Suburbs Physio Centre's website at http://www.sspc.com.au/blog.html

Why Hemp Seeds are so good for you

Hemp Nutrition Hemp Nutrition Overview Hemp seeds have been consumed as a staple food all over the world for thousands of years. They are an important dietary component because they contain an abundance of essential nutrients that are: 

• BALANCED – on their own they provide much of what your body needs without over-supplying some nutrients while causing a deficiency in others. 
• DIGESTIBLE – they don’t require cooking, soaking or crushing, your body can easily take what it needs and eliminate what it doesn’t. So your body isn’t wasting energy or suffering stress the way it does when trying to extract nutrients from animal or processed foods. 
• SAFE – unlike many foods we consume daily, Hemp seeds do not burden your body with toxins, allergens, GMO’s or undigested waste materials. 
• SUSTAINABLE – you don’t have to kill anything, poison the planet, exploit the ocean or risk anyone’s safety to obtain Hemp Seeds; they grow just about anywhere without needing fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides and require less water than wheat, rice or soy. 

Hemp Seeds Nutrition 

Hemp seeds contain the highest amount of PUFAs (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids) like Omega 3 and 6 – level with Walnuts for the #1 position at around 47g of PUFAs in every 100g of seeds.

The highest quality and quantity of Protein. Hemp protein is gluten-free with a complete Amino Acid profile and Hemp is the only plant to make protein from Edestin making it more digestible than other forms of protein like Soy. And unlike Soy doesn’t cause allergies or contain estrogen compounds. Every 100g of Hemp Seeds contain approximately 33g of this high quality protein.

• GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid) – one of only five known sources (Borage seed, Evening Primrose seed, Black Currant seed, Carrot seed, Wheatgerm) of this ‘wonder’ oil believed to be important for preventing inflammation. 
• 15 times as much fat-fighting CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) as fish oil. 
• Practically no Carbohydrates with less than half a gram of sugar per 20g serving. 
• Gut-cleansing Fibre. Cholesterol-fighting Phytosterols – 1480mg per 20g serving. 
• Minerals including Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Zinc. 
• Vitamin E plus other Antioxidants. B Vitamins including Folate. 
• Vitamin D3 – the only known plant food source of this bone-building “sunshine” vitamin.

How To Use Hemp Seeds, Oil and Protein Powder 

Soft, tasty Hemp Seeds can be used for making Hemp Milk, Hemp Ice Cream, Hemp Hummus, sprinkled onto breakfast, lunch and dinner meals or eaten on their own. They can also be used in making skin products like our Hemp Milk Soap. Delicious Hemp Oil is used as a treatment for various skin conditions, as a general skin moisturizer, as a salad dressing, for dipping bread into, for making sauces or simply drizzled over meals to boost their nutrient content. Smooth nutty Hemp Protein powder is used to boost the protein quality and quantity of smoothies snack bars and flour mixes such as in bread, muffins and pasta.

Hemp History 

Hemp cultivation dates back to the beginnings of recorded history. Its first use was as food for humans and animals in Ancient China and India. Its fibre then became indispensable for making many necessary items. For nearly 3000 years Hemp was planet Earth’s largest agricultural crop and most important industry producing the fibre, paper, clothing, lighting fuel and medicine used by much of humanity. It is and has always been Earths’ most sustainable natural resource. Modern technological advances have made possible a large variety of foods that can be made from Hemp Seeds including Cheese, Milk, Ice Cream, Flour, Hemp Tofu, Butter and Oil. From the leaves and stalks it is now possible to make over 20,000 types of products from medicine to houses to cellophane to dynamite.

4000BC Clay pot unearthed in Taiwan that had been decorated with wrappings of Hemp twine.

2800 BC Egyptian Goddess Sheshat (“the Goddess who measures”) depicted with a Hemp leaf above her head – records indicate Hemp was used for making measuring ropes in building construction. 

2600 BC Chinese Emperor Shennong recorded the worlds first medical text listing medicinal properties of Hemp. The Chinese used Hemp fibre for their bow strings and leaves were used for treating wounded soldiers. The Emperor made it compulsory for some farmers to grow Hemp. China becomes known as “The land of Hemp and Mulberry.” 

2000 BC Ancient Hindus of India list dried Cannabis leaves, seeds and stems in their first medicinal texts like the Atharvaveda. Cannabis is listed as one of the five sacred plants of India. 

1500 BC Cannabis is listed as a medicine in the Ebers Papyrus from ancient Egypt. 

800 BC Large stash of Cannabis leaves and seeds found in medicine bag of a mummified shaman in a tomb in the Gobi desert of China. 

200 BC First paper invented in China – is made from Hemp 

70 AD Dioscorides – medical doctor to Roman Emperor Nero lists Hemp extract in his famous medical text which went on to be used for over 1000 years. 

400 AD Mummified Ying Pan man discovered in China wearing a painted mask made from Hemp – the earliest known Hemp bio-plastic. 

768 King Charles the Great encourages growing of Hemp throughout his empire. 

1454 The Gutenberg Bible – the world’s first book printed on a moveable type printing press is printed on Hemp paper. The few remaining original copies of the Gutenberg Bible are considered to be the most valuable books in the world with a complete copy valued at over $25 million. 

1492 Christopher Columbus brings European Hemp to the new world. 

1533 King Henry 8th issued a royal proclamation which imposed a fine on any farmer that did not use some of his land for growing Hemp to supply the King’s Navy. 

1538 England’s first botanist, William Turner praises Hemp as a medicine in his book “New Herbal” 

1619 America’s first Cannabis law orders all farmers MUST grow Hemp. Hemp is made a legal tender (ie. can be used to pay taxes) 

1690 First American Paper Mill makes paper from Hemp 

1763 New laws in America make growing Hemp compulsory for all farmers. 

1776 The Declaration of Independence written on Hemp Paper by a Hemp Farmer. 

1789 “Make the most of Indian Hemp Seed and sow it everywhere” – George Washington, 1st President of USA and Hemp Farmer 

1797 “We shall, by and by, want a world of Hemp more for our own consumption” – John Adams, 2nd President of USA and Hemp Farmer.

1801 “Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country – If people let the Government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under Tyranny” – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of USA and Hemp Farmer.

1812 Napoleon goes to war with Russia to prevent supply of Russian Hemp to Great Britain. 

1853 Levi Strauss & Co is founded in USA. The world’s first pair of jeans are made – from Hemp 

1897 Rudolph Diesel invents world’s first diesel engine which is designed to run on clean burning vegetable oils including Hemp Oil which does not cause pollution or create carbon buildup inside engines. For 30 years Hemp Oil was the fuel of choice for automobiles until international banking cartels sought to destroy Hemp so they could replace it with their toxic petrochemical fuels. 

1930 Harry Anslinger appointed commissioner of the newly created Federal Bureau of Narcotics by his father in-law Andrew Mellon, one of the most powerful bankers in USA. Mellon plus two other bankers Rockefeller and Carnegie had significant investments in Oil, Paper, Synthetic Fibre, Petrochemical Plastics and Pharmaceuticals – all of which were about to be made obsolete by technological advancements in Hemp processing. So they launched a PR campaign to demonise Hemp and used Anslinger to trick the public into believing that any and all Cannabis was a dangerous drug that was killing American teenagers and causing black people and Mexicans to commit sex crimes against white American women. 

1937 US Congress approves a bill that prohibits the cultivation of all Cannabis including Hemp. 

1938 Popular Mechanics magazine article titled “New Billion Dollar Crop” announces the arrival of the new Hemp processing technology that was set to make Hemp America’s #1 commodity had it not been prohibited.

1939 The Mayor of New York didn’t believe Anslinger’s anti-Cannabis propaganda so commissioned 31 independent scientists to undertake a 5-year scientific investigation of the physical effects of consuming Cannabis. The results reveal “Cannabis does not cause aggressive or anti-social behaviour. It does not cause an increase in sexual depravity. It does not alter the fundamental aspects of ones personality.” The American Government immediately went on a nation-wide rampage to locate and burn all copies of the scientific report to prevent the public finding out that they had been deceived. 

1941 Henry Ford finishes making a car built almost entirely from Hemp and which ran on clean burning Hemp fuel. The car being 30% lighter than steel cars therefore required less fuel. Its light-weight bioplastic body panels were many times stronger than steel – could not be dented with a sledge hammer. “Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the Hemp Fields?” – Henry Ford 

1942 US Government cannot take part in World War 2 without Hemp for military clothing and equipment so they stop demonising Hemp and launch a campaign to encourage and reward US farmers for growing Hemp with a PR video titled Hemp For Victory. 

1945 At the end of World War 2 the US Government goes back to persecuting Hemp and claim there never was a video called Hemp For Victory. When US soldiers return from Europe they are ordered to put their Hemp uniforms back on and are sent out to American farms to burn all the Hemp crops. 

1956 US government elevates the classification of Cannabis to a schedule 1 narcotic, defining it as something with no medicinal value and as harmful as Crack Cocaine and Heroin. Teenagers found in possession of Cannabis (including Hemp plants) could face life imprisonment. 

1961 Henry Anslinger attended the United Nations and exerted USA’s power over the UN to have Cannabis Cultivation prohibited in 150 countries worldwide. As a consequence most of the world’s food, fibre, fuel and medicine went from being made organically by farmers to being produced chemically under the control of the Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical industries. It then took only a few decades to plunge the world into a toxic ecological catastrophe that worsens each year with many governments sending their youth off to kill each other in wars over petrochemical oil. 

1975 US Government funded research in Virgina discovers that Cannabis reverses Cancer. The study is immediately stopped and it is determined that future US research into the effects of Cannabis on Cancer would be prohibited. 

1996 Canada legalizes growing of Hemp which creates employment and hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue for the Canadian people.

1998 Paul Benhaim (now CEO of Hemp Foods Australia) creates 9bar from Hungarian Hemp Seeds which goes on to become the #1 selling snack bar in Europe. 

2002 Paul Benhaim (now CEO of Hemp Foods Australia) spearheads an application that is submitted to the Australian Government to have the prohibition of eating Hemp Foods removed. The Government undertakes a thorough investigation into Hemp, declares that it is safe and would be a beneficial food for Australians. The decision to allow Hemp foods gains much support among politicians however just before the decision is made official the Prime Minister John Howard sent a hand-written unexplained note to all the ministers saying “Hemp NO WAY!” So prohibition remained. 

2012 A second application is submitted to the Australian Government to allow Australians to eat Hemp Foods. The Government undertakes another thorough investigation of Hemp, again declares that it is safe, has no psychoactive properties and contains high quality essential nutrition – as of 2014 Australians are still waiting for the Government to act on its own recommendations. Hemp Foods Australia is launched and quickly becomes the largest Hemp Foods company in the southern hemisphere.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hempfoods/?fref=ts

2016 Medical marijuana is now legal in Australia

2017 Medicinal cannabis legalised in Victoria, child epilepsy patients to be given access from 2017

You will find hemp seeds and other hemp products at your local health food and organic shops! One of them is Cos Organics in Melbourne. 

In my next posts I will be writing about using hemp seed in cooking and food preparation and in skin care! Sharing with you some delicious recipes and great ideas!