I have always been fascinated with the potencies of sound, especially its use in healing therapies. Wind chimes, bell choirs, the sounds of flowing water, mantras and music…all of these, at some level, carry the potential for healing. Working with sound can filter deep into our consciousness, eliciting response from our own inner rhythms of body and mind.
It took little prompting therefore to show up, recently, for an introduction to healing with crystal bowls. The session was announced at Aum Aradhana, in a consecrated hall of beautiful images and sacred art. Vaidyaji Priyanka was hosting the lovely duo of Dixie and Saryon, and their ‘family’ of healing crystal bowls. It promised to be, at minimum, an interesting afternoon.
The first thing that struck me was Dixie and Saryon’s intimate connection with their crystal bowls, of which there were easily two dozen or more. You could sense the bowls being spoken to, with care, love and sensitivity, as the couple went about sounding and tuning them, while the class prepared itself into a state of quiet receptivity, eyes closed for an experience of immersion.
The notes from each bowl would correspond to the sounds of particular chakras, or the seven primary energy centers of the subtle body. As each bowl was sounded, its note, beginning at a lower octave would go on to generate overtones in the higher octaves, and sounded in succession, a concert of crystal bowls was soon in full swing. A pulsating ensemble of purest notes of sound now wafted in and out of auditory center stage, dramatically interwoven with sounds of the Ancients sung by Vaidyaji. As the voices seamlessly spoke to the bowls, the audience heard the spray of the Vedic ocean.
Like a flock of birds alighting now on one branch, then on another, then on a third branch of the legendary wish fulfilling, blessing tree (Kalpa Vriksha), the notes jumped and straddled the scales of the musical octaves. Waves of sound washed over the crystal bowls and the audience in turn, taking on a life of their own. The effect was beyond words. The sounds were doing their work of harmonization on the inner rhythms of each individual’s unique energetic constitution. Some people felt energized and vivified, while others reported a feeling of heightened balance and calm, as internal energies aligned in the different organs of the body that required adjustment and healing. The musical ensemble then paused briefly, while the class was presently introduced to some interesting suggestions.
Saryon explained that the sounds emanating from these precious bowls frequently served as a bridge of communication with angels. Higher Beings, attuned to these sounds, would send messages of guidance and blessings, riding the waves, which could be intuited if we were receptive enough. Also, we would now complement the sounds of the crystal bowls with our own voices, for greater vibrational potency.
A second session followed, this time with several sonorous voices, led by Dixie’s, singing the mantra of Lord Shiva. As Dixie’s hypnotic chants ascended the scales, like wisps of incense rising in a quiet room, one had the feeling of angels transporting her pure vocals into the stratosphere, merging beyond into pure silence. This was the palpable experience of unstruck sound, or anahat nad, also sometimes referred to as the eighth note, or aathvan sur. The vibrations of the bowls would persist, even if one was no longer able to hear them, continuing their work of healing for a long while after. The Gurukul continued to meditate deep into the profound stillness.
Further sessions followed, where there were chants synchronized with hand gestures (mudras) from the ancient science of Kaya Kalpa, to amplify the effect of the bowls and the vocals. The vocals were poetic Sanskrit invocations to health and all noble and desirable qualities. At other times, Buddhist prayers of refuge were chanted, invoking the blessings of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
The class was then let on to a truly intriguing suggestion. We might think we were playing the bowls, but the reality was that the bowls were actually playing us, bringing us their gifts of healing. Interesting as it was, this shift of perspective brought in me a profound relaxation and a deep contemplation of gratitude. There was indeed an entire world of angelic forces that were transmitting through sound, well beyond the realm of intellect.
It is true that all of life is essentially an exchange and interplay of vibrations. Healing happens through vibrational harmony of the inner and the outer, the micro with the macrocosm, the best condition for which is inner purity. It is no wonder then that in all of the world’s ancient healing traditions, crystals have played a significant role. Clarity, purity, transparency, luminosity, magnificence…these are qualities nature has vested in crystals and precious stones, making them beautiful vehicles for the work of transmission and healing. Sound, and especially sound with pure intention, can impact the molecular structure of water, the body’s most abundant element, transmuting it into crystalline purity for a somatic enlightenment.
This tryst with crystal bowls was transformative, opening new vistas for awareness. Certainly, an avenue worthy of further exploration.