I have been playing around on YouTube looking for things to help me concentrate on my work. Its towards the end of the semester and this is the hardest time even without a pandemic to worry about.

So, when I stumbled upon sound healing, I thought I had nothing to lose; why not? Sound healing if you take a quick search on Google is  “In short, it’s a practice that uses vibrations (vocal or instrumental-like gongs, Tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks) in order to relax your mind and body. Some proponents also believe it can relieve certain ailments, including anxiety and insomnia.”

I was listening to this type of sound for some time the I noticed other sounds popping up so, I then stumbled into binaural beats. According to good ole Google “binaural beats in the alpha frequencies (8 to 13 Hz) are thought to encourage relaxation, promote positivity, and decrease anxiety. Binaural beats in the lower beta frequencies (14 to 30 Hz) have been linked to increased concentration and alertness, problem solving, and improved memory.”

I started listening to these sounds to help me do things around the house relax me when I am stressed even help me focus on school more. While I listened to them, I noticed how they improve my anxiety. I no longer feel anxious while doing a project but instead I feel a sense of calm. These sounds have helped me to relax and focus. I find myself using these two sounds throughout my daily life. When I wake up in the morning, I use the sound healing on YouTube find a video I really like and meditate. Completely clear my mind and relax my body. I feel like in a time like now when everything is not normal, and we are all feeling anxious it’s a great time for us to meditate.

Meditation is my one of the many ways I calm myself down and re-center. Since I am unable to distract myself from my thoughts because there is nothing to do; I must find ways to cope so I don’t go insane.

I am not the only one who has found sound healing though. I first heard about singing bowls from Jhene Aiko. She is one of my favorite artists and she now incorporates the singing bowls into her music. Her music alone makes me feel at ease. I sometimes feel like my spirit is escaping my body when I listen to her. Jhene says according to E news that “After hearing so many stories from fans and the reasons to why they listen to my music, I realized that my purpose in creating is to help people heal and transform.”

She is doing just that in her music now by adding the singing bowls that aid in relaxing and she does in in every song of her new album “Chilambo.” Jhene even had a mantra called “Trigger Protection Mantra” in which she played singing bowls in the key of A (third eye), E (solar plexus) and C (root chakra). The energy that comes over you when you hear both the sounds of her voice and the visuals is pure bliss. I feel as though my body is levitating and I feel free. Your brain feels relaxed and peaceful.

This sound healing is not something that’s new in this article from medicine narrative it says “The ancient Egyptians used vowel sound chants in healing because they believed vowels were sacred. Tibetan monks take advantage of singing bowls, which they believe to be “a symbol of the unknowable” whose “vibrations have been described as the sound of the universe manifesting.”. These people seem way ahead their time because sound healing isn’t really talked about now even though it is more known than before.

There are studies on the effects sound healing has on the brain not much because there are skeptically but in all honesty its not about the science its about what it does for you and your wellbeing. What it has done for me is amazing its, giving me so much peace of mind on days where I could hardly breath. When I needed to sleep, I would play this and in a couple hours I was in a deep sleep. I even tried on my nephew who hates going to sleep and whether he liked it or not he went to sleep. It has helped me concentrate more even while I’m writing this column I am listening to a binaural beat.  I want people to incorporate it into their routine as a test see what it does for them. Start by using it to meditate make sure you clear your mind and listen to every note. In a pandemic, this could be one of the many way you find peace and some healing for yourself its worth a try.