Do You Have a Voice that Heals?

In our spiritual & healing practices, we can all use sound vibration to take our awareness to quieter, more subtle levels; willfully shifting our mind and mental space to achieve an expanded state of consciousness. We can also use this powerful healing force of nature as medicine to shape and transform thoughts, and to help other humans attain a state of deep stillness and balance in which their natural healing process can occur when they are experiencing discomfort, pain and disease.

Although we can use a variety of instruments that carry an array of vibrations that help attune to the natural elements, my experience is that the voice is a far more powerful tool as it conveys intention more directly than any other musical instrument.

Whether in my personal practice, with a client or a wide audience, my use of sound medicine is usually a 4-phase process:

Phase I ─ Connecting: Focused on my breathing, I ease into a meditative state. I visualize the grounding support of the earth, and call upon my own representation of divine guidance. I relax in my heart space, my throat and my other energy centers. I then allow soft sounds to come up (e.g., humming, toning), as I listen to the whispers of my soul; checking-in with body awareness; observing “what is”. By listening to the expression of my truth through my own voice, I learn about the (sometimes unconscious) state in which I am – my energy level, my tension, etc. There, I find authenticity. The more open and present I am, the more reality is revealed. In my personal practice, the intention is self-exploratory. In healing work with others, it is set on connecting to the energy of the other person/group/space and being a channel for the “rebalancing work” to be done through me.

Phase II – Clearing: In this phase, I feel the freedom to express the energy sensed, without judgement or censorship. At this point, anything acoustic can happen ─ from yawning to gibberish; from letting out a guttural “aa” while sticking out the tongue to a high pitched squeak; or crying to a wave of syllables and tones. The goal is to liberate pressure, allowing the sound vibration to massage the molecules that form the physical body; creating space between the cells and de-crystalizing tension, getting ready to rebalance the energy flow. Here, I am liberating stuck energy and bringing more energy to depleted areas. Once again, this “work” can be done on a personal level, or to express the energy of a client, a group or a space.

Phase III – Calibrating:  With loving, healing intent, sounds and songs are spontaneously, intuitively expressed, or produced according to ancient traditions or modern sound healing techniques, to elevate the vibrational rate. An example would be using the sound “sss” to rebalance the lung and provide relief from its associated emotions of grief and sadness, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Phase IV – Celebrating: At this point, the voice is used to express gratitude; usually in the form of a mantra or a chant that pays tribute to nature; helping spirits; other beings or life force, creating a sense of bliss and oneness. This state of bliss is amplified when a group of people put their voices together, with the same intent.

I would love to hear about how YOU use sound & song in your own spiritual or healing practice. Please share your experience and your comments below!

Peace in your heart,


By MJ Vermette
Sound healing artist, facilitator & music producer at SacredFire (www.sacredfiremusic.com)

For information about the author, click here.