As a psychoacoustic practitioner, authenticity is vitally important in the effectiveness of my practice. Sound is a conductor of intention; it is similar to light in this respect. Light reflects the nature of things we see around us: Color, shape and texture all can be perceived when light is shown on an object. Likewise, sound reflects the authenticity, true feelings and integrity of its source.
Have you ever heard someone say beautiful words, but you felt as if they had just slimed you? Or heard someone say they are doing fine when really you could hear in their voice that something was deeply hurting them?
Steven Halpern says "sound is a carrier wave of conscious," and Jonathan Goldman expands by saying in his book Healing Sounds: "This means that depending upon where an individual’s awareness is placed when he creates a certain sound, the sound will carry information on that state to the person receiving it…. This encompasses the overall state of the person making the sound and involves the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of that person." It is absolutely essential that we resonate on all of these levels with our healers, because we will pick up, either subconsciously or consciously, their consciousness.
When seen from this vantage point, we are able to understand the importance of authenticity in a sound healer’s practice, as well as in the music we listen to. If we desire to resonate with our heart, we must be aware of the sounds we bring into our awareness and the sounds we create. Words can be a double-edged sword. Gossip, slander and back-biting brings malice into our hearts and dulls our integrity.
A very wise man named Hazrat Inayat Khan spoke on how to wash the heart in his book The Art of Being and Becoming:
"The water that washes the heart is the continual running of the love stream. When that stream is no longer running, then the mind cannot remain pure. As water is the cleansing and purifying substance in the physical world, so is love on the higher plane."
This purification of the heart will lead you to a deeper authenticity in all you do, causing a magnetic attraction to positivity throughout life. To truly be in integrity, we must think from the heart space, act from the heart space and love all we meet with a compassion that can touch even the coldest heart. From this place, warm flowing words can melt the ice of hatred and clear all confusion. A sunrise within occurs in an authentic space of the heart. When I am very happy, I sing – and all those around me can feel the joy with me. Being in a place of genuine compassion and unconditional, faithful love elevates every word we say, sending this consciousness to others.
If sound is a carrier wave of consciousness, how are we affected by our soundscape? As we become more aware of our soundscape, we begin to perceive how these sounds could condition the mind to be distant and cold, for that is the authentic nature of most technology that we hear daily. What similarities do cars, planes, refrigerators, computers, TVs and air conditioners have with the mental and emotional state of the masses.
Joshua Leeds, in his book The Power of Sound, expresses his feelings: "Environmental noise pollution, which began with the Industrial Revolution, is now a nearly ubiquitous problem. Almost no place is free from excessive noise, with exposure occurring not only on the streets and at work, but also at home and even in the hospital."
What messages do our children receive growing up in a world of noise pollution, where the sounds carry an unnatural authenticity. Remember, sound is a "carrier wave of consciousness." It’s no wonder people don’t know how to be in integrity, are detached from what is going on locally, nationally and internationally, and speak negatively about others.
The authenticity crisis that affects us daily can be combatted by being grounded in our heart and emanating integrity outward to all who are within earshot. Let us stand in our personal power while speaking, and singing our consciousness onto the world. We can use words that resonate with others while being in authentic compassion and, as Hazrat Inayat Khan said, continually washing our hearts with the stream of love. As we blossom into our integrity, we assist the collective human mind in its evolution toward diverse unity.
