Moving beyond our work in Hmmming or Uttering through Song, there are other forms used in healing.

Today's class exploration includes looking at various aspects of overtone singing (Tibetan chant, etc.). Overtones occur natural as part of sound. Our brains work out a sort of compromise and register a "fundamental pitch". In fact, every fundamental also has many overtones, sounds we generally ignore or register in the timbre (colour) of someones voice or of an instrument.

The voice extends in two directions: 1) Back towards breath and therefore into instruments (flutes and other woodwinds), 2) Extended vocal techniques such as overtone singing.

There is a persistent and powerful relationship between notions of healing with music and overtones. Why? What are they supposed to do?

Listen to these sample tracks.

Break into small teams and lets explore the phenomenon of overtones in healing.

OVERTONES:

Relief from stress and anxiety
Improved concentration
Enhanced creativity
Improved vision (physical, mental and spiritual)
Brain hemisphere balancing
Restoration of equilibrium in the endocrine system by vibrating the pituitary.
Relief of sinus congestion and headaches
Induction of alpha brainwave activity or deep meditation
Increased energy through stimulation of the cerebrospinal fluid (possibly the physical form of kundalini energy)
Chakra and aura balancing and cleaning (and corresponding organs and glands)
Space clearing
Easier access to intuition and higher consciousness

The healing of serious illnesses such as cancers and tumours may also be achieved with dedication.

*The author is one of these Westerners, and is in fact the only Westerner to have performed Overtone Chant and "Deep Voice" overtone chant with both the Tibetan monks (Gaden Shartse Monastery - World Tour 2000) And also the Xhosa Woman's Ensemble (Parliament of World's Religions, Cape Town, 1999)

Here's a list we compiled in class of all things claimed to be affected by overtones:

Cebral Cortext Charging
Heart rhythm reduction (3 pulsations per minute -- gotta do that!0
Respiratory reduction
Cerebal waves reduction
Metabolic reduction
Temporal perception slowing

Relief from stress and anxiety
Improved concentration
Enhanced creativity
Improved vision (physical, mental and spiritual)
Brain hemisphere balancing
Restoration of equilibrium in the endocrine system by vibrating the pituitary.
Relief of sinus congestion and headaches
Induction of alpha brainwave activity or deep meditation
Increased energy through stimulation of the cerebrospinal fluid (possibly the physical form of kundalini energy)
Chakra and aura balancing and cleaning (and corresponding organs and glands)
Space clearing
Easier access to intuition and higher consciousness

Chakras seem to be associated with healing and harmonic overtones. Where did this all come from?

Chakras are from Vedic medicine and refer to both physical body and what is called the etheral body. Aryuvedic medicine is based on balancing chakras in order to achieve a harmonious and healthy state. Here is a quick link, but the wiki articles on chakras are quite weak. Let's find a good one.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra