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What's Your Musical Mode (Mood)?

6/18/2018

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On May 29th I headed to Whidbey Island for a 10-day personal retreat. My time there included 3 days of advanced training with Chloe Goodchild, founder of The Naked Voice. Each time I practice with her, I dive into an ocean of soul- light and bring up more pearls.

This time, when we sang her 7 Sounds of Love in various keys (or modes), I found myself attracted to the Dorian Mode. It's a scale where joy and sorrow embrace. It starts in a rather dark mood and then rises to a sweet resolution. Much to my surprise, it helped me release old grief that I wasn't even aware was still trapped in me. Singing the tones of that scale shifted me back and forth between despair and joy and moved physical energy as well. Finally I released deep sobs. This healing process continued for several days, as I surfed the waves of emotion. Eventually I felt much lighter. My body was energized and less inflamed. My spirit was calm and serene. What a relief!

This healing process reminds me of Khalil Gibran's wisdom:
Joy and sorrow are inseparable...together they come, and when one sits alone with you...remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.


What are Musical Modes?

Different musical scales or modes have different expressive characteristics, allowing us to experience and convey a variety of emotions. We can also utilize different musical modes to change our mood. We can identify the mode of our speaking voices as well, and gain insight into the feelings behind the words.

The 7 musical modes that I practice and teach are recorded on Chloe's CD--Sound Awareness. Try singing along as a daily meditation and see what happens for you. Which modes are you attracted to? Does your favourite shift from day to day? What soul journeys do the various modes take you on?

The musical modes are named for geographic and ethnic regions of ancient Greece. Some of the Greek modes are: 

IONIAN—C major scale

DORIAN—D, mixed light and dark. Feeling confused, indecisive.  Helps you engage creatively with the unknown. [Greensleeves, Scarborough Fair]

PHRYGIAN—E, dark Kali, our shadow side

LYDIAN—F, has open, bright “Ma”.  [Sound of Music]

MIXOLYDIAN—G, Blues 7th “NI”. Used by Hildegard of Bingham [Norwegian Wood, Beatles]

AEOLIAN—A, Longing, lamenting feeling. [Summer Time]

The writings of Plato and Aristotle include large sections that describe the effect of different musical modes on mood and on character formation. For example, from Aristotle's "Politics",

“The musical modes differ essentially from one another, and those who hear them are differently affected by each. Some of them make men sad and grave, like the so called Mixolydian; others enfeeble the mind, like the relaxed modes; another, again, produces a moderate or settled temper, which appears to be the peculiar effect of the Dorian; and the Phrygian inspires enthusiasm.” The effect of modes on character and mood was called the 'ethos of music.' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_mode) Plato believed that a change in the musical modes of the state would cause a wide-scale social revolution. The Chinese believed this too, and they therefore limited the types of music that were allowed. What do you think? Do musical trends affect society and behaviour?
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What is the Most Powerful Sound Therapy Instrument?

10/18/2017

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The Most Powerful Sound Therapy Instrument Is . . . 
Well you've probably guessed by now. It's your voice! But I didn't always believe that. What made me change my mind? I took a 6-month course from Jonathan Goldman, founder of the International Sound Healer’s Association. Jonathan firmly believes that vocal toning is the most effective healing method. I secretly harboured the thought that crystal singing bowls were the most effective, but decided to give toning a go. You can do both, so why not? 

So, for six months I followed the daily assignments, toning various vowel sounds such as Ah, Eee, Oh, Mmm, per the instructions. And as required, I kept a log of my experiences, answering questions such as, “Where do I feel the sound in my body? How did the sound affect my emotions and my energy? What happens when I sing louder or softer? What happens when I focus my thoughts on a particular chakra? Which tones and sounds feel particularly delicious to me? Does that vary from day to day?” It was a fabulous exploration! I became aware of all the subtle nuances of vocal tones and my unique reactions. I learned to overtone and I created my personal chakra toning sequence. This simple practice shifted all aspects of my being—physical, emotional, mental, and energetic. 

So, after that course, I conceded that voice is the number one sound therapy instrument. Why? 
  1. It’s the oldest, most natural form of sound therapy. Everyone who breathes can make these vowel sounds. 
  2. It’s the only instrument that has human consciousness and intention embedded in it. That’s what gives it such healing power. 
  3. Our voice vibrates every organ in our body from the inside out, bringing it into harmony and vibrational alignment. 
  4. It’s a natural way to release pain (Think, “OW!”). 
  5. It’s free and completely portable!
If you want to try toning, here are a couple of tips. Louder is not necessarily better. When you tone softer, you will often hear the subtle overtones more clearly. Sing at a pitch that is comfortable and natural for you. Don’t strain. Just breathe in and let a sound float out on the out-breath. Enjoy! Mmmmm. Delicious.  

"The effect produced by singing depends upon the depth of feeling of the singer . . . The singer’s heart, so to speak, accompanies the song.” The Mysticism of Sound, Inayat Khan, p. 65 

"Let us not try to understand music with our mind. Let us not even try to feel it with our heart. Let us simply and spontaneously allow the music-bird to fly in our heart-sky. The Source of Music, Sri Chinmoy, p. 90  


You don't need to be a "singer" or performer to do any of this. Trust me! If you can breathe, you can do it! —Kaasay

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    Author

    Nancy A. Watters, MA, is an expert sound therapist, professional singer, psychotherapist and Reiki master. 

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