Mystical Principles of Sound Healing

Mystical Principles

Introduction

This page is an attempt to describe the principles behind my personal approach to sound healing. It rests on the mystical premise that there is only one Truth, I Am, a perfect Selfhood. Our beliefs and the stories we have created about ourselves, stand in the way of realizing our perfect Selfhood.

Beyond the story
Beyond belief
Dwells freedom

During a sound healing session I do not aim to fix anything wrong, but instead enter a state of meditative inner listening and from there hold space to allow the person I am with to experience their true Self.

This Mystical Sound Healing is not a technique that can be learned, but is a state of mind arrived at through introspection and contemplation. However, by addressing some principles and fundamentals I hope to encourage others to engage on their own journey of self discovery.
Meditate on and contemplate the principles listed below.

My background and qualifications:
From an early age I have been aware of the multi-dimensionality of my being and found refuge in the Stillness Within. In the mid 1990’s I started taking courses and workshops in the healing arts and meditation. I studied many different modalities, only to let go again and again of what I learned. I came to trust and rely on my inherent Knowing and rest in Being instead of trying to do and affect anything. Eventually I distilled my own unique method. I now use sound to help others enter a state of harmony and peace. I view it as practical mysticism.

Intended audience:
- Those offering sound healing services.
- Those seeking to live a practical mystical life.
- Those seeking a deeper spiritual understanding.
- Those seeking to live by spiritual principles, bringing forth harmony, beauty and peace.
- Those seeking to access an infinite source of creativity.

Let the sounds guide you into the Stillness
Enter the Kingdom Within
And Be
Love

Definitions

Sound: (noun) auditory impression, tone.; (adjective) thorough, complete.
Healing: The natural process by which the body restores balance and harmony.; The realization of our perfect Self, I Am.
To Contemplate: To consider carefully and at length; meditate on or ponder.
To Realize: To comprehend and bring into our perceptual reality.
Mystical: Relating to an inner quest for and realization of the one and only Truth, I Am.; Realizing oneness with God.
Resonance: The condition in which a system (person) is stimulated to vibrate energetically in sync with another system (person).
Entrainment: A process of synchronization where two or more systems (people) vibrate energetically at the same rhythm, governed by the stronger system.

The Mystical Principles of Sound Healing

Stillness (the core principle)
It may appear paradoxical, but the core principle of my sound healing approach is stillness: I enter a meditative state of Stillness and through resonance & entrainment I allow the ones with me to experience that same state. I do not attempt to diagnose, address, correct or fix any perceived physical, mental or emotional problems. Simply by allowing the ones I am with to enter an inner state of harmony and balance, their body and mind will be reminded of their true purpose and correction of imbalances will be initiated from within.
Sound, when it ebbs away, leads the way to silence (the absence of sound).
Silence opens the door to stillness (a state of inner awareness).
From stillness arises the realization of our perfect Self.
Exercise to enter stillness:
1. Breathe consciously in & out. Focus on the breath. Rest briefly after each breath, sense the presence.
2. Rest in silence. Listen inwardly. You may feel an expansion or a pressure building in your head.
3. At one point you will/may feel a “connection” as if something clicks internally, followed by a calmness and a deepening of the stillness. The “thunder of silence”.
Being, not doing (a secondary principle)
Throughout my life’s journey I’ve come to realize that I do not need to “do” anything. I don’t need to attempt to change anything. Instead I realized to just Be, turning inward, listening for “guidance” how to act. This applies to my regular daily life as well as my sound sessions.
I have come to view life as a divine play in which I am an actor with a more-or-less assigned role. In Sanskrit there is a word for this: लीला (līlā). In Christian terms this is reflected by the mystical interpretation of the statement “Not my will but Thy Will be done”. However, I am not a passive actor, I also write, produce and direct the play. I am here to realize my creative self expression.
And so are you.
In my sound healing sessions I allow you to simply “be”. For the duration of the session you are not asked or expected to “do” anything. Instead, you have the opportunity to turn inward and experience the Stillness.
Inner listening (the method)
Throughout a sound session (better yet, throughout the day) remain in a state of receptivity, a state of listening. Listening for inner guidance, that still small voice, a thought, giving you direction how to act. An opening of opportunities. A spark of creativity.
Keep an alert, quiet, receptive and responsive attitude, and your life unfolds in tune with the universe.
For the participant in a sound healing session, at first you listen with your ears to the sounds of the instruments. And you may sense physical vibrations from the drum or didgeridoo. Then, as you relax, and as the sounds become softer, and as you pay attention to the silence as the sounds ebb away, you enter a state of inner listening, From there, you enter Stillness.
Resonance & entrainment (the mechanism)
The way sound healing has effect is through the mechanisms of resonance and entrainment. In physics terms these are defined as:
Resonance occurs when one vibrating object causes another object with the same resonant frequency to vibrate, often leading to an increase in amplitude.
Entrainment, on the other hand, is the alignment of rhythms between two systems, where a stronger resonating system influences a weaker one to match its rhythm.
This is a rather limited material view however. It works similarly on a consciousness level. By being in the presence of a person who is able to enter deep meditative states, others will have easier access to those states as well.
Side-note: This is why it is powerful to be in the physical presence of a spiritual guru or to be at a universally recognized power location like Mt Shasta.
Side-note: This also works in negative ways. If you immerse yourself in negative news and situations all day, you will be entrained correspondingly.
Therefore a personal live session is vastly more effective than listening to any type of recording in isolation. However, listening to a recording during a virtual sound session is effective too (although somewhat restricted by the limitations of the recording process): energetic resonance and entrainment are not bound by distance (or time).
In a sound healing session I am in a state of meditation, allowing you to access that as well.
Side-note:
Have you ever wondered how it is possible that a large group of the population start to exhibit the same behavior, or share the same new belief, within a very short period of time? This is a result of a cultural or even global mesmerism, a state of group hypnosis. Although it is interesting to question who or what the source of this mesmerism is, this is not relevant. What is relevant though is that you recognize the hypnotic state many people are in. Once you recognize it it looses all apparent power over you.
Fear, chaos, disharmony are low frequencies. They are weak frequencies because of their chaotic nature, with lack of coherence.
Love, knowing, harmony on the other hand are high frequencies. They are strong frequencies because they are focused and coherent.
Instruments (session details)
A typical sound healing setup has multiple instruments, each with their own character or quality. Some are grounding, others uplifting. Some sound harmonious, others may be somewhat jarring. Some have pure tones, others contain complex harmonics.
You don’t need to be a musician to practice sound healing. In fact, the mind has a tendency to quickly become familiar with any melody or consistent rhythm, which keeps you in a mental state. So to bypass the mind it is better not to play any melody. Vary rhythms constantly. Allow the sounds to break, stop randomly. Listen to the instrument, let it play itself. Use instruments tuned do different (non-western) scales.
In a sound healing session I have a general outline, but specifics are spontaneous and vary by session. I typically start with instruments that have a grounding effect and gradually move to instruments that are more uplifting. I am always in a state of inner listening and from that state I am guided which instrument to use and how to play it. My instruments are not just inanimate objects, they are active co-creators of a session.
Side-note:
All audio recording techniques alter sound character and add distortion when saved to file in a compressed file format.
All audio recording equipment has a sound level threshold below which no sound is picked up. Additionally, inherent electronics noise obfuscates the lowest sound levels. Even worse, if any type of “noise reduction” is used during recording or audio editing, low sound level sounds as they approach silence are cut off.
Therefore there is no substitute for live acoustic sounds, especially where it comes to being able to follow the sound as it ebbs away and gives way to silence.
InSpirit singing (session details)
The human voice is the most versatile and important instrument. It is not limited to a fixed set of notes or scale like a musical instrument is.
There is no need for fancy techniques like throat signing or overtone signing; this has a tendency to become performative. Keep it pure, simple and authentic.
While you play an instrument, listen for the spaces between sounds and find the sounds within you that complement or enhance those spaces. It is not just a matter of filling the silence but an exploratory “dance” between sounds.
In a sound healing session I am listening inwardly. This guides me what instruments to choose. But also, I may feel as if a vocal sound wants to express itself. It is almost as if sounds “bubble up” from my core being, and I simply allow it to come out as a song. So all the songs I sing are improvised, a reflection of the moment and the person or people I am with, a vocalization of pure essence. I call this Soul Sounding or InSpirit Singing.
Detached witnessing (a guiding principle)
Be the witness, the observer. View each situation from a neutral standpoint, detached. There is no good or bad situation; “good” and “bad” are just moral judgments (that can vary greatly by cultural background).
In a sound healing session I do not try to diagnose what is “wrong” with you, nor do I attempt to “fix” anything. I merely observe and accept you as you present yourself in the moment. Whatever you may tell me before the session I let go as soon as I start the sound session. During the session I purely see you as the perfect being that you are.
Life as ceremony (a guiding principle)
I had the opportunity to visit Nepal in 1995 and I was struck by the ceremonial style and slow pace of living that I witnessed there. From that trip I brought back not only some physical instruments but also the desire and determination to live a ceremonial life myself. That has been a guiding principle ever since.
No time, no space (a guiding principle)
The past is little more than (often distorted and incomplete) memories, the future is little more than desires and fears. All that matters is this moment Now.
The power is in the present moment
and any thought or action we take now
impacts all emanations of our Selfhood,
and through the holographic nature of existence
impacts All That Is.
With everything in the Now, all here, there is no space either...
Beyond stories and beliefs (a guiding principle)
We create our own persona.
Most people are unaware that they create their perceived reality with their thoughts, fueled by their beliefs, amplified by their emotions. They live in a state of seeming disconnect from Self. By letting go of all beliefs and all stories one accepted about one’s life, one allows Self to express ItSelf.
Most everything you (think you) know is something you heard from another person. In essence that’s all nothing more than a story, accepted in faith or based on perceived authority.
How much do you know from personal experience? And even that, how much is that colored and influenced by cultural factors?
Your mind keeps you enslaved. Let go of everything you thought you knew. Let go of all stories. Similarly, let go of all your beliefs. You will experience a sense of liberation. Freedom.
Instead of acting based on stories and beliefs, let go of all that, and connect with inner knowing, act from a place of trust.
Beyond the story
Beyond belief
Dwells freedom
Letting go (a guiding principle)
Not my will but Thy Will be done. When we realize and accept the peace, beauty and grace of the universe, we can let go of our human desires, our wants, and our fears. Stay in that receptive place and let the universal creative principle work through you and with you. Surrender in not knowing, and all will be Known.
A helpful method to surrender and let go of human desires and resulting perceptions of “lack” is the following centering prayer from the book "Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening" by Cynthia Bourgeault:
I let go my desire for security and survival.
I let go my desire for esteem and affection.
I let go my desire for power and control.
I let go my desire to change the situation.
All is perfect as it is
When you (silently) say these words, be receptive for any form of insight that might come your way.
Unlearning (a guiding principle)
Since the mid 1990’s I studied many different healing arts modalities. After each workshop or training, time and time again I found that although the technique learned had effect, every technique kept me locked in a mental head-space. Furthermore, I got stronger effects by not attempting to use what I had learned, but instead to simply be in a meditative state. It was a journey of learning and subsequent unlearning.
Eventually I distilled my own method of not doing but being. This requires trust, which potentially is one of the most challenging parts of our journey of awakening.
Insights (a feedback mechanism)
Insights may come in many ways:
- A fleeting thought,
- A dream,
- A mental concept upon awakening,
- Words overheard on radio, tv, internet or from a passersby on the street.
Indicators that we are on the right path may come as sudden short ringing in the ears, a deep sense of peace, or seeing repeating, meaningful or sequential numbers when glancing unconsciously at a clock, a car odometer, the number of comments on an internet post etc.
For instance: 1:23, 11:11, 54321, 314, 444
As you more and more embrace these mystical principles, you will experience synchronicities and situations “falling into place” easily and effortlessly.
Perfect Selfhood (practical mysticism)
“Healing should not be thought of as the removal of something discordant, but as the joyous acceptance of that which we know to have ever been our perfect Selfhood.”
~ Lillian DeWaters, “The Voice of Revelation”
In the first thirty odd years of my life I didn’t have a vocabulary for my inherent knowing. That changed when I read books by last-century mystics Joel S. Goldsmith and Lillian DeWaters. Steeped in Christian background, their message was: God Is, God alone Is, All is God, There is nothing but God. Since God is all there is, there is nothing besides God, and thus nothing to oppose God. God is perfection.
The concept of “God” has widely diverse interpretations, so it is important to explain what I mean when using the word “God”, taken out of any religious context. Especially since one of the definitions of “Mystical” is “conscious union with God”. God most definitely is not some external divine being or something specific to one religion or another.
What is God
I am blessed to live in a mountain town with minimal light pollution. At night when I look at the sky with countless stars and celestial bodies I see pure beauty, grace, harmony, inter-connection and perfection. Same when I just look at nature around me. This cannot be just pure happenstance. There must be some sort of creative principle behind this all. This creative principle and all of creation is “God”. In our mythologies and religions we find much talk about divine beings called gods, but those are not the God that I am referring to. To me, God is All that Is. I suspect Jesus was referring to this same principle when he said “the Father and I are One”.
Perfect Selfhood
The universe as we observe it is a pure representation of this creative principle, which also can be viewed as spiritual consciousness. It is grace and harmony in essence. There is no concept of “good” or “bad”, no moral judgment about the behavior of any of the celestial bodies. There is no power other than the power of the creative principle behind it all, a power of grace, harmony and abundance.
Only when we loose this awareness do we experience apparent separation.
Side-note: Because God is All that Is, God is not holding anything back. So there is no use of praying to God for any type of favor.
Truth (practical mysticism)
Ultimately, what is True now was also true yesterday, last year, last century. And what is True now will still be true tomorrow, next year, next century. In other words, what is truly True never changes.
Only that which is changeless is True.
This is an important concept to contemplate. When you grasp this, it is easy to step beyond beliefs and stories.
So, nothing in this physical universe is True, all is just a temporary appearance.
From the One Creative Principle, the Changeless One, came awareness.
Although it is beyond mental comprehension, a limited way of putting it is:

Awareness births consciousness.
Consciousness forms universes.
Universes pulsate in-and-out of apparent existence.
I Am (practical mysticism)
Nothing in the universe is True, all is just a temporary appearance.
Fundamentally, when I truly and deeply contemplated the question "who or what am I", inevitably I came to the realization that all that I can truly rely on is that "I am". Nothing more, nothing less.
Once I say “I am this” or “I am that”, I create duality, the acceptance of a possibility of “I am not that”. Not only that, I create separation, because “this” and “that” point to something outside of myself.
“I” am not my body, “I” am not my mind. I express myself through the personal I. I am not at the whim of my body and mind but I have dominion over my body and mind. I play a role in a cosmic dance, a dance which I orchestrate.

About Edward Maesen

From an early age I have been aware of the multi-dimensionality of my being and found refuge in the Stillness Within.
My formal education is in Physics, but I also studied psychology, philosophy, psycho-acoustics and western as well as eastern medicine. My corporate career started as physics engineer and morphed into software engineer. I retired from the corporate world in 2015.
In my youth I traveled extensively throughout Europe. I traveled to Nepal in 1995, was touched by the ceremonial lifestyle of the people, walked the Langtang National Park trail alone, and brought back my first sound healing instruments. The same year I got my first didgeridoo and started taking healing arts workshops. I traveled through the south of France in 1997, following the path of the Black Madonna as she appeared in the local churches. And in the north to Chartres and Versailles, taking in the Christed energy still present there. I co-facilitated retreats at sacred sites in Mexico in the early 2000’s. I traveled to Guatemala and Honduras in 2002, experiencing fire ceremonies with the indigenous Mayan people, and was “touched by the gods” according to the Mayan priests during one of the ceremonies. I visited known and —at that time— unknown pyramids in Egypt in 2004, and spend time alone in the “sarcophagus” of the Great Pyramid. I co-facilitate retreats in Mount Shasta since 2014.
As an intuitive sensitive physicist I represent a unique balance between head and heart, between sensing and knowing, between left-brain and right-brain, between masculine and feminine.
I am visited regularly by people who have experienced many sound baths or sound healings before and the feedback is consistently that my session is unlike those before. People are able to reach deeper states of relaxation and experience the Stillness.

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Disclaimer

No claim is made nor implied that my services cure any physical, mental or emotional disease.
Information and insights shared are for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only.

Thank You and Be Well!