Have you noticed how many people are flocking to partake in sound baths? I don’t blame them. It is a unique experience. We are naturally frequency-seeking beings.
So what makes tuning fork therapy such a powerful modality? We are both a physical body and a wave body, and sound travels through the body as a wave. Our body is approximately 75% water down to the intracellular level. Since sound travels through water four times faster than any other medium, it provides a perfect environment for healing to occur. Sound and vibration affects every cell of our body, so a tuning fork session is like receiving a cellular massage.
There’s a long historical lineage of influencers regarding our relationship to sound. The Egyptians and Greeks have had a strong influence on intricate mathematical calculations of the Universe. As far back as 583, the Greek Philosopher and Mathematician, Pythagoras, perceived different ratios of sound wave frequencies and the corresponding intervals between them. He is also documented as the first westerner to have heard The Music of the Spheres — the sound of the Universe as the planets travel around the Sun along their elliptical pathways creating a universal symphony.
The tuning fork was invented in 1711 by British musician John Shore. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that tuning fork therapy was developed by English osteopath, Sir Peter Guy Manners, who is known as the Father of Sound Therapy and is also responsible for how tuning fork therapy came about.
One might not think they have ever been around a tuning fork, but think again. We have seen them used by piano tuners, as well as Audiologists and Conductors. Perhaps you even have seen one used for a science project when you were younger. When used therapeutically, it is a subtle non-invasive therapy. However, the practitioner needs to be aware that harm can be done if not used mindfully. There are contraindications that a practitioner should know about in order to practice safely.
Two different types of forks are used during a session: Weighted forks are vibro-acoustic and can be used on the body along meridians, acupuncture points, chakras or trigger points, as well as over the body. Unweighted forks are psycho-acoustic and are used around the etheric field over the body which also creates a beautiful soundscape for the patient. Although a vibration is not felt on the body with the unweighted forks, the sound wave still penetrates through the body via the auditory nerve and is also absorbed through the skin. Understanding the archetypal qualities, elements, and frequencies of the forks allows the practitioner to choose which would be best for a beneficial therapy session.
When working with tuning forks, we are working with frequency from both a Qualitative and Quantitative perspective. Quantitative involves numbers and frequencies. It’s a measurement. Qualitative is about the felt physical sensation. Everybody feels frequency in their body (think of when you had those floor tickets at your favorite musicians concert. You can feel that vibration coming from the ground up). It is the basis for somatic psychology. Patients want to feel it, and hear it.
Tuning fork therapy isn’t just a feel good experience. Sound has many benefits on the body and mind. Sound balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This allows the patient to shift out of sympathetic dominance, calming the nervous system and enter into a relaxed brainwave state. This therapy is beneficial for pain due to arthritis or other factors. It helps to relax muscle tension, boost the immune system, improve sleep and even help with grounding and centering. It helps to support the body’s system for anyone going through cancer treatments who may suffer with fatigue, brain fog, neuropathies or gastro-intestinal issues.
When using the forks, we are allowing the sound vibrations to bring our body to balance and coherence. Being in Tune! Unfortunately, being in tune doesn’t last forever. It’s a place we leave and come back to all the time. It’s been stated that the amount of stress we now have in one day, our great grandparents had in one year. So we need to bring ourselves to a still point where we can come to a neutral state and self regulate. Self regulating allows the body to better adapt to change, because if we don’t, the result is usually illness or disease. Tuning Fork Therapy helps us to find that coherency again. Allow yourself to come into neutral coherence and feel what it is like to “Be in Tune.” The Healer in the Room is Sound!
Donna Nesteruk, Licensed Acupuncturist, Practitioner and Instructor for Tuning Fork Therapy. Since 1999, Donna has been helping her patients find comfort physically and emotionally, utilizing different energy modalities. Through passion and guidance, Donna has been studying sound therapy since 2006, offering workshops in sound and guided imagery, as well as treating and teaching tuning fork therapy. As a holistic practitioner, her practice is also focused on the lymph system. Certified in lymph drainage with cupping, Donna assists the body to detox using tuning forks or cupping. website: innerstrengthwithdonna.com. email: donna@innerstrengthwithdonna.com, mobile: 631-848-8856.
