Sound, one of the most easily defined yet complex and intricate in how it’s used among different parts of the world. We can base sound on the effect it has when music is playing, or someone is singing. Depending on its tone and words expressed in the midst, it can have an effect on how a person feels or projects a perception due to its unique vibration properties. Nevertheless, language in its many forms has an enormous placement on humanity. Not only does it maintain power by expressive words; the sound projected with the words mean everything to how it’s placed in the conscious mind.
What is the sound? All sounds begin with vibration through which sound travels. A sound’s medium of travel mainly consists of air and water, although other mediums can be involved. This is also known as the sound wave. As frequencies of sound emulate in the air, it also taps into the body when the attention is received. Even if one is not attentive or conscious of these sounds, it still has an effect on the subconscious. As frequencies of sound emulate in the water, it instantly becomes intensified. For example, if you put your head under the water, you’ll feel the sounds more. Above the surface, only your eardrums are being stimulated by the sound waves. Sound travels through water five times faster than it travels through air. For the sake of healthy living affirmations, the power of healing through sound will be the base of this topic.
Most people can recognize that music gives off an intangible feeling when it comes into contact. Within the 7 octaves of musical measurements “Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti”, each octave represents a specific resonance that dictates the energy or mood in its presentation. Even during ancient civilization, music and instruments were part of a cultural expression as demonstrated in celebrations and spiritual ceremony gatherings. Many cultural practices require the use of incantations, a series of words said as a magic spell or charm, to relate to their respective deities. To bring it back to modern days, most yogi’s have picked up the practice of chanting, which too reflects ancient history. In the yoga and meditation world, many are familiar with the “Ohm” chant. What few do know is that the correct spelling and pronunciation is AUM, a mantra that is said to represent the sound of the universe and to represent all other sounds in monotone expression. Most believe that chanting this sound in a specific tone, can bring healing or a sense of peace to the mind, body and spirit in unison.
Sound is the basis of all spoken languages. Composed in a specific format, sounds become words, subsequently creating speech. The first spoken word or language is one which imitates the surrounding of the speaker. So the more sounds to imitate and the more things to be named, the bigger the vocabulary. With such a vast array of things to be named; and a plethora of sounds to be imitated, no wonder Ethiopia is the origin of life and sound on earth. In my studies, I have found that the mother of languages is Ge’ez, which is the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia from which Amharinya or Amharic, Tigrinya, and Tigre originated. As of modern day, Ge’ez is only used as the language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. While Ge’ez, which does not indicate vowels, has been obsolete in modern day, it was an extremely important part of Ethiopia that formed the languages they speak today. What’s fascinating about these originated languages, is that each sound has seven variations, and each variation ends in a vowel. For example pa, poo, pee, paa, pei, pi, po, or, ma, moo, mee, maa, mei, mi, mo. Thus making both languages diverse and rich in vocabulary; they also express sounds which other languages cannot write. For example, sounds which require the rolling of the tongue, cannot be expressed in writing by the English language, although it can be spelled and expressed in Amharic.
Over all, the reverence of sound can very much be an enormous effect in a person’s life. Word sounds can also be deceptive and form dis-ease to the mind. This depends on the intention of the sender, and the clarity of the recipient.”Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” – Haile Selassie I. Following heart and intuition is a 6th sense voice that only oneself can connect to. It’s that intuitive voice in the base of your crown head. If aware and receptive, one can activate this voice at leisure as their guidance. His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I, also mentions, “There is nothing as precious to man as a sound mind in a sound body, and it is essential that the physical well being of our people merits as much attention as its spiritual welfare.”
Written by: Fabienne Claude
