Toning for Wellbeing

For me the human voice is an amazing instrument, not only in an aesthetic sense from the point of view of a trained singer, but also much more generally as a tool for self healing and wellbeing.

As Kate Marks states in her introduction to her book Circle of Song:

“Sound, especially the human voice is a powerful catalyst for healing and transformation. As we sound and sing, we harmonize our being, lift our spirits and dissolve our pain.”

There are several ways the voice can be used as a healing instrument and I will be explaining some of these over the next few posts. The first technique I would like to talk about is toning. Initially we need to understand what is meant by toning and how it is different to singing. The repeated toning of vowels creates a reverberation so that when the chanting stops, the sounds continue to echo within the mind and within the chambers of the body.

David Gordon explains toning so beautifully in his online article on toning I just had to share this excerpt with you:

Toning is the creation of vocal sounds on a single vowel - no melody or rhythm or words, just pure sound vibration. It's a simple technique, accessible to everyone regardless of vocal ability or training. With this powerful tool you can immediately experience the healing effects of sound on your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Toning synchronizes your brainwaves and helps relieve tension within a few minutes. By literally massaging your body and mind from the inside out, toning can help you release negative emotions; reduce stress; and improve stamina and concentration. You can increase your self-esteem and become more expressive and creative in your daily life. Toning is also a wonderful technique for developing your voice-ear connection and enhancing your power of listening to everything around you.

Most of all, toning can help you awaken and deepen your sense of self, and align you to the deepest vibrations of soul and spirit. On the path of toning, you move toward the source of your own inner balance, creativity, well-being, and freedom.

An extention of this toning process is the practise of toning the chakras. One of the workshops I offer is a Chakra Toning workshop and I will share with you more information on toning the chakras in my next post.