Do you believe in people having positive or negative energy? I really do. I think that if I approach a day with a calm optimism and consistently force myself to look at the glass as half full, I will probably be chemically and physically different – and most probably give off good vibes.
You might be rolling your eyes and say that this all very airy fairy, and I get it – but in recent years, there has been growing acceptance that our thoughts have a huge impact on our bodies and outcomes in our lives.
What’s the science behind it? There is a mixed bag of findings and theories that try to bridge the gap between mind, energy and body. I’m not entirely convinced by all of them but some do resonate with me. Today I’d like to introduce you to a practice that has helped deepen my understanding of the topic: sound therapy. It all started last summer in Dubai, when I met Ana Palma and Renato Koch, an interesting duo who has been running sound therapy sessions across the city. They were hosting a 2-hour workshop that included some science-based theory, followed by a short yoga class to clear the chakras and then an hour where you just sit back, close your eyes and let yourself be transported by the sound of various tribal instruments. I was totally blown away by the effect this sound portion of the class had on me. It was more effortless than meditation, I felt like I was awake but at the same time my thoughts and imagination were unleashed like in a dream. I “woke up” completely refreshed and void of any tension, it was bliss. Tribal music was a thing for millions of years for a reason folks. Try it and you’ll see. But for now, read my interview with Ana and Renato to learn more!
WM: Can you explain what you do?
A & R: We help people get from a state of imbalance to a state of balance, through the use of sound that emanates from a variety of tribal instruments, such as Tibetan balls, the rain stick and shamanic drum. The vibrational frequencies of these sounds allow you to shift to a higher vibrational hertz associated to better overall feelings, mindset and physical state. This is based on a concept called sympathetic resonance. We work with adults and children across Dubai both in group and individual sessions. We use tuning forks on private sessions, as they have a similar application as needles do for acupuncture, but using vibration on the pressure points.
WM: Can you share the rationale behind sound therapy and how does it work?
A & R: Sound is something that was used in ancient traditions as a healing tool. The idea is that everything – human beings, nature, objects, etc – is energy and energy has a frequency. When we receive energy that is out of tune with ours – this can be from negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs, past traumas but also from our environment – our frequency lowers and we get into a state of imbalance that can manifest itself through disease, depression, physical ailments and emotional issues. In sound therapy, we apply sound frequencies to affected parts of the body in order to restore higher vibrations that are associated to wellbeing and balance. It can have profound effects on people.
WM: What are some of the other things sound therapy can help with?
A & R: People who come to us have usually tried everything already to “fix” their problems and their symptoms keep coming back. Common issues include :
- Stress
- Poor sleep
- Depression
- Physical chronic pain
- Headaches and migraines
Sound therapy slows down the mind immediately and can provide temporary instant relief to things like pain. However for longer term results, it takes more time and sessions. It also requires the person’s awareness and intention.
WM: What has been your experience with dealing with depression and negative emotions?
A & R: There are many cases of people who have seen phenomenal results from sound therapy. They are stuck in certain beliefs and mindset and they can’t see a way out: everything becomes negative. The sounds help people slowly but surely shift their minds from lower emotions to a state of harmony, abundance and inner strength. As they say, “where attention goes, energy flows” and we try to help them hold it there. The more often you hold those positive thoughts and energy, the stronger those synaptic connections get in your brain.
You can really shift working on positivity and intention to move out of your negative emotions and go as far as you want to.
Getting a massage, getting your hair or nails done, these are like a Panadol. They are medicine and don’t go to the source of the problem. You need to learn and find the power within yourself to get better. We create a sacred space where people can feel comfortable to connect with themselves. It’s about making it easy for every person to tap into the healing inside themselves.
WM: What is one thing that often comes up when dealing with low energy and frequency?
A & R: Lack of self-love is a key point people struggle with but it’s often overlooked. Not having enough love for who you are can really keep you from being on a high vibration. Some of the “signs” include:
- When you look for things externally to be happy – material things like shopping, activities to always keep yourself busy, always want to have people around you
- Always focused on helping and looking after everyone around you and neglecting yourself
- Suppressing emotions, doubts and fears
- There is a pressure from society to not be selfish and it should be the opposite – we try showing to people the most important thing is to take care of how they feel. When we sit by ourselves, do we enjoy our own presence and enjoy how we are feeling? Or are we not happy with our body, with my situation, with my feeling, etc.?
- You think you are not worthy of love – you avoid relationships, you close yourself to love
When you take care of yourself physically, spend more time with yourself, you get to know yourself better. You need to look inside and do what you really want to do not things society wants you to do. You need to be self-realized and happy with who you are and what you look like. We try to guide people to start looking at it with different eyes. One of the ways to work on this are positive affirmations – the work that Louisa Hayes does is amazing. It helps you accept yourself and the way life happens around you. The work she did with people with HIV and other diseases helped them heal and shifting from a lower to higher vibration.
WM: Do you see yourselves as healers?
A & R: No, not at all, we just create the space for people to heal and change themselves, to move out of the place that is blocking them from that state of abundance and help them gravitate towards a more positive place. We just show the doors and empower people to change.
It is a bit scary and uncomfortable to face our fears and emotions, we can easily feel vulnerable. Our aim is to make people feel comfortable and confident getting there, creating the right environment and giving guidance, it is not about banging on Tibetan balls.
WM: Can you share some tips on how to vibrate at a higher frequency and stay there?
A & R: There are definitely a few things you can do on a regular basis that can be very effective.
Create daily peaceful moments
Even with our hectic rushing life, focus on creating at least a short peaceful moment in your daily life, by dedicating sometime to practice an activity just for you, to slow down the mind and thoughts. It can be by practicing some deep conscious breathing, a guided meditation, yoga, taking a conscious walk in nature or reading an uplifting book. It’s really important to train our mind to become stiller, more focused. Start with 10 minutes in the morning when you wake up to help you then be more centered in your mind to go and plan the millions of activities you have for the day. Then, do the same at night for another 10 minutes before going to bed.
Practice positive thinking
Use your intention to create more positive thinking, even if you have big challenges in your life. Accept the difficulties as a life experience and always focus on the positive outcome of any situation, without creating any expectation. Simply plant a positive seed for the solution to come.
Today, it is proven by science that our positive thoughts act like a medicine to our brain, nervous system, immunological system and so on. So, cultivate them with special care and attention and they will flourish in your life.
Be aware of the energy vibrating from your thoughts, words and actions. The time you spend thinking about the worst case scenarios, gossiping about others or acting in a negative direction will drag you down energetically, it will act like poison to yourself and attract similar things to your life. However, if you focus on creating uplifting thoughts, if you look at the positive side of every situation and person, if you everything you say and do have the intention of creating a more positive outcome in your environment, you will have a higher vibration energy. This will create health to your physical body and attract positive situations to your life.
What you eat
Of course, give more attention to what you eat because food is the fuel for your body. Eat mindfully, consume non-processed foods as much as possible, drink good quality water, focus on a mostly plant-based diet. Plants, vegetables, etc are the primary source of energy and contain everything our body needs to be healthy.
Be mindful of your time with technology: These days, we are connected to wifi everywhere we go – home, work, restaurants, cafes, the car, etc. Man made electromagnetic fields can have a detrimental impact on us because they vibrate at a very different frequency than nature (including humans). As a result, they lower our vibrational energy. Pay attention to the time you spend on your phone and on the internet in general. Notice how you feel when you go to bed with a book as opposed to your phone – you will probably see that your sleep is improved. Be mindful of the time you spend online and try reducing it.
Just make sure you do these things regularly, not just here and there. We really are the sum of our habits in many ways – so if we are always complaining, never the time to truly connect with ourselves, and eat poorly on most days, it will drain us and affect our overall well being.
Awakening Prema – Ana Palma and Renato Koch
Renato graduated in Hatha Yoga and Vedanta by Sivananda in Kerala – South India. For the past 15 years he has had a wide experience in different healing modalities like Reiki, Pranic Healing, Theta Healing, Chinese Energetics and many different energy healing groups, Spiritism, Vipassana Meditation and studying ancient philosophies.
He and Ana graduated in Sound Healing through Tibetan Bowls in Goa – India, Overtone and Sound Healing with Harmonic Sounds in Spain. They have also participated in many workshops such with experts such as Dr. Joe Dispenza, satsangs with Mooji and SadGuru, and much more.
They run regular events at the Just be Holistic Center as well as 136.1 Yoga Studio in Dubai
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