Sacred Sounds - Sound, Spirituality & Ancient Knowledge - the power of SACRED (healing) sounds

ich und meine Powwow-Trommel

After another wonderfully incredible, fulfilling evening of sound, I feel: Now is the moment to delve deeper into the topic of sounds, music, and their healing and transformative power. I would like to share my experiences, my knowledge, and my work with you – may this contribution inspire you, touch you, and perhaps even resonate with something within you.

1. Sound as a primal principle – vibration as origin

Long before modern science, it was known in many cultures that everything is vibration. Sound is not an isolated acoustic event, but rather an expression of a deeper order—an energetic structure that permeates all life. From a physical perspective, sound is created by vibration that moves in waves through air, water, or even the body (Helmholtz, 2013).

From a spiritual point of view, however, sound is much more: it is a creative impulse, a bridge between the worlds, a gateway to inner order .

The idea that the cosmos itself came into being through sound – a “primordial sound”, a “Nada Brahma” – runs through many spiritual traditions:

• In Indian philosophy, “Nada” is considered the vibration that underlies all life (Beck, 2006).

• Christian mysticism speaks of the “Word” through which everything came into being.

• And in quantum physics, similarities can be seen: energy vibrates – and thereby shapes reality (Sheldrake, 2013).

2. Sound in ancient cultures and spiritual practices

Indigenous peoples on all continents have long used sound for healing, transformation and spiritual connection.

• The Aboriginal people of Australia have been playing the didgeridoo for thousands of years – not for entertainment, but as a sacred sound instrument for grounding and harmonizing body and mind (Knott, 2010).

• In shamanic traditions , drums, rattles and chants create rhythmically altered states of consciousness – they lead to other worlds, help to release blockages or retrieve split-off parts of the soul (Peters, 1990).

• Tibetan monks also use singing bowls and overtone singing not only for meditation but also for energetic cleansing (Goldman, 2002).

Sound was never just music. Sound was a gateway to the spiritual world , a tool of medicine men and temple priestesses, and a form of communication with the forces of nature and the cosmos.

3. Synesthesia – When sound becomes visible

A fascinating phenomenon related to sound is synesthesia —a neurological condition in which sensory perceptions merge. People with auditory-visual synesthesia "see" sounds in colors or geometric patterns. Studies show that synesthesia can be associated with increased creativity and intuitive perception (Ramachandran & Hubbard, 2001).

Even many people without pronounced synesthesia experience an expanded perception in sound spaces:

• Colors in the mind's eye

• Shapes, light phenomena or geometric patterns

• Feeling of vastness, timelessness or “floating in space”

Sound and color are both frequency phenomena : tones move in sound frequencies, light in electromagnetic frequencies. It is obvious that the energy system of color and sound has a similarly harmonizing effect on the chakras and the nervous system (Tomatis, 1991).

4. Scientific findings – sound heals body, mind & soul

More and more scientific studies confirm what spiritual traditions have known for millennia:

• Sound meditations with singing bowls, gongs, or voice significantly reduce stress, blood pressure, and anxiety (Goldsby et al., 2017). At the same time, they promote calmness, self-awareness, and emotional balance.

• Brainwave patterns change during sound journeys towards alpha and theta states – these are frequency ranges associated with deep relaxation, creativity and intuitive access (Leeds, 2010).

• The voice plays a special role: studies show that humming or toning with conscious breathing can improve heart rate variability, strengthen the immune system and activate self-healing powers (Porges, 2011).

It's wonderful that science is beginning to find words and evidence for this—or let's say: For many people, this is important. But ultimately, the power of sound lies not in numbers or facts, but in lived experience , in being touched .

5. Experience sound – personal moments that changed everything

My connection to sound didn't begin with singing bowls, but with my voice —with my own body as a resonating chamber. During my vocal studies, there was this one moment: When I first consciously felt my voice expanding within me , carried by my breath, supported by my body, free in its vibration. It was as if an inner gate had opened—powerful, powerful, clear.

Another time, amidst an orchestra and choir, my voice merged with the whole—sound became oneness. I felt a state of flow , like enlightenment in sound form. No more thinking, just being carried by the vibration.

Later, when I lay on a sound table for the first time , I experienced a completely different facet of this power: During the session, a severe pain arose in my ureter – very localized, very sharp. At first, I had the urge to scream. Instead, I breathed. I decided to expand , to allow, to observe. Tears flowed. And then – through the sound – the pain began to harmonize , to transform. After about a minute, it was gone. It was a moment of deep energetic cleansing , the likes of which I had never experienced before.

And then there's this quiet, sacred moment I'll never forget: When I sang the song "Evening Stillness" at my mother's deathbed. Her eyes were closed, but then—a gentle, delicate smile on her face. Sound wasn't a comfort here, but a companion of the soul , a bridge between the worlds. This is a power that both a singing and a speaking voice can possess.

These and many other experiences have taught me: Sound is far more than just music to be consumed. Sound is vibration, medicine, memory, connection. It can open, release, and redeem. And sometimes it heals silently.

Today, when I play singing bowls, I often experience that it is not I who finds the sound, but the sound that finds me. I get into a flow , I am guided. The bowls tune into one another as if they themselves knew what is needed. A sound space is created - a field - that supports, clarifies, opens. And often transformation occurs. A sound space is created - a field - that supports, clarifies, opens. And often transformation occurs. My instruments are like companions to me - independent beings that work together with me. Each singing bowl, each drum, the gong, the shruti box - they all have their own personality, their own vibration. I approach them with mindfulness, respect and gratitude. We are a team that together creates sound spaces in which light can be seen, silence audible and healing can be felt.

..mit meinen Klangbegleiter/innen

Sacred Sounds – when ancient knowledge comes alive

All these insights flow into my work with Sacred Sounds – a sound space in which spiritual depth, energetic knowledge and musical sensitivity come together:

• I work with singing bowls, gongs, frame drums, shruti boxes, rattles, and wind chimes – each instrument is used situationally, guided by the energy of the moment.

• A central element is my voice —intuitive, heart-led, carried by presence and inner listening. Its resonance often has a direct effect on the soul—like a call from ancient times, reminding us of who we truly are.

• Depending on the group and the mood, singing or drumming along is also possible – a common field is created in which sound is not only heard but experienced .

Invitation

I offer sound spaces as individual sessions or group meditations – in Grüningen, Gossau ZH, or upon request at spiritual events. I am happy to create individual sound concerts for special moments. You can book me personally.

“When harmonious sound becomes the vibration of the soul, our whole being remembers its original order.” – Gabriela Maria

"It's nice that science is beginning to find words and evidence for this—or let's say: For many people, this is important. But ultimately, the power of sound lies not in numbers or facts, but in lived experience, in being touched."

-Gabriela Maria

If you would like to learn more about it:

List of sources

Beck, G. L. (2006). Sacred Sound: Experiencing Music in World Religions . Wilfrid Laurier University Press.

Goldman, J. (2002). Healing Sounds: The Power of Harmonics . Inner Traditions.

Goldsby, TL, Goldsby, ME, McWalters, M., & Mills, PJ (2017). Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine , 22(4), 401–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587216668109

Helmholtz, H. (2013). On the Sensations of Tone as a Physiological Basis for the Theory of Music . Dover Publications.

Knott, C. (2010). The Sound of Healing: Didgeridoo and Aboriginal Tradition . Australian Aboriginal Studies.

Leeds, J. (2010). The Power of Sound: How to Be Healthy and Productive Using Music and Sound . Healing Arts Press.

Peters, L.G. (1990). The Shaman: Voyages of the Soul – Trance, Ecstasy and Healing from Siberia to the Amazon . Element Books.

Porges, SW (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, Self-Regulation . Norton.

Ramachandran, V. S., & Hubbard, E. M. (2001). Synaesthesia – A Window Into Perception, Thought and Language. Journal of Consciousness Studies , 8(12), 3–34.

Sheldrake, R. (2013). Science Set Free: 10 Paths to New Discovery . Deepak Chopra Books.

Tomatis, A. (1991). The Conscious Ear: My Life of Transformation Through Listening . Station Hill Press.