The Practice--Sing your way to vibrant health

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A Filetta, Corsican vocalists
The Hidden Power of Your Voice

When I bring up the topic of singing, people often tell me, "I can't carry a tune."  Or perhaps, they don't sing because someone might hear them and criticize them.  Singing is your birthright and the reclamation of your personal power.  Your voice is your fingerprint and your signature in the realm of sound vibration.  Still if you don't feel comfortable with your voice, then seek the help of a music therapist, a spiritually-minded vocal coach, or do like I did, and learn to sing by listening to your favorite vocalists.

You can also find DVDs, CDS, and books on singing for sound healing and music therapy purposes.  Try a label or publisher like Sounds True, or check out your nearby new age metaphysical store.  When we sing, we use our entire bodies.  First, the sounds we make resonate in our throat, chest, heart, and bones.  If we find that our voices are too flat, dull, or dissonant, then explore singing scales, while pushing air from the diaphragm, rather than breathing shallow breaths from your chest.  Learn how to overtone sing or what sound healers call toning.  And if this doesn't appeal to you then sing while you work, sing along with your favorite recordings, or sing to your plants.

When we sing we use our body as the instrument.  We learn about breath control and by doing this, we boost our immune and respiratory system.  If you have the courage to sing in a choir, you develop stronger interpersonal and community building skills, as well as, share your unique resonance with other sound signatures.  While I've never sung in a choir, I know people who have, and I think this choral community and focus keeps these people sane, if not joyous.  According to Silvia Nakkach in her book, "Free Your Voice,"  singing exercises our bodies.  Just taking those deep breaths provides a form of meditation and releases tension, something we have too much of these days.

And if you need some inspiration of the power of singing, here's a video for you, Ruthie Foster's live show at Antone's.  What a phenomenal singer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkYh2BYONms

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