Sound Healing at Primrose Earth Centre 

'Where the Land touches the Soul and the Soul sings its way Home'

1. Workshop Dates
2. Background to Sound Healing
3. Paul Benham
4. Sound Healing Training - 5-part course
5. Sound Healing & Nature
6. Seasonal Sounds' Days
7. Healing Voice Sessions - SOUND & RHYTHM; SOUND & MEDITATION
8. Sound Peace Chamber

   LINKS' PAGE

Sound Healing Courses & Workshops 2010

OPEN EVENT: 23-25 July: 'Sound Healing & Nature'

Weekend workshop £180 including food & accommodation; open to everyone, with or without experience

Click here for feedback from previous workshop

All events unless otherwise specified are held at Primrose Earth Centre, near Hay-on-Wye

All weekend workshops are of a retreat nature, with wholesome, organic food, locally sourced when available - often from our farm

We can cater for special diets on request.

WORKSHOP DATES FOR 2010 - 2011

In 2011 this will be the fifth year that we have successfully run the 5-part training course and additional module 'Sound Healing & Nature', under the College of Sound Healing. For inspired feedback from previous courses CLICK HERE, and for further details about the sound healing courses CLICK HERE or see further down the page below.

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Background to Sound Healing - the power of sound & rhythm

The Ancient Healer

Virtually every culture has used sound for healing and transformation. The ancient Greeks had sound healing temples; the Egyptians and Mayans acoustically designed pyramids and buildings; shamans have used the voice, drums, rattles and didgeridoos for healing and travelling to spirit worlds to attain power. Holy people and monks of all denominations have chanted to aid meditation and raise spiritual and healing energies. Song and chant have been used globally to honour and connect at occasions such as seasonal festivals, births, adulthood, marriage and death. The ancient practice of Tonsingen involved chanting whilst stirring a potion, which was later distributed on the land to improve plant vigour and growth.

The Creator and Maintainer of our Existence

In many traditions, it is believed that sound was before everything. For the Aborigines, the creator-ancestors of the dreamtime sang the world into existence; for Christians - in the beginning was the Word. The beliefs of the Egyptians, Vedic Indians, Plato, Sumerians, Chinese and Babylonians consider that music was the master metaphor for creativity and life. Pythagorus discovered that harmonics and their mathematical relationships underlie the structure of all creation. Dr Hans Jenny has demonstrated that different sound frequencies beamed onto liquids and powders will each form a particular geometric design. This gives support to the Druidic and Native American beliefs that all objects in our world have a sound and that if the body and mind are sufficiently stilled, we can hear the sounds of rocks and trees and objects around us. Yogis believe that ‘Om’ is the combined sound of everything in the Universe singing to God.

The Magic Medicine

Sound is composed of vibrating particles of energy. When the open vowels are elongated in tone or chant, magical vibrations are produced and these are the harmonic overtones which spiral higher and higher. These magical forms of resonance have been held as sacred by many ancient cultures and those of the present day that have been less tainted by modern 'civilisation'. The overtones are powerful healers. Dr Billie Thompson says that 80% of the sounds that stimulate the brain and charge the nervous system are above 3000 hertz and these are the higher overtones.

Like everything in the universe, our organs and energy centres (chakras) are resonating at particular frequencies. When disease manifests, the frequencies change. The resonance of the correct frequency can encourage healing. This can occur in accordance with the principle of entrainment by which vibrations that are more powerful and more harmonious will affect less powerful and less harmonious vibrations of a nearby person or object.

Sound healing has been used with success to treat many disorders ranging from autistic children to older stroke victims and those with Alzheimers disease. Don Campbell claims that harmonious music can:

* Slow and equalise brain waves
* Affect heartbeat, pulse rate, respiration and blood pressure
* Reduce tension and improve body movements and co-ordination
* Increase endorphin levels
* Boost immune function
* Regulate stress-related hormones
* Change our perception of time
* Strengthen memory and learning
* Stimulate digestion

Much success is presently being achieved through 'sonic births' and the 'Muse in the Schools' project in New York.

The Rhythm of Life

Every cell in our bodies carries the awareness of perfect rhythm, since we are all nourished by the life-sustaining rhythms of breath and heartbeat. These rhythms are audible to us from our mothers when in the womb. It is believed that the music from virtually every culture has been created with the heartbeat rhythm as its source. This no doubt accounts for the beneficial effect that most music has on us. Our brains pulse electrically with rhythms that carry us from depths of sleep to peaks of excitement.

We are also influenced by external rhythms. The diurnal rhythm affects us at a cellular level and fluid and salt levels respond to this. If we sit by the seashore, we can connect with the ebb and flow of the waves and the rhythm of the tides. Since 90% of our bodies is water, we are open to influence by the moon; women's menstrual cycles are affected by the moon. Our lives can also be open to influence by longer-term rhythms such as seasonal, solar, astrological cycles and life and death. It is harder for people who live in cities to maintain that connection to the diurnal and seasonal rhythms.

Song & Rhythm Famine in our Culture

We need rhythm to nourish our souls. Babies are calmed into sleep with the rhythm of rocking. Many young children still have rhythm and can be seen playing chanting and skipping games.

Sadly in our culture, music has generally become trivialised into short-term entertainment or distraction that is controlled by a big industry. This is a far cry from the universal, ancient view of sound as magic and music as the creator energy of the cosmos. Many people believe that they are unable to sing and are unable to express rhythm.

A test used in schools assessed whether we could copy a note ‘in tune’. The few who passed (‘the singers’), have largely been constrained by the western Ionic scale. The ‘failures’ (myself included!) believed that we were tone deaf, unable to sing and forever after the beautiful, natural voices inside us receded further and further back into our hidden souls. 

Conversely, in other cultures less tainted by modern civilisation, rhythm and song are totally integrated into their existence. When watching traditional peoples - for example in Africa - walk and dance, it is obvious that they carry a deep connection with rhythm. Also, they believe that to be able to sing is their birthright and they spontaneously vocalise during their daily lives - during work, rest, play and in ceremonies. The song ‘Rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham’, portrays an understanding of the nurturing power of rhythm.

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Paul Benham

In addition to his background in permaculture and organic farming, Paul Benham has had many years of experience with yoga, Tai Chi, dance, voice awakening and sound healing work.

'I primarily act as a catalyst. We all carry within us the ability to connect perfectly with rhythm and have a beautiful, natural voice waiting to be expressed. The aim is to create a safe environment in which a connection can be made with these deeply hidden inner qualities.

'I teach techniques of using sound from various traditions and this demonstrates the amazing power of sacred sound and its healing potential - these include Druidic, Native American, Sanskrit, Mongolian Overtoning, Buddhist and Sufi. I feel most affinity with the earth-honouring Native American and Druidic traditions, since they use sound to connect with the elements and their environment generally. This harmonises with my desire to awaken connection with the sacred land here and the ancient stones and peaceful earth of the Black Mountain. Particularly with the Druidic and Celtic traditions, it is possible to connect with the ancestral spirits of this place, which helps us to become more in tune with the vibration of the land here. 

'Movement plays an important role in my work, since the combination of sound and movement is very powerful. Focus is given to connecting to the rhythms of breath, heartbeat, walking and other rhythmic combinations of sound and movement. Within this, there is scope for improvisation and a potential for play. The aim is to loosen up and relax our bodies sufficiently so that they begin to resonate with sound and the healing process begins. 

'I encourage a depth of listening to our inner sounds and rhythms and the subtle energies around us. This facilitates our potential for becoming more 'in tune' with ourselves and to be in greater harmony with the cosmos. We resonate with our names to help connect us with our life path and destiny.'

Paul has gained some experience of working with people with learning difficulties and realises the enormous potential and benefit of sound healing. The beauty of his approach is that absolutely no theoretical knowledge or musical ability is required.

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5-Part Sound Healing Training accredited by the College of Sound Healing

The College of Sound Healing, a non-profit making organisation, was established to provide the highest quality training for those people who wish to become sound healers. There is a very comprehensive training programme and courses are facilitated by highly experienced tutors. The College offers bursaries for students on low incomes.

SOUND HEALING TRAINING CURRICULUM

The Core Curriculum comprises five weekend workshops taken over one year. The five parts of the course should be taken in order. If you have previous experience with sound healing or voice work it is possible to join the Sound Healing Training at Part Two of the course.

After completing the Core Curriculum students will need to complete two Additional Modules in the next year. Attending the College of Sound Healing Conference counts as an additional module.

Part 1: An Introduction to Sound Healing with the Voice

Part 2: The Theory & Practice of Sound Healing

Part 3: Music as Medicine

Part 4: Sound Healing through the Chakras

Part 5: Graduation Weekend

For those who wish to graduate, homework plus case studies will need to be completed.

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MONDAYS - Sound & Rhythm - Healing Voice Sessions are held on 2nd & 4th MONDAYS of each month in the evenings from 8.00-10.00pm: cost £4; please ring beforehand;  telephone: 01497 847636 or E-mail us.  nb if you do not get an immediate response to your e-mail enquiry then please telephone.

Paul has led voice and sound healing workshops for 14 years and incorporates vocal sound techniques from many traditions together with Simon Heather's sound healing process for individuals.  He uses improvisation, movement, listening, sounding and ceremony to help people connect with the healing power of nature.  Workshops are performed in the sanctuary of the Sound Peace Chamber in the beautiful, natural setting of Primrose Centre in which have been created gardens for peace, the elements and the four seasons.  

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Sound Peace Chamber

A sanctuary has been created within its own discreet area adjacent to the ancient oak tree. This contains a sacred Sound Peace Chamber. From the inspiration of the Native American visionary, Joseph Rael - otherwise known as Beautiful Painted Arrow, it is one of over 70 such chambers around the world.  It provides an important space for connecting with sacred sounds, ceremony, mediation and for manifesting peace. Half buried within the ground, the resonance created within, help to heal people, the earth and the surrounds. Each chamber has its own focus. However, the international network gives guidance and co-ordinates link-ups between the chambers to create simultaneous and continuous sessions of chanting. This channels healing vibrations around the world, raising consciousness and assisting in (manifesting) world peace.

Jeanne White Eagle was guided to Joseph after he requested someone to come and awaken the chamber.  Jeanne and her husband John Pehrson now work as a team for this purpose, travelling the world performing awakening ceremonies and concerts for peace.  They also perform peace work in countries of conflict and lead the powerful 'For the One' Sacred Dance which symbolises the end of separation and the one-ness of all life. 

Jeanne and John have visited Primrose Sound Peace Chamber on three occasions to perform peace ceremonies, run workshops and concerts for peace and in September 2004, they came to marry Jan and Paul. 

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