Singing Harmonics
Singing any note produces harmonics. Within one note are many notes, all related to the fundamental
note through exact mathematical ratios. Most of the time, we are unaware of the existence of
harmonics. When we are in a room with good acoustics, like a church or a bathroom, we are suddenly
aware of a richer sound, which is produced by the harmonics.
Ancient people used this knowledge when they constructed sacred sites like Stonehenge, Newgrang,
or the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramids. All these buildings were sound chambers where sound
healing took place. Research done by John Reid and Tom Danley in the King’s Chamber of
The pyramids revealed that the resonant frequency was the same as Shumann
Resonance, which is the electromagnetic resonance of the earth.
A person sitting in the chamber would have experienced an altered state of consciousness if they sat
where the spiral patterns were in the chamber. When the chamber was filled with smoke and
resonated with low frequency sound, these spiral patterns appeared in the smoke! This suggests that
the builders of this sacred monument understood the effect of these sounds on the listener. When we hear music rich in harmonics, like Gregorian Chant, Indian classical music, or a cappella singing, it induces an altered state of consciousness. It changes our brain patterns so that we feel
more relaxed and more connected with the music. Ancient cultures understood the power of harmonics. Stringed instruments are particularly rich in
harmonics. In the bible, David is said to have played the harp to heal King Saul’s depression. Orpheus
played the lyre, another stringed instrument in Ancient Greek mythology. In India, Ma Saraswati,
The Goddess of wisdom and music is seen playing the Veena, a stringed instrument. The research mentioned indicates that ancient cultures knew about the healing power of sound and created structures that were essentially sound chambers to enhance the power of harmonics that led to healing.