You ever tried doing the washing up in silence? I did once after my “old skool” mini disc player ran out of juice from those double AA batteries. All I could hear was the dripping tap and my own sighing. Grim. Like sitting in a bus stop at midnight waiting for a bus that never comes. Music isn’t just background noise…it’s the thing that keeps a house feeling like a home. These healing frequencies are the heartbeat of every culture, every gathering, every daft night out (and late-night dancing sessions in the front room). It’s what gets your foot tapping at a wedding, even when you’ve promised yourself you won’t be dragged up to dance.
When I was little, my mum used to put on Nana Mouskouri, White Roses of Athens, while she did the housework and then switch over to a bit of Robert Cray, Time Takes Two. Even now, the first few chords of these artists songs smell of steam and clean nighties. That’s what music does — it stitches memories into you.
Healing Frequencies: Not Just for Electricians
I’m no scientist, me. But even I can feel the difference between a low, bad ass bass and a high, sparkly note (Mariah Carey Style). Low notes feel like you’re standing on solid ground in your emotional wellies. High notes lift you like you’re floating in a hot tub of prosecco bubbles.
Some peeps go on about 432Hz or 528Hz “healing frequencies”. I once tried a playlist of them while doing some monotonous data analysis. I don’t know if it healed me, but at least I didn’t throw my laptop across the room. Different sounds either soothe you or set your teeth on edge. (Looking at you, bin collection lorry reversing at 6am.)
Singing Bowls & My Wobbly Attempt
Have you ever heard a Tibetan singing bowl? It’s like the sound of your soul going “ahhh” after a long day. I was gifted a little one by my partner which I absolutely love. Couldn’t get a proper sound out of it at first — just a clank like I’d dropped a spoon in a mug, so it turned into more of an ornament. But after a bit of practice (and a few tutorials) I got it to hum. And when it hummed, so did I. The vibration went right through my ribcage, like someone had opened a window inside me.
There’s an App for That
Now, before you think you’ve got to fly to Kathmandu to get your bowl fix, let me save you a fortune. There’s this cracking app called *Insight Timer. It’s full of guided meditations, sound baths, and yes — singing bowl sessions. I’ll stick it on, lie there in my pyjamas, and pretend I’m in a Himalayan monastery while actually sitting in the suburbs of the UK’s lush North. Bliss…unless it’s windy and rainy!
(*just a quick note to say I have no affiliation with this app, it’s just one of my faves to use and the community is great too)
Music = Hope
Remember lockdown, when the pubs and venues closed and choirs couldn’t meet? I used to stand on my doorstep and sing a bit of Tracy Chapman to the sparrows just to keep my chin up (and for some others its a DMA’s obsession – not pointing any fingers).
Without music, life felt beige, like someone had turned the colour down. In every culture, music has been the thing that kept people’s spirits up through war, exile, illness, heartbreak. Take the drums away from a community, or the lullabies from a family, and you take away a bit of hope. Give them back and you give back a spark.
Bringing It All Into Sync
So maybe that’s the point. Whether it’s a bassline thudding in a Manchester club, a Maasai chant, or a Tibetan bowl humming away, these sounds remind us we’re connected — to ourselves, to each other, to something bigger. They tune us up when life’s gone a bit out of key.
Next time you feel frazzled, stick on a tune that makes you feel like yourself again. Or try a singing bowl session. Or just hum in the kitchen.
Music isn’t just something we listen to — it’s something we are.