Using Our Senses for Healing

Our ancestors successfully used our senses to heal emotional and physical ailments for centuries. How can we retrieve and update this ancient knowledge for the modern world?

Our subconscious thoughts and beliefs are driving our course of action in life and we can influence these processes by using our senses intentionally.

Using our sense of smell, hearing, touch, taste or sight deliberately and mindfully, carries this intentional awareness deeper into the brain. This triggers a process that strengthens our mind-body connection and builds bridges of consciousness throughout the brain and body system.

Our senses trigger neural connections in the brain and impact the threshold between the higher functioning regions of the brain - the cortex, and the mid-brain. This area is known as the limbic system and is the key to managing our emotions, long-term memories, social interactions and fear responses. And the exciting thing is that we can directly influence it by using our senses.

We are often disconnected from the subconscious influence of this area of our brain. In order to bridge into the limbic system, we must cross this threshold by going deeper within ourselves and we can intensify this process by intentionally engaging our senses. This will ultimately lead to realizations and emotional breakthroughs that will help us gain mastery over our emotional state and open the door to inner healing abilities.

Our senses are tools that we can use to facilitate emotional healing – tools such as aroma therapy and sound healing directly influence the vibrations and the energetic field of our body.

Sound therapy uses our sense of hearing to influence the limbic system of the brain. Our auditory nerve is connected to the limbic system and this allows certain sounds to deeply stimulate our emotional centre within the brain. Music can also create a cathartic experience, help us express ourselves or release an emotional build up.

How do we find music that directly influences the limbic system? Look for music that takes us to the Alpha state, music that is rhythmic and calming, with no lyrics. If the music has lyrics, it engages the language processing centre in the cortex and creates a distraction.

One system of music that brings us to an emotionally rich state is Solfeggio frequencies. These specific frequencies inspire spiritual transcendence and are based on a numerology system. Numbers are the building blocks of the universe and hold the keys to harnessing the power of the cosmos. Music and chants turned into Solfeggio frequencies directly stimulate the limbic system and accelerate healing, bringing us to the state of spiritual transcendence.

Every Solfeggio frequency has a specific vibration that influences the limbic system of the brain:

396Hz is associated with liberating guilt and fear

417Hz assists with undergoing situations and facilitating change and breaking of emotional patterns

528Hz is used to relax the DNA and is associated with transformation and miracles

639Hz brings greater whole brain connectedness and supports us in relationships

741Hz is related to awakening intuition and nonlinear knowing

852Gs is returning us to the spiritual order and unconditional love

It is also important to simply tune in to your body and discover which sounds and frequencies are healing and inspiring for you. If you feel refreshed, joyful, and alert, it is working.

Similarly to Solfeggio frequencies, Binaural beats use certain frequencies of sound to create health benefits. Binaural beats are thought to change your brain waves and to trigger certain kinds of mental states. Binaural beats are most effective when listened to on headphones, as the sound is created when there is a difference in frequency entering the left ear and the right ear (normally when you listen to music or sounds, the same frequency is entering both ears)

Binaural beats are thought to have 4 different ranges and effects:

Delta patterns with a difference in frequency of 0.1–4 Hz are associated with dreamless sleep.

Theta patterns with a difference in frequency of 4–8 Hz are associated with REM sleep, meditation, and creativity.

Alpha patterns with a difference in frequency of 8–13 Hz are associated with relaxation.

Beta patterns at a low frequency difference of 14-99 Hz (any higher would be associated with anxiety) are associated with concentration, alertness, arousal, and cognition.

Aromatherapy uses essential oils and the sense of smell to influence the emotional centre of our brain. When breathed in deeply, essential oils such as Lavender, Rosemary, Chamomile or Patchouli penetrate the blood brain barrier in our body and help us connect with our inner awareness.

Essential oils can be used with massages, skin & hair care routines, bath, inhalation or directly stimulating specific points on the body. For example, using the oils directly on the skin by anointing the vagus nerve that runs on the side of the neck, activates the nerves that travel to many of the organs within our body.

We can also use a process known as neuroassociative conditioning to consciously link a healing response to a given smell. First we choose a specific aroma and inhale it whenever we are feeling relaxed, calm or happy. Our body will begin to associate pleasurable feelings with this specific smell. And if used frequently, just a hint of the fragrance will invoke an inner healing response.

Use of herbs and essential oils can also help release emotional wounds and old memories when used in conjunction with hypnosis and energetic healing.

How can we use aromatherapy to release negative emotions? One of the most powerful essential oils is Frankincense. It is a sacred oil and is considered to be a natural anti-depressant. When using this oil, place oil on one palm of your hand, swirl it clockwise until it warms up and then breath it in deeply through the nose and out through the mouth. When you breathe in, affirm the positive emotions (such as peace, calmness or joy), then breath out and name the negative emotion that you want to release (for example I breathe in calmness and I release my anger, pain and sadness). Repeat until you feel the shift in your emotional state.

Once the emotion is released, we return to the state of grace and experience greater coherence within ourselves.

The sense of touch is fundamental to our health and well-being. When your skin is stimulated by loving touch or massage, it releases many healing chemicals that enhance immune function, improve circulation, and promote restful sleep. Using stimulating oils with massage can help when you are feeling tired, lethargic, irritated or simply need an energetic boost.

Another way to use our senses for healing is through visual stimulation. The visual impressions we take in have a surprisingly profound effect on our mind, body, and emotions. Watching violent movies or television shows triggers our body’s stress response and suppresses the immune system. In contrast, looking at peaceful or beautiful images creates a cascade of soothing neurochemicals in the body.

Color therapy, also knows as chromotherapy, uses colors to stimulate a specific vibrational response in our body. This is done by shining an appropriate color on the particular area of the body or stimulating the visual senses. Each color of the light spectrum has a unique vibration with specific healing characteristics. Colors pacify our minds and stimulate the energy flow in the body.

All colors have an effect on our mental states and have been used by many ancient healing practices such as Ayurveda. You might even want to try a massage with different colors of light being projected on your body to stimulate health and healing.

The shades of colors used in the color therapy vary depending on the type of ailment you are trying to correct. For example, blue or purple lights are anti-inflammatory and calming. Green color helps to purify and cleanse, white and yellow light stimulates the lymphatic system. Red light is invigorating but it may cause agitation if you are already tense.

Using the sense of taste for healing and maintaining health is an everyday practice. It includes being aware of the foods we are taking in and noticing the impact they have on our body and mind. Practicing mindful eating contributes to our overall mental and physical wellbeing. The process is really simple - sit down when eating a meal, putting electronics and other distractions away, look at your food, taking in the colors and aromas. Take a moment to appreciate the nutrients on your plate and then take your time enjoying the art of eating, with gratitude.

Exposure to nature simulates many of our senses simultaneously – visual, auditory and kinesthetic. It not only makes us feel better emotionally, but it also contributes to our physical wellbeing by reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. The same deep intelligence that streams through the rivers flows through our bloodstream, and the same breath that nourishes our cells animates the life of the forest.

There is one final key – embrace laughter in the healing process – it synchronizes many parts of our brain and is a great natural medicine. Laughter reduces stress by releasing endorphins, boosts your immune system, helps with sleep and stimulates your lungs, muscles and heart. But most importantly, laughter raises your vibration and moves you into a higher emotional frequency. And higher vibration is the key to triggering the inner healing process.

Sound healing and aromatherapy can also be used as an integral part of hypnotherapy sessions to enhance the depth of the trance and create positive associations.

Using your senses intentionally shifts your baseline towards feeling more joyful in life.

Let me guide you.

Magda