If you’ve been to a sound bath, you’ll know the feeling. You lie still while singing bowls, gongs and chimes wash over you, and the sound seems to settle somewhere deep inside.
Many people leave a sound bath wanting more of that feeling. But there’s one instrument most of them never think to use: their own voice.
Listening to sound and making sound
In a sound bath, you receive the sound. Someone else makes it, and you listen.
When you use your own voice, something changes. The sound starts inside your body. You don’t just hear it, you feel it: in your lips, your face, your chest. You’re no longer only the listener. You are the instrument.
What you might notice when you use your voice
Every voice is different, but many people notice some of these:
- You feel the vibration. A gentle hum can buzz in your lips, nose, cheeks or chest.
- Your attention settles. It’s hard to think about tomorrow’s to-do list while you’re feeling your own sound.
- Your breath slows naturally. A long, easy sound asks for a long, easy breath.
- You feel more connected to yourself. For many people, hearing their own voice in a calm moment feels surprisingly personal.
A simple humming practice to try
Find a comfortable note
Hum a note that feels easy, somewhere in the middle of your speaking voice. It shouldn’t feel low and growly, or high and squeezed.
Notice where you feel it
Keep your lips gently closed and your jaw loose. Hum softly for a few seconds, then stop and notice where you felt the buzz. Lips? Nose? Chest?
Let the sound move
Try sliding your hum slowly up a little, then down a little, like a gentle siren. Notice how the vibration moves to different places as the pitch changes.
Stop before you push
The aim is to feel, not to be loud. If your throat feels tight or tired, stop, rest and try again more softly.
Why your voice responds to how you feel
Your voice is closely connected to your nervous system. When you feel tense, your breath and throat often tighten, and your voice follows. When you feel settled, your muscles can release, and you often find more ease and range.
At Vocalogy, this is where NeuroVoice® helps. It uses short brain-based drills that help settle your nervous system and help your brain sense where your body is, so your voice has more freedom to move.
Your voice as part of your wellness practice
If you already enjoy sound healing, reiki or meditation, using your own voice can become part of that practice. Some people hum before meditation. Others sing simply for the feeling of it.
Jin Shin Voice®, the approach I developed, combines functional voice training with Jin Shin Jyutsu® self-help. Its SING Check helps you notice how your posture, breath and feelings are shaping your sound, so you can use your voice with more ease.
A note on health
Using your voice in this way is a well-being practice, not medical treatment. If your voice is often hoarse or painful, please see an ENT doctor.
Your next step
- Explore your voice on your own: my book, Harmony Is in Your Hands, introduces the SING Check and self-help for your voice. Get the PDF for S$4.99
- Explore it with others: join a small-group workshop with 3 to 6 people.
- Explore it one-to-one: book a 1:1 session and discover what your own voice can do.