Sound Healing in Neo-Pagan and Esoteric Traditions

Keith Muscat in collaboration with Malta Pagana

“Music has the power to affect our health and wellbeing. This belief and related cultural practice have been evident throughout history, but the clinical profession of music therapy is only some 75 years old. As a field of practice music therapy has been described as an art and a science and regards to science its research foundation has drawn on psychoanalytic, humanistic, and behavioral traditions. As an emergent practice within the healthcare context, the focus of music therapy (a therapeutic relationship employing music as a means) and music medicine (the music or sound itself as the therapeutic) research has been primarily evidence-based. Mechanisms of effect have received little attention until recently.”

Lee Bartel, Abdullah Mosabbir – Possible Mechanisms for the Effects of Sound Vibration on Human Health.  Healthcare (Basel).  May 2021.

In a previous article from this series (Drumming…….the heartbeat of ritual!), we have seen how music or rhythms can affect both our physical and metal aspects.  Faster beats can motivate our workout, whilst soothing music has a calming effect.  And what is music, but a collection of sounds?  Vibrations in sounds affect our biochemical, neurological and physiological levels.  Whilst music therapy is a ‘modern’ concept, sound healing has been practiced since ancient times.

Essentially, in a nutshell, sound healing or sound bath sessions involve lying down in a comfortable setting, closing your eyes, focusing and immersing yourself in sounds emitted from various musical instruments.  These can take various forms, such as private sessions or group sessions, for which persons lie on a mat, whilst the therapist goes around with the various instruments.  During the session, the therapist will guide your focus on the sound emitted from the instruments.  The instruments of choice are usually not the melodious like types.  You are not in to listen to a symphony, but to powerful sounds that will reverberate in your mind, body and spirit. 

The most important instruments for sound therapy are:

Himalayan Singing Bowls (metal)

Crystal Singing Bowls (crystal / glass bowls)

Rain Sticks

Ocean Drums

Tuning Forks

Chimes

Gongs

Monochords

Shruti boxes (musical instruments with reeds, operated through small bellows)

A sound bath can become cathartic in the sense that the sounds may stir in your memories or thoughts that make you cry and release feelings that have been stored inside you for ages.  Sounds may also bring joy and happiness, or just the much required and necessary relaxation.  The sounds are an aid for you to reach a deeper sense of consciousness, unplug from the hustle and bustle around you and concentrate exclusively on what is going on inside you.  After the session, the therapist will guide you back to the here and now and help you to ground.  Drinking water is recommended after each session.    

For those seeking scientific reasons behind everything they try out, there is ample evidence that sound consists of vibrations that affect us on a cellular level, impacting nerve, muscle, brain and even organ function. 

For instance, the soothing sound of waves gently crushing on a beach, will create in us a totally opposite sensation to the sound of nails screeching on a chalkboard.  In both instances our body reacts through neural, physiological and biochemical ways to the vibrations created by these sounds. 

A study carried out by TL Goldsby and ME Goldsby, Goldsby (Eastern integrative medicine and ancient sound healing treatments for stress: Recent research advances. Integr. Med. (Encinitas). 2020;19(6):24-30), shows that therapy can significantly alter brain waves, changing agitated wave patterns to calm wave forms.  Through the decrease of our breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, our immune system will function more efficiently, reducing our stress hormones and triggering the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain.   

Another interesting aspect of sound and vibrations is connected to ancient places, which were possibly used for worship or seem to be related to the practice of religion.  In 2015, Prof. Paolo Debertolis, Dr. Fermando Coimbra and Ms. Linda Eneix, published the results of an archaeoacustic analysis carried out at Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum.  The Hypogeum, which is an underground structure, was used in the Neolithic period as a depository of bones.  A shrine, referred to as the ‘Oracle Room’, might have been utilized for ritualistic purposes.  Through experiments that were carried out, the researchers detected the presence of a strong resonance effect (a double resonance frequency at 70Hz and 114Hz).  With a male voice tuned to these frequencies it is possible to stimulate the resonance phenomenon through the hypogeum.  It was further detected that percussion instruments can stimulate the resonance by their harmonics.   Further laboratory testing indicated that these frequencies have a strong effect on human brain activity.  If these chambers served for ritual purposes, could those attending be affected by vibrations created by chanting or drumming?  A very interesting question that cannot be answered in its entirety as these people did not leave any written documentation. 

While sound healing might be able to help with self-care against anxiety, stress, depression, chronic pain, fatigue and overall mental and spiritual well-being, never stop medications and prescriptions ordered by doctors.  Sound therapy is part of the holistic alternative wellness practices that are gaining growing interest around the world.  This is a non-invasive, drug-free approach to a better state of health and well-being.  This, however, is not to be considered as additional aid towards our well-being and is not a substitute for professional medical care. 

This article is being presented in conjunction with Malta Pagana – The Ritual – Festival of Spirit on the land of Ancestors.   The fist edition will be held on 25 and 26 October. 

Launched in 2025, this festival aims to bring neo-pagans and interested parties together, in Malta, for two days of blending ancient traditions with contemporary creativity.  The festival invites participants to explore the rich heritage of pre-Christian, folkloric, and earth-based spiritual practices through workshops, music, art, and ritual.

With a strong focus on ecological awareness, personal empowerment, and community connection, Malta Pagana is more than just a festival—it's a sacred gathering that honours the cycles of nature, the power of myth, and the enduring beauty of cultural roots. Whether you're a seasoned pagan, a curious traveller, or a lover of history and nature, Malta Pagana offers an unforgettable journey into the heart of Malta’s ancestral soul.  A Celebration of Ancient Rhythms through Modern Spirit.  Follow our Facebook page and keep yourself updated.  Facebook.com/people/Malta-Pagana.