The Six Healing Sounds

Where Are Our Emotions?

You might think that emotions are "just in your head" but Chinese Medicine tells us otherwise. Recall a memory where you felt a strong emotion such as joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, or worry. As you recall the memory, pay attention to any physical sensations that arise, and try to observe the sensations with curiosity and without judgment. Notice what you feel. Sometimes the sensations are subtle, and sometimes they are very strong. These are physical imprints of our emotional experiences, and if we don't acknowledge and process these emotions, they continue to affect us.

Five Element Theory

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides a framework to better understand how our emotions impact us on a physical level through the Five Element theory. According to TCM theory, all energy can be understood as corresponding to one of the five elements, and in our bodies each of these elements corresponds to an organ system. Each organ system is affected by a particular set of emotions and is also responsible for different aspects of our consciousness.

Emotions as Vibrations

We can let go of judgment and attachment to our emotions when we recognize them simply as patterns of information trying to help us understand our experiences. Information exists in the form of vibrations, so we can use the power of intentional vibration, such as sound, to help clear the physical patterns of our old emotions and make room for new experiences. This is the basis of the Six Healing Sounds (Liù Zì Jué), a Taoist longevity practice dating back to the 5th century AD. I learned this practice through my Qigong training with YOQI®.

When & Why to Practice the Six Healing Sounds

The Six Healing Sounds meditation is a powerful self-care practice that you can do regularly to connect with the emotions you may be holding onto in your body and transform and release them. Combining the sounds with gratitude and intention is soothing and builds up your internal awareness and self-compassion, which boosts your ability to heal from emotional and physical pain. I love to incorporate this practice into my bedtime routine to help process my day, but you can do this routine anytime. Join me in the video below as we try this ancient practice together. Then, I encourage you to learn it for yourself and practice it with your loved ones.

Chart of Organs & Their Associations

Below is a chart with each of the organs and their associated emotions, virtues, colors, and sounds, which you can reference for your practice. We start with the lungs because this is the primary organ of release and letting go. The sixth sound is for the "Triple Warmer," which doesn't directly correlate with a specific organ but is closely linked with our neuro-endocrine system and helps regulate the metabolism of water, heat, and energy throughout the whole body.

If you are interested in more, there is a wonderful kids' book called Six Healing Sounds with Lisa and Ted: Qigong for Children, by Lisa Spillane, that I recommend!