Energy. Movement. Sonance. They are in the swing of the king tides that gather water like waves of sound and then crash, cymbal-like, into the sides of cliffs, homes, and even lighthouses here on the Oregon Coast. The shape of the waves is reflected in sound, splash, mist, and momentum. They break in collisions of energy and time.

For this month’s Alumni Group, we discovered how our voices take the form of our emotions and allow us to experience the swelling king tides in our own lives–tides of grief, joy, uncertainty, and mystery–with a sense of deep listening, connection, and even healing.

This month’s spiritual, creative exercise is entitled “Resonant Vocal Emotions.”

Before I share it, I want to share some of the research that went into creating this exercise.

I’ve been thinking a lot about our voices and how we can use them to connect more deeply with ourselves, others, and God.

In “The Artist’s Way,” Julia Cameron has a week on “Recovering a Sense of Power” and a week on “Recovering a Sense of Connection.” As I researched the voice, I learned that vocalizations can help us listen to our emotions. And I discovered a powerful physical connection between using our voices and healing our bodies.

Did You Know?

Your voice is a physical represenation of your emotions and your emotional state. Want to give this theory a test? Check out the Sonde Mental Fitness App. “Sonde tracks changes in mental fitness by measuring changes in vocal features like a thermometer measures changes in body temperature. As people engage with the app and get accustomed to tracking their mental state, they can be more aware of signals of health changes and take steps to improve their well-being.”

Your vagus nerve (responsible for stimulating the muscles in your throat/larynx and your vocal cords, as well as the neck, chest, lungs, heart, abdomen, and digestive system) can be stimulated by vocalizations. The larynx, or voice box, is connected to the vagus nerve. When you sing, hum, or say “om,” you activate the nerve and calm yourself down. This can also help your heart rate calm and you feel more relaxed. (The vagus is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us rest, digest, and calm down.)

Vocal sounds and chants have been used for centuries to connect with and express emotions. When we make vocal sounds, such as singing, humming, or chanting, we engage multiple parts of our brain and body, including the vagus nerve.

Singing also activates the limbic system, the part of the brain associated with emotions, memories, and motivation. This helps to stimulate the release of blocked emotions and can improve overall emotional regulation.

Making sounds and speaking out loud can be a physical release, allowing emotions to escape from within. This is especially true for emotions that are difficult to express in words.

Using the voice creatively/expressively helps tap into a different part of the self that is not always accessible through language or thought.

Exploring and developing your voice in a group creates a safe space to connect with community on a deeper level.

So, do you want to give it a go?

“Resonant Vocal Emotions”

Tip: You’ll be making some noises and moving, so find a quiet place where you won’t scare your family or pets!

________________________________________

Stand and picture your vagus nerve as being tree-like within you.

Take a deep breath and chant out the word “om,” imagining the breath and sound going through your body as you hold the “mmmmmm.”

Now, find any places of tension in your body, and imagine the “om” traveling there and pushing through and out of that space of tension.

Do this three times.

_____________________________________________________________

Take a deep breath in and sigh out, “Ahhhhhhhhhhh.” Let all the air release on this sound. Do this three times.

Take a deep breath in and make an ambulance-like sound (wheeeee-ooooooh) going from high to low. Do this three times.

______________________________________________________________

Now, let’s add some motion with the sounds.

Take a deep breath in and on the “ahhhhhh,” fold your body forward towards the ground. Do this three times.

Take a deep breath in, raising your hands over your head, and on the “ommmm,” bring your hands in prayer at your heart. Do this three times.

Take a deep breath in and put your hands up. As you release your ambulance sound from high to low, drop your body and hang at the bottom. Do this three times.

What did it feel like to release your voice in this way?

If you’re in a group, talk about it. If you’re alone, journal about it for 5 minutes.

_______________________________________________________

Let’s do a few more.

​
Take a deep breath in, pulse a hiss sound twice, then hiss all your air out slowly. Do this three times.

Now, try a one-word rant. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and semi-squat like a sumo wrestler. Throw your hands above your head, take a deep breath, and loudly exclaim, “Why!!!!” Do this three times and play with how the sound comes out each time.

Take some time to write down a response to your “why.”

What emotions came up for you? Did any responses come to mind? How did your “why” rant change each time you did it?

______________________________________________________________​
Now, let’s play with your own vocalizations.

Take a deep breath and let any sounds come out that want to.

They can be silly or they can be calm. These may be words or simply sounds.

Some people in our group found that playful sounds came out, almost like a song. Others found more guttural/grunting noises needed to be released. Just let whatever comes come.

___________________________________________________________________ ​
In response to the one-word rant, form your own call-and-response chant.

Call-and-response is common in various forms of spiritual music.

I love this quote from Elizabeth Susan Vista Suarez, Ph.D.

“Life is a matter of a CALL and a RESPONSE; a reciprocity between the divine and the human, an action and reaction: God to man, man to God, or man to man. Sometimes, when we get caught up in the issues of the day, we may not hear God’s voice, and our responses do not include Him.”

​

What would you ask yourself, and what would you say in response?

​

Here are some call-and-response phrases from various faith traditions:

​

God is good/All the time.

With deeds of lovingkindness/I purify my body.

With open-handed generosity/I purify my body.

With stillness, simplicity, and contentment/I purify my body.

Who is it that you seek?/We seek the lord our God.

Do you seek him with all your heart?/Amen, Lord, have mercy.

Do you seek him with all your soul?/Amen, Lord, have mercy.

​

Here are some call-and-response phrases that came out of our group:

Who will you be today?/Exactly who I am.

Why do we glow?/To change the world.

Why?/Because you’re worth it.

Why?/Because you’ve always been worth it.

Why?/Because nothing will ever change that.

When shall I dance?/Anytime

Be still and receive my love/I am here and say yes to your love.

If you are using this exercise in a group, you can have each person read their call and have the group read the response.

​

We did this in our group, and it was lovely to see what the release felt like for all of us. For some, it was a grounding feeling. For others, it produced a calm and desire to rest. For others, there was a sense of empowerment and a desire to share our findings with those we serve in various capacities.

If you try this alone or in a group, please let me know how it lands. I would love to hear from you.

Be blessed!