"Stash Bag" Alex Theory

You Are What You Hear

By Alex Theory

In recent times, there’s been a lot of fuss about the quality of food that people eat. Words such as organic, free range, and GMO have become standard jargon in the shopping vocabulary of most consumers. All this hubbub about food, makes me think about other factors that subtly (or not so subtly) affect the quality of our lives. Are there other things in our environment that are just as critical to our well being as the food we eat?

Essential Nutrients

In 1952, a German scientist named Winfried Otto Schumann discovered that our Earth is emanating a unique sound. This sound, now called the Schumann Resonance, is a very low frequency vibration that pulses at approximately 7.83hz. Although this sound is below the threshold of human hearing, it is thought to be an important factor in the regulation of human biological cycles. This fact was proven in the early days of space flight, when NASA discovered that astronauts experienced severe physical distress in the absence of this subtle frequency. In order to make the astronauts feel more at home, they began using “Schumann Emulators” that simulated the resonance and helped the crew adapt to their alien environment.

Similarly, in another famous research study from Europe, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology, conducted an experiment that isolated student volunteers in a completely silent, hermetically sealed environment. Before long, these students began to experience emotional distress and migraine headaches. After a brief re-exposure to the Schumann Resonance, the health of the volunteers stabilized and they were able to function normally.

You Say Tomato I Say Tomatis

According to the physics, sound travels through water five times faster than it does through air. Since babies are surrounded by amniotic fluid inside the womb, it’s logical to deduce that sound has a tremendous impact on the fetus in the prenatal environment. This fascinating subject was the primary source of inspiration for a visionary ear, nose, and throat doctor named Alfred Tomatis.

In the late sixties, Dr. Tomatis found evidence to suggest that sound inside the womb influences brain development. He discovered that the ear is the first sensory organ of the fetus to become fully functional. Furthermore, the primary role of the ear in the prenatal environment is to harness sound waves inside the womb and convert them into energy for neural development.

Contrary to popular belief at the time (that stated sound was only used for communication and entertainment) this revolutionary new idea suggested that sound provides critical nourishment for the brain in the same way that sunlight provides essential nutrients for plants.

Roll Over Beethoven

In the nineties, a research article in Nature magazine suggested that listening to the music of Mozart induced a short-term improvement in the performance of certain kinds of mental tasks known as "spatial-temporal reasoning”. This finding, appropriately named the “Mozart Effect”, inspired countless moms to play Mozart for their babies, and revamped the coolness factor of classical music among college students. Was the increase in IQ a placebo affect, or the substantial result of a sonic super vitamin?

More than likely, Mozart’s music exemplifies certain qualities of sound that provide optimal nourishment for brain development. According to Dr. Tomatis, there is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is passive while listening is active. His research suggests that the quality of an individual’s listening ability can affect their spoken and written language development. Thus, music that stimulates the refinement of listening skills helps activate the brain, and acts like a sonic exercise machine. This could potentially explain why classical music that contains complex rhythms, harmonies and melodies, may be more beneficial to brain development than other sounds.

Sitarbucks

In this fast paced world, people are always looking for something to give them an edge on life. Instead of pounding espresso shots in the morning, wouldn’t it be great if you could put on a pair of headphones and receive an instant boost?

Dr. Tomatis believed that “certain sounds are just as stimulating as two cups of coffee”. Specifically, high frequency sounds (which carry more energy than low frequency tones) charge the brain and seem to enhance active listening. This hypothesis is supported by another interesting fact: our ears contain four times the number of high frequency nerve cells (that respond to frequencies above 3000hz) as they do low frequency cells.

So the next time you get a craving for that triple latte, try grabbing your iPod and grooving to some high frequency music instead.

If A Tree Falls

All humans have a special place in their heart for nature. After all, the clean air and lack of annoying billboards is quite refreshing. Most city dwellers, however, don’t always have the luxury of camping under the stars. Often times, the next best thing comes in the form of a nature CD or ocean generating alarm clock. Why are sounds from nature more relaxing than other sounds?

Research suggests that nature sounds awaken primordial memories of our distant past and comfort our minds like the relaxing glow of a warm fire. It turns out that nature sounds (ie. ocean waves, wind, rain, etc.) contain full spectrum frequencies that provide our brains with a wide assortment of harmonizing tones. These tones feed our nervous system, and offer our brains wholesome nourishment that makes us feel more balanced.
Note: Many of the “white noise” devices that are available at retail stores are actually very low quality. They contain poorly recorded sounds that are noticeably repetitive and feature noises that are not conducive to relaxation. If you’re shopping for a music or device that helps you relax, make sure you read the reviews or listen to it before putting it on your credit card.

Sonic Allergies

It’s a well-known fact that environmental pollution can affect the body’s immune system and create a variety of pathological reactions that range from depression to insomnia. Could sonic pollution have similar effects?
Most people have experienced insomnia at least once or twice in their lifetime. Usually, it’s just a temporary reaction to an excessive amount of stimulation or the psychological byproduct of stress. However, in some cases, insomnia is a debilitating long-term affliction that seems to have no end. The treatment for severe cases of insomnia usually involves prescription pharmaceuticals or some form of long-term clinical therapy.
In other cases, several astounding recoveries have pointed to the fact that insomnia may be sound related. These cases, that involved individuals who slept in the vicinity of household appliances, suggested that certain sounds could disrupt the natural human circadian rhythms. Once the disruptive sounds were removed form the environment (or turned off) the person was able to reestablish a normal sleeping pattern.
Note: A similar situation may apply to people living near high voltage power lines or other types of urban/industrial sounds. In these cases, since it’s impossible to turn the sounds off, it might be practical obtain a white noise generator to mask the pernicious frequencies.

Silence is Golden

Modern humans are constantly bombarded by a variety of sights and sounds that, often times, over-stimulate the nervous system and create unhealthy amounts of stress. Since most people don’t have the luxury of moving to the country in order to escape from the tumult, it is important to make time for moments of silence in an environment that supports deep relaxation. For some, this scenario could involve earplugs and an eye mask. For others, it could be as simple as taking a bath and listening to running water. Remember, in music, the one thing more important than the notes, is the silence in between the notes.

Sound Diet

High or Low? Fast or Slow? Simple or Complex? It’s up to you to choose the right sounds that provide optimal nourishment for your body on a regular basis. Just like eating healthy, the goal is to have a balanced diet. If you’re feeling sluggish in the morning, try listening to high frequency, active music. At night, in order to get ready for sleep, try playing slow and simple full spectrum sounds.

Another important thing to consider is the volume of your music. Most people are smart enough to stay away from jackhammers, jet engines, and gunshots, but they often don’t think twice about standing in front of booming speakers at a concert.

Doing this occasionally won’t cause any permanent harm, especially if you’re smart enough to wear earplugs. However, prolonged exposure to loud sounds (low frequency sounds in particular) has detrimental effects on the body that can lead to vibroacoustic disease (symptoms include fatigue, chest pain, neurological disturbances), and other nasty things.

The Soundtrack of Life

“Sound is half the motion picture experience.” – George Lucas
The consciousness of this planet is shifting to a higher level. Ultimately, that means that you have more information and more freedom to apply that information in whatever way you choose. As you navigate in this era of heightened awareness, I invite you to pay close attention to the world around you. In particular, the sound around you. Hopefully, this perspective will give you a deeper understanding of where your true nourishment lies.
P.S. - While you’re walking down the path, listening to your favorite tunes, if you run across somebody that says “you are what you eat”, tell them:
“Actually, you are what you hear…”
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