Sound and transcendence - a neuropsychological, physical and spiritual consideration

Abstract

Music is used in religious practices worldwide to promote and deepen spiritual experiences. The various acoustic styles range from simple sounds, rhythms, songs to musical compositions. In this article, the musical, physical, mathematical and neuropsychological properties of sound, rhythm and harmony are examined, which contribute significantly to the fact that people are led into a spiritual experience through the sonic-musical experience. Sounds from singing bowls, for example, lead us to a silence filled with high awareness and sensitivity. Rhythms can lead to connected trance states with diminished cognition. And in the field of harmony we have a rich emotional spectrum at our disposal, which can also open for mystical experiences. Finally, the transformative power of sound events with respect to altered states of consciousness is discussed.