
Sound is powerful and has always influenced healing. This means music isn’t just soothing because it sounds good, but because of actual physiological and hormonal effects it is having on the body. This is akin to liberating guilt and fear with the frequency 396 Hz, undoing situations and traumatic experiences with 417 Hz, and improving our relationships or ability to express ourselves with 639 and 741 Hz.Īnother study found that music had a positive affect on the autonomic nervous system and endocrine system, reducing stress in the process ( 6). In the modern day, science has been able to back up exactly what our ancestors described.įor instance, one study concluded that music can reduce anxiety while increasing self-esteem and interpersonal skills ( 5).
Sleeping, eating, menstrual cycles, walking, talking, and other, if not all, functions of life are rhythmic.
We inhale and exhale, our hearts beat in systole (contraction) and diastole (expansion or relaxation.)
Day and night, seasonal changes, and all physiological and biological functions are rhythmic. Music is based on rhythm and harmony and human life is based on rhythm. Music is a part of the cycle of natural life. Ancient Egyptians describe musical incantations for healing the sick. They used vibration to aid in digestion, treat mental disturbance, and induce sleep ( 4).Īristotle (323–373 BCE), in his famous book De Anima, wrote that flute music could arouse strong emotions and purify the soul. Greek physicians used flutes, lyres, and zitters to heal their patients. Since ancient times, music has been recognized for its therapeutic value. However, humans have long believed in the healing properties of music, and in the modern day these have been proven through scientific research – particularly that led by Harvard ( 3). When first introduced to the Solfeggio frequencies and their purported benefits, it’s easy to be skeptical or even outright dismissive.
852 Hz: the sixth and final of the original notes, returns us to spiritual order, improving our access to the spiritual or sublime. 741 Hz: the fifth is connected to expression and solutions, helping us open up and share our gifts with the world more fully. This includes healing strained relationships and creating new ones. 639 Hz: the fourth is said to improve our connection and relationships with the people around us. It has even been linked to the repair of human DNA, the most basic building blocks of our bodies and minds. 528 Hz: the third is perhaps the most famous of the frequencies, because of its reputation for creating profound transformation and miracles. It is said to alleviate the conscious and subconscious mind from traumatic past experiences. 417 Hz: the second helps with the undoing of situations and facilitating change in our lives. 396 Hz: the first is thought to help liberate us from feelings of guilt and fear, which is arguably one of the biggest obstacles we face in life. But these frequencies are also said to have healing attributes. There’s the musical, historical, and religious importance mentioned above. So, what makes this scale so significant that it’s still being talked about and used hundreds of years later? The Meaning Behind the Solfeggio Frequencies This adds another note to the original six-tone Solfege. This might sound familiar, since it’s the basis for the Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti scale used by vocalists today. Notice the first syllable of the beginning lines. John the Baptist or Ut queant laxis, based on an 8th century poem attributed to another monk named Paulus Diaconus. The earliest example of the scale was his musical rendition of the Hymn to St. Monks of this order of the Catholic Church followed the Rule of Saint Benedict ( 2). One of the Gregorian Chants Where Do the Solfeggio Frequencies Come From?īased on the research of musicologist Professor Willi Appel ( 1), it’s likely the scale was first introduced by Guido d’Arezzo, a Benedictine monk.