Pull out a bottle of pain reliever for a headache, and Marietta resident Candace Keach will give other options for curing the pain. Ms. Keach is a professional flutist and sound therapist who preaches the benefits of sound therapy. Her first CD released in May, "As Above So Below", is a healing journey through the elements featuring flutes, crystal bowls and synthesizer made by Ms. Keach and classical pianist and friend, Gordon Porth. Recorded at St. James Episcopal Church in Marietta, the CD was made to give therapeutic benefits to its listeners. "The CD was created with the intention of facilitating healing through a sonic experience of the elements," Ms. Keach said. The elements include ether, air, fire, water and earth, which help create balance and flexibility while also restoring wholeness, according to Ms. Keach. Ether is related to grief and joy and water to creativity. Air relates to the heart and unconditional love while also being joine with the immune system. Fire shows enthusiasm or anger and earth relates to the family. Ms. Keach said flexibility is the key to retaining a balance between the elements. "You can have problems physicially or emotionally when one of the elements is overstimulated," Ms. Keach said. She said listening to someone's voice is enough to tell if they are over-stimulated in an element. "If someone talks loud and is making sputtering sounds, they are over-stimulated in fire," the University of Georgia graduate said. "If someone is whiny and has a woe-is-me tone, they have too much water." Ms. Keach teaches seminars titled, "The Art and Science of Sound Healing" where she gives hands-on techniques to retaining balance between the elements with sound. In addition to teaching sound workshops, Ms. Keach also teaches private flute lessons and is principal flutist in the Macon Symphony Orchestra. With a background in classical music, Ms. Keach expanded her knowledge of sound's metaphysical power while training with John Beaulieu and learning the art of toning, vocal harmonics and voice analysis. She also learned to play crystal bowls made of crushed quartz crystal, tapping and stirring them with a wand which creates a sound similar to a flute, as displayed on her CD. The sound pulses in wave form that induces listeners into a theta brain wave state, she said. "When people are in deep meditation, they are in a state open to healing," Ms. Keach said. She said a New York oncologist has established crystal bowls into his practice and feels that this has sent some of his patients' cancer into remission. "I have read scientific documentation that suggests that cancer cells are broken up by sound," she said. "I really feel like this will be the medicine of the future." The origins of therapeutic sound healing are steeped in tradition. "Ancient sources and legends cite music and sounds as powerful tools for healing," Ms. Keach said. "The Egyptian hieroglyphic for music also meant joy and well-being." Wanting sound therapy to relax, Ms. Keach recommends toning. "Open your mouth, and with alot of breath, make a sound appropriate to you," she said. "Change the pitch. Use a vowel sound and stretch it out. Different vowels resonate in different parts of the body. If you have a headache, send it to that area. Ten minutes later, you will be amazingly relaxed and pleasantly surprised!"
Painting by Solyolmaa Davaakhuu www.facebook.com/soyolmaa.davaakhuu http://www.imagekind.com
