It was only recently that sound, as a form of physical healing, made its way into the holistic medicine field.

Linda Kingsbury, owner of Moscow’s Spirit Herbs, said sound healing is a broad topic. It can refer to any noise that brings a sense of contentment, like hearing someone saying your name in a kind way.

Many people are aware of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. According to Smithsonianmag.com, it is a series of light noises that creates a “tingling” sensation in the head that can help some people sleep better and relieve stress.

Another common sound is white noise, like the sound a fan makes, which some people like to fall asleep to.

“The consistent sound helps to calm the nervous system,” Kingsbury said.

Today’s culture seems so fast-paced, and people often have a fight-or-flight mentality. Kingsbury said sound can help people deal with their emotions through an increase of chemicals like serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.

Not all sound healing is going to be the same for everyone, and people will favor different sounds over others.

“Whatever personal, emotional connection to [the sound] is,” Kingsbury said, “it’s going to bring people a sense of relief or healing.”

The heartbeat is probably the first form of sound healing someone experiences. It can ground your consciousness, awareness, thoughts and feelings in the present moment, Kingsbury said.

“Hearing and feeling sound affects the body differently,” Kingsbury said.  “When you feel the different sensations, the sound will go where it needs to go in the body.”

Anyone can benefit from sound healing, Kingsbury said. It’s the reason drumming circles are so popular around the world.

“Sound is universal,” she said. “No matter how old you are or what language you speak, you’re going to have a response to sound.”

For people who want to experience the healing properties of sound, Kingsbury teaches an introductory class on sound healing, where people can practice using different methods of the therapy.

Kingsbury will also lead a gong meditation from 7 – 8:15 p.m. May 6 at Palouse Juice in Moscow. The purpose of this class is to “activate the life force centered in the body, open up the spine, and to simply rest and receive,” Kingsbury said.