Re-Connecting the Voice to Feelings and Emotions

For many of us, our voices have become disconnected from the deeper essence of  who we are and what we feel. It is as if our voices and our feelings and emotions have become strangers to each other. And yet, isn't part of vocal function to express emotion and feeling? Laughter certainly involves voice. Crying (unless we have perfected the"silent tears" syndrome!) often involves some vocal expression.  Joy, exuberance, excitement, enthusiasm, sadness, grief, all  show up in our voices -- not just in the words we speak, but in the actual tone and pitch and resonance and volume of the voice. Exuberance, excitement and enthusiasm are often reflected in a higher pitched, more energetic and faster moving voice. Sadness or depression may create a sense and sound of heaviness or slowness or even flatness in the voice. Anger often raises the volume and ability to project the voice. It might also result in a more constricted or pinched voice if we try to contain it.  Fear may constrict the voice altogether or it may result in a tremulous, shaky sounding voice.

So many emotions -- and every one creates a different vibration or resonance in the voice. Every emotion has its own unique vocal sound. Vocal expression of emotions is like a rich and fascinating and beautiful tapestry of sound and vibration and pitch and resonance.

Let the Children Sing!

 Except -- many of us have been consistently taught and trained to "put on a happy face" and speak nicely even if our hearts are breaking or our gut is tied up in a rage. Or imagine children that naturally get excited and exuberant and their voices reflect that excitement -- good chance they are made to tone down or, even worse, to shut up. I love hearing the sound of exuberant children, whether I'm on the subway, or I hear it in the hallway of my apartment building. I am also really saddened every time I hear parents shushing their naturally exuberant children in fear of other people getting upset or annoyed.

There are many ways that our voices get disconnected or even shut down from the essence of who we are and what we feel. The voice then becomes something we "control" or "use". But what about that precious authentic voice that was simply part of our total being as infants? As babies, feeling and expressing vocally were pretty much one and the same -- so connected were they. Of course as we grow and learn to speak, we refine that vocal ability so that we can express our needs and wants and emotions through words or maybe even through songs or other kinds of vocalizing and sounding. And if we were raised in a way that our needs, wants and emotions were respected and our vocal expression of them honoured and accepted, then good chance our voices will remain connected to the essence of who we are and what we feel.  And for those of us who were shut down or silenced vocally, the good news is, it is never too late to begin that exciting exploration of re-connecting the voice to feelings and emotions.

Connecting the Voice with the Seven Major Chakras

My recent workshop of the same title has got me thinking about this issue. The question I have been reflecting upon is "How do we stop using and controlling the voice, and instead allow it to re-connect with the deepest part of our being and allow it to simply flow from there?"

Originally I thought about "using" the voice to energize the Seven Major Chakras -- which is often the way working with Chakras and Voice is approached. For example, in Eastern traditions, there are certain Sanskrit Sounds that are used to sound the Chakras. There are specific vowel sounds that definitely help to activate the Chakras. All of these sounds and tones and vowels certainly are powerful ways to connect with the Chakras.

The question that comes to my mind, as someone who has had a lot of (previous, but now healing!) vocal issues and vocal weaknesses, is -- what if the voice isn't ready or able to project those specific sounds of the Chakras? Or what if our emotional self is not ready or able to handle the "out there" projection of the voice?

 In my experience and in my new awareness of  respecting the voice, (see my previous blog post) that old way of "using" the voice does not always result in a natural flow that is kind and respectful to the voice and the vocal cords, and it may result in vocal strain. It may also result in a feeling of traumatizing the voice or the part of us that may have deep rooted fears or insecurities about allowing our voices to be free and expressive.

For example, the 3rd Chakra, the Solar Plexus, our Personal Power Center, (located above the navel and connected to the digestive organs) is a place where old unresolved or unexpressed anger is often stored. In connecting deeply with the Solar Plexus, we may begin to re-experience those old angry feelings. It may seem like vocalizing those feelings through vigorous sounding or even by blasting out some angry songs would be very cathartic. And it may be if the voice is really strong and able to handle those sounds, and if, emotionally we are ready to be so totally "out there" vocally. But I suspect in many cases (and I certainly speak from personal experience!) that kind of catharsis can be pretty hard on the voice and traumatizing to the emotional body.  It is too much too fast and it does not allow for a natural flow of energetic connection to develop between the Solar Plexus and the Voice.

In my experience and way of thinking about this, I believe we first need to begin developing a relationship between the Voice and the Solar Plexus (or whatever Chakra and/or emotions we are dealing with) and find the middle ground where the voice is allowed to create those sounds that feel good to it. And the feelings in the Solar Plexus are gently freed in a way that is comfortable and nourishing to the whole system (including the voice). Some very interesting sounds or songs could result from that connected place.

My next blog post will explore the idea of developing a relationship with the Voice and understanding its signals and messages.

In the meantime,

Love Your Voice!

                              Barbara