These past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about the use of the human voice. In part, because as a Reiki practitioner, the pandemic has taken my “hands-on” practice away and left me with a screen instead. But also because I’ve discovered that you don’t need to be a musician or sound healer for your voice to carry the energy of love and compassion.

Because of my thick accent and high-pitched tone, I never used my voice very much in Reiki practice, especially the first few years when most of my activities were centered on hands-on healing. Voice as a healing vehicle was—in my head—the domain of musicians, sound healers, or chanting the reiki mantras to deepen my spiritual journey.

The first time I became aware that I could use my voice differently was while demoing Reiki practice at the New York Jets. One of the athletic trainers told me after waking up from his session: “I liked this touch thing, but what really soothed me was your voice.”

I put it up to my Spanish accent and the idea that he was imagining Sofia Vergara whispering in his ear for him to go to sleep. However, the more classes I taught, the more I noticed there was a direct relationship between my state of mind and people’s reaction to my voice—and that by being more conscious of this fact, I could use my voice more mindfully. That my voice wasn’t just carrying words—it was helping me hold the space for others.

Your voice carries energy
There is a term in esoteric Buddhism called San-Mitsu, which represents three mysteries: body, mind, and speech. At a deeper level, it means that since all beings have a Buddha-nature—albeit hidden by the illusion of separateness—all beings are the mystic body of that Buddha, all sounds are his mystic voice, and all thoughts are his mystic mind. Speech is the link between body and mind.

In practice, the mystery of the body means the forming of mudras; the mystery of the mouth refers to the recitation of mantras, while the mystery of the mind indicates meditation. Through these three practices, anyone can remember their true self.  

I used to love this concept, but in my head, it was very elevated, relegated to my practice. Now it has become a concept I am trying to apply to every moment of my life: using my voice as much as possible from a state of mind that is open, calm, and compassionate, from a body that is healthy and able to both give and receive freely.

What about you?