To gain freedom of vocal expression through specific exercises including breathwork

In order to fully have the voice act as a healing instrument it is advisble to open up its potential. Three ways of doing that is: 1] creating gibberish which immediately breaks down inhibition but also requires that the jaw and tongue be loosened through exaggerated speech. 2] Opening the throat, specific exercises to relax the throat muscles and allow for a freer sound. 3] Breathwork. This latter work is essential so that the sound is well supported and gives the participants maximum benefit. It is based on the concept that is is the belly that does the breathing and the exercises develop this practice.

To stimulate the energy centres or chakras through vowel/consonant mantras

There are Western intuitive systems which make correlations between vowels and the chakras. The workshop leader has developed one such system. The consonants in this same process are derived from Tantra bija mantras [see point 3]. The frequencies of these vowels and consonants correspond to aspects of the chakras through their frequencies. They are intoned in a particular way rhythmically, first externally and then internally as in mantra meditation. The external process is active and stimulating, the internal is passive and refining. As the chakras are part of our soul this is vibrational medicine to purify our souls, another word for our psychology.

To refine the energy centres through the use of Tantric seed syllables

There is a great tradition in Tantra Yoga having to do with healing vibrations. The sages developed bija mantras or, in Western language, seed syllables, for harmonising the chakras. The principles of how and why they work are similar to Point 2. Once again, sounding them slowly so as to squeeze out all the essence, they are directed to the chakras with the opening consonant being the chief factor. The consonants can be extracted as is done when vitamins and minerals are taken from foods. And then combined with movements that direct the sound and symbolize the various elements. The seed syllables come into two versions, the original and one that combines the Western vowels with the consonants and concludes with with humming MMMMM. Particular tones are also correlated with the seeds, a scale intuited by the workshop leader.

To draw vocal sound within as a form of meditation

A very potent form of meditation is one that uses sound as a focal point. Because of our vibrational nature, the mind is able to take hold of a repetitive sound and send it swirling through our subtle body. This action has a purifying effect on the chakra system, i.e. our psychology. So the endpoint of any voicework that is spiritually based has to be in the form of meditation. Here the rhythm of the sound is followed in the mind and it is allowed to take whatever form it wants. All the person has to do is follow it and hold attention to it. This indrawing of the stumulating external sound towards silence is an essential spiritual practice.

To discover one's fundamental tone.

In each person there lies a fundamental frequency which generates all the other ones. It is based on the same principle as the fundamental tone and all the overtones it spawns. It makes sense to find a way of capturing one's most resonant frequency so that it can be used as a tone centre for voicework. It means that following a prescribed set of notes is not necessary as persons are unique in their patterns. There are two methods of discovering the tone. One where one breathes out the tone from deep within while in stillness and the other by setting up a sliding vocal scan and perceiving a resonant point in the body.

To listen to tuning forks as a way of resonating the cellular level

As a way of resting the voice and having a different take on sound healing, the tuning forks created by the polarity therapist John Beaulieu are brought into play to resonate and stimulate the cells and nervous system of the body. Most of the forks are listened to in pairs and are categorized elementally as water, fire and air. The earth forks are places on to the body singly and have effects on the lower body, the chakra system and the cerebral spinal fluid. The tunings are pure as they are derived from the natural overtone series.