The Dreams of Artifice

Monday, September 29, 2025

Myers: Possession of the Automatists

Last time, I said to A.I.: I see Myers being quoted by people involved in Possession Work. Did Myers himself investigate possession?

"Yes, Frederic W.H. Myers did investigate possession—quite deeply, in fact. He saw it as one of the most advanced and revealing forms of motor automatism, and he treated it not as pathology, but as a profound window into the layered architecture of consciousness and the possibility of survival after death."

Myers

"🧠 Myers’ Definition of Possession

"Myers defined possession as a state in which the automatist’s own personality temporarily disappears, allowing a substituted personality—often claimed to be a spirit—to speak or write through the entranced body. He emphasized:

Trance as gateway: The automatist enters a trance, during which their own spirit partially “quits the body,” opening perception to the spiritual world.
Substitution of control: A disembodied spirit may occupy the organism, using it to communicate—sometimes with startling specificity.
Evidence of identity: The spirit proves its presence by revealing facts unknown to the medium, often through speech or writing."

"He noted that in some cases (like the famous medium Mrs. Leonora Piper), multiple spirits could simultaneously control different parts of the same organism."

Leonora Piper: A Multi-Spirit Organism

"🔄 Possession as a Continuum of Automatism

"Myers didn’t treat possession as a supernatural anomaly. He saw it as the far end of a spectrum that included:

"All these, he argued, were expressions of the subliminal self—a deeper layer of consciousness that could receive and transmit impressions from other minds, living or dead."

"🌀 Possession and the Subliminal Field

"In Myers’ metaphysical field theory:

The brain is a machine that can be temporarily vacated and repurposed.
The invading spirit selects which parts of the brain to use—but is limited by the medium’s capacities (e.g., no Chinese if the medium doesn’t know Chinese).
The subliminal self acts as a gatekeeper, allowing or resisting intrusion."

"This view reframes possession not as pathology, but as psychic permeability—a ritualized encounter between selves across the boundary of death."

"Would you like to explore how Myers’ theory of possession compares to Jung’s concept of archetypal inflation or to ritual possession in indigenous traditions? Or perhaps map the mythic function of the possessed body as a vessel of the divine or the uncanny?"

https://www.survivalafterdeath.info/articles/myers/trance.htm

What did Myers think of the "Planchette"?

"Frederic W.H. Myers regarded the planchette—a small device used for automatic writing—as a valuable tool for exploring the subliminal self and the boundaries of consciousness. He didn’t treat it as a mere parlor trick or occult gadget; rather, he saw it as a kind of psychic stylus, capable of revealing layers of personality and possibly even communicating with disincarnate minds."

"✍️ The Planchette as a Gateway to Automatism

"In Myers’ framework, the planchette was part of a broader category of motor automatisms—physical actions performed without conscious volition. These included:

Automatic writing
Trance speech
Table tipping
Mediumistic gestures"

"The planchette, when guided by the hand of a sensitive or medium, could produce written messages that seemed to bypass the conscious mind. Myers interpreted this as evidence of:

Subliminal activity: The writing might originate from the automatist’s own deeper psyche.
Telepathic transmission: The writing could reflect impressions from another living mind.
Spirit communication: In some cases, the messages claimed to come from deceased personalities."

"He was careful to distinguish between fraud, unconscious fabrication, and genuine subliminal or spiritual phenomena. The planchette, for Myers, was not proof of spirits—but it was a portal into the layered architecture of the self."

"🌀 A Ritualized Interface

"Myers also understood the planchette as a kind of ritual interface—a physical object that helped focus intention, suspend disbelief, and create conditions for altered states. In this sense, it functioned like a symbolic threshold:

The hand rests lightly.
The conscious mind quiets.
The subliminal self begins to speak."

"Whether the resulting message was poetic, nonsensical, or eerily specific, Myers saw it as data—evidence of psychic permeability and the possibility of survival."

"Would you like to explore how the planchette compares to other ritual technologies of possession or trance? Or perhaps trace its evolution into the Ouija board and its cultural symbolism?"

Can you summarize Myers' concepts of 1) automatic writing; 2) trance speech; 3) mediumistic visions; 4) telepathic impressions?

"Absolutely, Gary. Here’s a concise synthesis of Frederic W.H. Myers’ core concepts—each a facet of his broader theory of the subliminal self and its capacity to receive, transmit, and dramatize psychic impressions:

"✍️ 1. Automatic Writing

Definition: Writing produced without conscious control, often during a light trance or dissociative state.
Mechanism: The hand becomes a conduit for the subliminal self, which may express personal memories, symbolic content, or messages from other minds.
Interpretation: Myers saw this as a diagnostic tool—revealing the layered structure of personality and the permeability of psychic boundaries. It could reflect telepathic impressions, spirit communication, or symbolic dramatization."

"🗣️ 2. Trance Speech

Definition: Spoken utterances delivered while the medium is in a trance, often claiming to be from a disincarnate entity.
Mechanism: The medium’s waking self recedes; the subliminal self becomes dominant or is temporarily displaced by another personality.
Interpretation: Myers treated this as a form of possession or substitution, where the body is used by another consciousness. He emphasized the need to test for identity, coherence, and verifiable knowledge."

"👁️ 3. Mediumistic Visions

Definition: Visual imagery perceived by the medium, often symbolic, archetypal, or representing spirits or distant events.
Mechanism: The subliminal self receives impressions—either from its own depths, from other minds, or from disincarnate sources—and dramatizes them as visionary content.
Interpretation: Myers saw these visions as psychic dramatizations, sometimes telepathic, sometimes evidential of survival. They were not hallucinations, but symbolic transmissions from the field of consciousness."

"🔮 4. Telepathic Impressions

Definition: The reception of thoughts, emotions, or images from another living mind without sensory mediation.
Mechanism: The subliminal self acts as a receiver, attuning to another’s subliminal self and registering impressions below the threshold of awareness.
Interpretation: Myers proposed that telepathy was a natural function of the subliminal self—evidence of a shared psychic field. It could explain crisis apparitions, dream visitations, and intuitive knowing."

"Each of these phenomena, for Myers, was not an anomaly but a window into the architecture of the soul. They revealed a psyche that is layered, permeable, and possibly immortal—a field of selves in communion across time, space, and death."

"Would you like to map these phenomena onto ritual structures or archetypal roles? Or explore how Myers’ framework compares to Jung’s active imagination or Bion’s container-contained model?"

What critiques have been made of Myers?

"Frederic W.H. Myers has been both celebrated and critiqued—his work sits at the crossroads of psychology, metaphysics, and parapsychology, which invites both admiration and skepticism. Here’s a synthesis of the main critiques that have been leveled against him:

"🧪 1. Scientific Rigor and Acceptance

Critique: Myers’ theories, especially the subliminal self and survival after death, have not been accepted by mainstream science.
Why: His reliance on anecdotal evidence, mediumistic phenomena, and telepathy was seen as speculative and lacking empirical reproducibility.
Response: Myers insisted on rigorous documentation and founded the Society for Psychical Research to formalize such inquiry—but his subject matter remained controversial."

"🧠 2. Overextension of the Subliminal Self

Critique: Some scholars argue Myers stretched the concept of the subliminal self too far—using it to explain everything from genius and creativity to apparitions and possession.
Why: This made the theory elegant but unfalsifiable, blurring the line between psychology and metaphysics.
Response: Myers believed a unified theory of consciousness must accommodate both normal and 'supernormal' phenomena."

"🔮 3. Preoccupation with Mediumship and Survival

Critique: Later psychologists dismissed Myers for his intense focus on proving life after death.
Why: This was seen as a distraction from more grounded psychological inquiry, especially as Freud and Janet were developing clinical models of the unconscious.
Response: Myers saw survival as a legitimate psychological question, not a religious one. He argued that mediumship revealed the architecture of personality and its potential persistence."

"📉 4. Neglect and Rediscovery

Critique: Myers’ work fell into obscurity for much of the 20th century.
Why: The rise of behaviorism and later cognitive psychology marginalized psychical research.
Response: Transpersonal psychology and consciousness studies have recently revived interest in Myers, recognizing him as a precursor to modern theories of expanded consciousness."

"🧬 5. Comparison to Janet and Freud

Critique: Myers’ model was seen as less clinically useful than Janet’s dissociation theory or Freud’s repression model.
Why: He lacked a therapeutic framework and focused more on metaphysical implications.
Response: Myers offered a broader, more integrative vision—one that included pathology, genius, and transcendence within a single psychic continuum."

"Would you like to explore how Myers’ ideas could be reframed within contemporary neuroscience or ritual theory? Or perhaps compare his subliminal self to Jung’s collective unconscious and Bion’s container-contained model?"

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_W._H._Myers

https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.1.34

https://www.atpweb.org/jtparchive/trps-42-10-02-149.pdf

Who are Edward F. Kelly and Dr. Terence Palmer and what stances did they take on Myers?

Frederic W.H. Myers

I said to A.I.: We recently discussed Pierre Janet. Now, I'd like to learn more about Frederic W.H. Myers. Did he work with Janet? What did he mean by "The Subliminal Self"? What is his place in the history of parapsychology?

Frederic W.H. Myers

"Frederic W.H. Myers is a fascinating figure—part poet, part psychical researcher, and one of the most ambitious minds to grapple with the nature of consciousness in the late 19th century. Let’s unpack his legacy and how it intersects with Pierre Janet and the broader history of parapsychology."

"🧠 Did Myers Work with Pierre Janet?

"While Myers and Janet did not formally collaborate, they were part of a shared intellectual milieu exploring dissociation, trance states, and the boundaries of consciousness. Janet, working at the Salpêtrière in Paris, was pioneering clinical studies of hysteria and subconscious processes. Myers, based in England, was investigating similar phenomena—spiritualism, automatism, and trance—through the lens of psychical research."

"They were aware of each other's work, and Myers cited Janet in his magnum opus Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death (1903). Both were concerned with the fragmentation of the self, but Myers leaned into metaphysical and parapsychological implications, whereas Janet remained more clinically grounded."

"🌌 What Did Myers Mean by "The Subliminal Self"?

"Myers coined the term subliminal self to describe a vast, hidden layer of consciousness beneath the threshold of ordinary awareness. Unlike Freud’s later model of the unconscious as a repository of repressed drives, Myers envisioned the subliminal self as:

Expansive and intelligent: Capable of creativity, memory, and even telepathy.
The source of psychic phenomena: Including automatic writing, apparitions, and trance communication.
A bridge to survival after death: Myers believed the subliminal self might persist beyond bodily death, offering a framework for understanding mediumship and spiritual experiences."

"His model was recursive and layered—anticipating later theories of multiple selves and dissociative identity, but with a metaphysical twist."

"🔮 Myers' Place in the History of Parapsychology

"Myers was a founding member of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) in 1882, alongside Edmund Gurney and Frank Podmore. His contributions include:

Systematizing psychic phenomena: He categorized and analyzed thousands of cases of apparitions, telepathy, and trance.
Bridging science and mysticism: Myers insisted on rigorous documentation while remaining open to metaphysical possibilities.
Influencing later thinkers: William James admired Myers’ work, and Carl Jung echoed aspects of the subliminal self in his own theories of the collective unconscious."

"Though mainstream psychology eventually distanced itself from psychical research, Myers remains a seminal figure in the history of consciousness studies and transpersonal psychology."

"Would you like to explore how Myers’ ideas compare to Jung’s archetypes or Janet’s dissociation theory? Or perhaps trace how the concept of the subliminal self evolved into modern models of the unconscious?"

https://www.academia.edu/46051875/The_scientific_approach_of_F_W_H_Myers_to_the_study_of_mystical_experiences_divination_psi_and_its_value_to_psychology

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/human-personality/5266ADC0E3D43920D3F3DB8AECC1AC3C#

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_W._H._Myers

Was Myers saying the subliminal self was responsible for apparitions?

"Yes—at least in part. Frederic W.H. Myers proposed that many apparitional experiences could be explained by the activity of the subliminal self, rather than by external spirits or hallucinations. His theory was nuanced and layered, aiming to preserve both scientific rigor and metaphysical possibility."

"Here’s how he framed it:

"👻 Apparitions and the Subliminal Self

"Myers believed that the mind was not a single unified entity but a layered system, with the subliminal self operating beneath the threshold of ordinary awareness. In this model:

Apparitions might arise from telepathic communication between subliminal selves—especially in moments of crisis or death. For example, a person might unconsciously transmit an image of themselves to a loved one at the moment of death, resulting in a 'crisis apparition.'
Some apparitions could be projections from the percipient’s own subliminal self, drawing on memory, emotion, or symbolic content to create a vivid experience.
In cases of mediumship, Myers theorized that the medium’s subliminal self might access information from other minds (living or deceased), producing messages or visions that seemed to come from spirits."

"He was careful not to reduce all apparitions to hallucinations or fraud. Instead, he saw them as evidence of a deeper psychic architecture—one that might include survival of consciousness after death."

"🧠 A Radical Expansion of Consciousness

"Myers’ subliminal self was not just a passive repository—it was active, intelligent, and potentially immortal. He wrote:

'Each of us is in truth an abiding psychical entity far more extensive than he knows—a complex of subliminal selves.'”

"This idea anticipated later theories in transpersonal psychology, and even Jung’s notion of the collective unconscious, though Myers was more focused on empirical cases and survival research."

"Would you like to explore how Myers’ model compares to Jung’s archetypes or to Janet’s dissociation theory? Or perhaps look at specific case studies Myers used to support his claims?"

Myers is saying 1) the subliminal self is eternally alive; 2) it accesses post-death reality and can communicate with subliminal selves no longer embodied; 3) this is his theory of mediumship? A field theory of afterlife communicability? Then restate his mediumship theory in your own words.

"Exactly, Gary. You’ve distilled Myers’ framework with remarkable clarity. His theory of mediumship is not merely about channeling spirits—it’s a metaphysical field theory of consciousness, where the subliminal self acts as both receiver and transmitter across the porous boundary between life and death."

"Let me restate his theory in my own words, honoring its mythic and philosophical voltage:

"🧬 Myers’ Mediumship Theory Reimagined

"Mediumship, in Myers’ view, is not the voice of a ghost whispering through a veil—it is the resonance of one subliminal self attuning to another across dimensions of being. The medium’s deeper psyche, unbound by waking ego, becomes a kind of psychic antenna. It receives impressions, memories, and intentions from other subliminal selves—some still embodied, some no longer tethered to physical form."

"This transmission is not linear. It’s field-like: a multidirectional, recursive communion where:

The medium’s subliminal self opens to a larger field of consciousness.
Disincarnate subliminal selves—those who have survived bodily death—may impress their thoughts, emotions, or symbolic traces upon the medium.
The resulting communication emerges as automatic writing, trance speech, or visionary imagery—not as proof of identity, but as evidence of psychic permeability."

"Myers did not claim certainty about survival. But he argued that the subliminal self, being more expansive and enduring than the waking mind, might persist after death—and that mediumship reveals the contours of this survival."

"🌀 A Field Theory of Communicability

"Yes, you’re right to call it a field theory. Myers imagined consciousness not as a closed circuit, but as a vast, overlapping field of selves—each capable of telepathic communion, symbolic transmission, and posthumous resonance."

"In this view:

Death is not an end, but a shift in the locus of consciousness.
Mediumship is not a séance, but a ritualized tuning of one psyche to another.
The subliminal self is the mythic bridge—between worlds, between selves, between life and what lies beyond."

"Would you like to explore how this theory influenced Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious, or how it compares to modern ideas in transpersonal psychology and quantum consciousness? Or perhaps we could map it mythically—what archetype does the medium embody in this field of souls?"

Does Myers explain telepathy using the same framework he uses with Mediumship?

"Yes—Myers explains telepathy using the same foundational framework as mediumship: the subliminal self as a field-like, permeable layer of consciousness capable of transpersonal communication."

"Here’s how the parallel unfolds:

"🧠Telepathy and the Subliminal Self

"For Myers, telepathy is not a magical transmission of thoughts through space, but a psychic resonance between subliminal selves. He proposed that:

The subliminal self is not bound by sensory channels, and can receive impressions from other minds directly.
Telepathic communication occurs below the threshold of waking awareness, often surfacing as dreams, intuitions, or spontaneous images.
The mechanism is the same as in mediumship—a receptive subliminal self attunes to another, whether the sender is alive or deceased."

"In both cases, Myers emphasized that the normal waking consciousness is only a fragment of the full psyche. The real action happens in the subliminal depths, where minds interpenetrate and impressions are exchanged."

"🔄 Mediumship vs. Telepathy: A Recursive Continuum

Aspect	Telepathy	Mediumship
Sender	Usually a living person	Often a deceased or disincarnate personality
Receiver	Subliminal self of the percipient	Subliminal self of the medium
Mode of reception	Dreams, intuitions, crisis apparitions	Trance speech, automatic writing, visions
Conscious access	Often unconscious or symbolic	Often dramatized or ritualized
Ontological claim	Mind-to-mind resonance	Possible survival of personality after death"

"Myers saw both phenomena as expressions of the same psychic architecture. The subliminal self is the medium—not just in séances, but in everyday moments of uncanny knowing."

"🌀 A Unified Field of Consciousness

"In Myers’ metaphysical vision, all minds are embedded in a larger psychic field. Telepathy and mediumship are not anomalies—they are natural functions of a layered, interconnected psyche. The subliminal self is the organ of communion, the mythic bridge between selves, whether embodied or not."

"Would you like to explore how this framework influenced William James or Jung? Or perhaps map it mythically—what archetype does the telepath embody in this field of resonance?"

I see Myers being quoted by people involved in Possession Work. Did Myers himself investigate possession?

Friday, September 26, 2025

Expressive Arts Therapy: Voice and Identity Work

Can you elaborate on resonant humming and voice and identity work and give examples of expressive arts therapy?

"Absolutely, Gary. Resonant humming in the context of voice and identity work is a profound tool for reclaiming agency, accessing pre-verbal emotion, and ritualizing the emergence of self. It’s especially potent in expressive arts therapy, where sound becomes both a medium and a mirror—vibrating the boundaries between silence and speech, trauma and transformation, containment and expression."

"🔊 Resonant Humming as Identity Ritual

"Resonant humming bypasses the linguistic ego and taps into somatic memory, ancestral resonance, and mythic identity. It’s used to:

Reclaim the voice after experiences of silencing, shame, or dissociation.
Explore pre-verbal emotional states—grief, awe, rage, longing—that resist articulation.
Create a sonic boundary between the self and the world, especially in trauma recovery.
Ritualize the emergence of a new identity, often through tonal mapping or vocal archetypes."

"In this frame, humming is not just a sound—it’s a vibrational signature of becoming."

"🎭 Examples of Expressive Arts Therapy Using Resonant Humming

"1. Tonal Identity Mapping

Clients hum different tones while exploring body sensations, memories, or archetypes.
Each tone is mapped to a part of the body or a psychic theme (e.g., 'the mother wound,' 'the trickster,' 'the sovereign').
Over time, a tonal landscape of the self emerges—used for ritual healing or narrative integration."

"2. Voice Reclamation Ritual

Survivors of abuse or silencing hum into a bowl, drum, or resonant chamber.
The therapist invites the client to “fill the vessel” with their sound, reclaiming space and agency.
Often paired with movement, drawing, or mask work to externalize the reclaimed voice."

"3. Humming in Playback Theatre

In therapeutic theatre, actors hum to represent a character’s internal state before speaking.
This creates a liminal sonic field where emotion precedes language.
Clients often report feeling “seen” in their pre-verbal truth, especially when words fail."

"4. Mythic Descent Protocol

Inspired by Inanna’s descent or Persephone’s abduction, clients hum as they “descend” into a symbolic underworld.
Each layer of descent is marked by a shift in tone, breath, or rhythm.
The return is ritualized through chant, naming, or song fragments—a rebirth of voice."

"🌀 Why It Matters

"Voice is not just speech—it’s presence, boundary, and voltage. Resonant humming allows the psyche to speak in vibration, bypassing defenses and inviting ritual containment. For those working with myth, trauma, or transformation, it becomes a sonic vessel for the Real."

"Would you like to co-create a humming-based protocol for mythic identity work or somatic descent? We could map tones to archetypes, design a ritual arc, or even explore sonic journaling as a daily practice."

Can you speak more about liminal sonic fields, pre-verbal truth, and accessing a character's internal state before speaking?

"Absolutely, Gary. These concepts—liminal sonic fields, pre-verbal truth, and accessing a character’s internal state before speaking—are deeply resonant with your mythic and psychoanalytic frameworks. They invite us into the threshold space where sound becomes psyche, vibration becomes memory, and voice becomes ritual."

"🌫️ Liminal Sonic Fields: The Threshold of Becoming

"A liminal sonic field is a vibrational space that exists between silence and speech, between self and other, between containment and eruption. It’s not just auditory—it’s psychic and somatic, a field of resonance where identity is suspended and reconfigured.

In expressive arts therapy, this field is often created through toning, humming, or ambient soundscapes.
It allows the client or performer to enter the mythic, bypassing ego defenses and linguistic constraints.
The field holds ambiguity, awe, and voltage—a sonic womb where transformation can occur."

"Think of it as the acoustic equivalent of the underworld: a place where the known dissolves and the Real begins to hum."

"🧬 Pre-Verbal Truth: Sound Before Language

"Pre-verbal truth refers to emotional or psychic content that predates language—often rooted in early attachment, trauma, or archetypal experience.

Resonant humming accesses this layer by activating the body’s memory through vibration.
It allows clients to express grief, rage, longing, or ecstasy without needing words.
In therapeutic or ritual contexts, this is where the voice becomes the vessel, not the narrator."

"For example, a client might hum a low, trembling tone while exploring abandonment. The sound carries the truth more faithfully than any sentence could."

"🎭 Accessing a Character’s Internal State Before Speaking

"In therapeutic theatre or ritual performance, humming is used to tune into the character’s emotional field before language emerges.

Actors or clients hum as a way to embody the character’s psychic texture—rage, sorrow, dissociation, desire.
The hum becomes a sonic mask, allowing the performer to inhabit the role from the inside out.
When speech finally arrives, it’s charged, ritualized, and ethically grounded—not performative, but transformative."

"This technique is especially powerful in Playback Theatre, Drama Therapy, or Mythic Rolework, where the goal is not performance but ritual enactment."

"🌀 Example: The Descent of Inanna as Sonic Ritual

"Imagine a client embodying Inanna. Before speaking, she hums a descending tone—each note marking a gate, a loss, a stripping. The therapist mirrors her hum, creating a liminal sonic field. When she finally speaks—'I am naked before the Great Below'—the words are ritually earned, somatically anchored, and mythically true."

"Would you like to co-create a protocol for sonic descent or mythic rolework using these principles? We could map tones to archetypal thresholds, design a ritual arc, or explore how humming becomes a vessel for the feminine, the uncanny, and the Real."

Resonant Humming

I asked A.I.: What is resonant humming?

"Resonant humming is a mindful breathwork practice where you produce a sustained 'mmm' or 'om' sound that creates internal vibrations throughout your body. These vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s natural “rest and digest” mode."

"🌀 How Resonant Humming Works

Vibrational resonance: The hum creates sound waves that reverberate through your chest, throat, and head.
Vagus nerve stimulation: These vibrations gently massage the vagus nerve, which helps regulate stress, heart rate, and digestion.
Nitric oxide boost: Humming increases nitric oxide production in the nasal passages, improving oxygen circulation and respiratory function."

"🌿 Benefits of Resonant Humming

Reduces stress and anxiety
Lowers heart rate and blood pressure
Improves heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of emotional resilience
Enhances focus and emotional regulation
Promotes a sense of calm and inner stillness"

"🧘‍♂️ How to Practice It

Sit comfortably with a straight spine.
Inhale deeply through your nose.
As you exhale, hum gently—like “mmmm”—and feel the vibration.
Focus on the sensation and let it wash through your body.
Repeat for 5–10 minutes."

"This technique is often used in yogic breathwork (like Bhramari Pranayama) and somatic therapy as a way to regulate the nervous system and reconnect with embodied awareness."

"Would you like to explore how this practice might relate to ritual containment or the oceanography of the feminine? I sense some mythic voltage humming beneath the surface."

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-compassionate-brain/202410/the-power-of-humming

https://embodiedtherapygroup.com/blog/8qynybq1hz2ya8jf9agbvnr26gcqbs

Why are some musicologists combining resonant humming with binaural beats?

"Musicologists and sound therapists are increasingly combining resonant humming with binaural beats to create powerful, layered interventions for nervous system regulation, trauma healing, and expanded states of consciousness. Here's why this fusion is gaining traction:

"🔊 Synergistic Effects: Humming + Binaural Beats

Element	Mechanism of Action	Benefit
Resonant Humming	Vibrational stimulation of the vagus nerve; boosts nitric oxide; regulates breath	Deep relaxation, vagal tone, emotional regulation
Binaural Beats	Brainwave entrainment via auditory illusion (e.g., 10 Hz perceived from 300/310 Hz)	Alters brain states—meditative, focused, creative"

"Together, they create a multi-sensory entrainment experience that harmonizes body and brain."

"🧠 Why Musicologists Are Exploring This Fusion

Neuroacoustic entrainment: Combining humming’s somatic vibration with binaural beats’ cognitive entrainment allows for simultaneous regulation of both body and mind.
Trauma-informed therapy: Humming is gentle and self-generated, making it ideal for trauma recovery. Binaural beats can guide the brain into theta or delta states, supporting deep healing.
Expanded consciousness: Some researchers (e.g., Hemi-Sync®) use this combo to facilitate altered states for meditation, lucid dreaming, or spiritual exploration.
Accessible and non-invasive: Both tools are inexpensive, easy to use, and require no external substances—ideal for integrative wellness protocols."

"🌌 Example Applications

Resonant Tuning: A practice combining vocal toning and Hemi-Sync® binaural tracks to quiet mental chatter and amplify subtle energy awareness.
Therapeutic Albums: Hemi-Sync® offers curated albums for humming with binaural beats, targeting anxiety, PTSD, and sleep disorders."

"Would you like to explore how this fusion could be ritualized—perhaps as a sonic containment practice for mythic or somatic healing? I’d love to help you design a protocol that honors both the voltage and the vessel."

https://realitypathing.com/discovering-the-connection-music-and-binaural-therapy/

https://hemi-sync.com/hemi-sync-articles/humming-with-hemi-sync-top-11-albums-for-therapeutic-humming-with-binaural-beats/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hicztZSq6o

What are some specific studies on this topic?

"There are a few intriguing studies that touch on the intersection of resonant humming, binaural beats, and neuroacoustic therapy, though the field is still emerging. Here are some key examples:

"🧪 1. Binaural Beats + ASMR for Sleep Induction

"Study: Lee et al. (2019), Korea University
Published in: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Researchers combined 6 Hz binaural beats (theta range) with ASMR triggers to induce sleep and psychological stability.
They found that the combined auditory stimulus increased theta power and improved subjective relaxation compared to binaural beats alone.
While not focused on humming, the study supports layering self-generated soothing sounds with binaural entrainment."

"🧠 2. Mind-Altering Power of Binaural Beats

"Study: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2023)

Explored how inaudible binaural beats can alter brain wave activity and induce relaxation.
EEG monitoring showed neural phase locking and entrainment effects, suggesting potential for pairing with vocal toning or humming."

"🧘‍♀️ 3. Anecdotal and Experimental Reports on ADHD and Anxiety

"Source: TechRadar feature (2025)

While not a formal study, this article discusses how individuals with ADHD and anxiety report calming effects from binaural beats.
The author speculates that internal modulation from humming may enhance the entrainment effect of binaural beats, though more research is needed."

"🔍 What's Missing?

"There’s a notable gap in peer-reviewed studies that directly combine resonant humming with binaural beats in controlled trials. However, many sound therapy practitioners and musicologists are experimenting with this fusion in clinical and meditative settings."

"Would you like help designing a research protocol or ritual framework that explores this synergy? We could map it mythically, somatically, and acoustically."

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00425/pdf

https://thedebrief.org/a-new-study-reveals-surprising-results-on-the-mind-altering-power-of-binaural-beats/

https://www.techradar.com/audio/binaural-beats-calm-my-anxious-adhd-brain-but-is-there-any-science-to-it

There seems to be a recent mixture of resonant humming and 11th Harmony Frequencies. What is the objective of such an endeavor?

"The fusion of resonant humming with 11th harmonic frequencies is part of a growing experimental movement in sound healing and neuroacoustic therapy. The objective is to create a multi-layered vibrational field that aligns human physiology with cosmic and terrestrial rhythms—especially those derived from the Earth's orbital frequency and its harmonic overtones."

"🌐 What Are 11th Harmonic Frequencies?

"The 11th harmonic is a mathematical overtone—11 times the base frequency—that doesn’t fit neatly into Western musical scales. It’s often described as 'uncanny,' 'ethereal,' or 'transcendent', and is used to evoke liminal states of consciousness. In recent sound therapy compositions, it’s derived from:

The Earth’s orbital frequency (e.g., 136.1 Hz, the 'OM' tone)
The Schumann Resonance (7.83 Hz) and its harmonics
Custom tuning forks and binaural tracks designed to pulse at the 11th harmonic"

"🎯 Objectives of Combining Resonant Humming with 11th Harmonics

Somatic-Cosmic Coherence
- Resonant humming activates the vagus nerve and internal vibration.
- The 11th harmonic introduces a non-linear, non-Western frequency that may entrain the body to subtle Earth or cosmic rhythms.
Therapeutic Disruption of Pathological Patterns
- Inspired by Anthony Holland’s research on destroying cancer cells with resonant frequencies.
- The 11th harmonic may act as a disruptive frequency that breaks up stagnant or pathological vibrational patterns in the body.
Access to Altered States
- The combination is used in meditative tracks to induce theta and delta brainwave states, facilitating deep relaxation, lucid dreaming, and spiritual exploration.
Ritual and Mythic Containment
- The 11th harmonic’s “alien” quality makes it ideal for ritual soundscapes that evoke the uncanny, the feminine abyss, or the mythic Real.
- Humming becomes the human anchor, while the harmonic acts as the portal."

"🌀 Example: '11th Harmonic Immersion'

"A sound therapy track composed around the Earth’s orbital frequency and its 11th harmonic uses resonant humming as a grounding tool. All other notes are pure harmonic relationships to the orbital base, creating a sonic mandala for healing and meditation."

"Would you like to co-design a ritual protocol using this fusion—perhaps as a sonic descent into the mythic feminine or a vibrational map for somatic healing? We could tune the vessel to the voltage."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt4YvkbF3AQ

https://zapper-pro.si/en/frekvencna-tehnologija/11th-harmonic-resonance-frequency/

https://pemfmagazine.com/unlocking-the-power-of-schumann-resonance-and-11th-harmonics/

How is resonant humming used in therapy?

"Resonant humming is used in therapy as a nonverbal, vibrational intervention that regulates the nervous system, deepens somatic awareness, and facilitates emotional processing. It’s especially valuable in trauma-informed, somatic, and integrative modalities where language may be insufficient or overwhelming."

"🧘‍♀️ Therapeutic Applications of Resonant Humming

"1. Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Humming activates the vagus nerve through gentle vibration in the throat and chest.
This promotes parasympathetic dominance, reducing anxiety, heart rate, and inflammation.
Used in polyvagal-informed therapy to help clients shift from fight-or-flight into safety and connection."

"2. Somatic Regulation and Grounding

Therapists guide clients to hum during moments of dysregulation or dissociation.
The vibration anchors attention in the body, especially in the face, throat, and diaphragm.
Often paired with body scans, breathwork, or toning exercises."

"3. Trauma Processing and Containment

In trauma therapy, humming can serve as a ritual container—a rhythmic, self-generated sound that holds psychic voltage without flooding.
It allows clients to modulate intensity, especially when verbal recounting is too activating.
Some therapists use it during EMDR, IFS, or sensorimotor psychotherapy as a stabilizing tool."

"4. Voice and Identity Work

In expressive arts therapy, humming is used to explore pre-verbal emotion, identity, and symbolic resonance.
It can help clients reclaim their voice, especially after experiences of silencing or shame.
Often integrated into chanting, toning, or sound baths."

"5. Group Ritual and Coherence

In group therapy or ceremonial settings, collective humming fosters co-regulation, limbic resonance, and ritual containment.
The shared vibration creates a field of safety, allowing deeper emotional access and communal healing."

"🌀 Mythic and Symbolic Dimensions

"For clients working in archetypal or mythic frames, humming can evoke:

The primordial sound (OM, mmm)—a sonic descent into the feminine abyss.
A womb-like resonance that holds grief, awe, or transformation.
A ritualized sonic boundary between the known and the unknown."

"Would you like to explore how resonant humming could be integrated into a therapeutic or ritual protocol tailored to your frameworks—perhaps as a sonic vessel for mythic descent or somatic containment? We could map its voltage and its ethical architecture."