My many previous years of working, playing, healing, dancing and in many other ways, developing my connection with the Chakras, have provided a wonderful background for my current passion of developing my connection with Voice. My own Vocal Development has been primarily through the method that I have written copious amounts about in previous blogs -- and that is Speech Level Singing.
Speech Level Singing (SLS for short) is a brilliant, and very sensible down to earth vocal technique that was developed by Seth Riggs (who lives and continues to teach in LA, California). I have been a passionate student of this vocal technique for over two and a half years now -- check back to some of my previous blogs to hear more about that incredible journey.
Prior to my "Awakening Vocal Passion", my focus was the Chakras -- the energy centres of the body -- hence the original title of this blog "Chakra Dancer". That title may soon have to change since I seem to be writing more about the voice now than anything else. But the exciting discovery that I have been making, as I come to understand more about Speech Level Singing, is that, for me, there is a profound and exciting connection between SLS and Chakras. Although you wouldn't likely hear an SLS teacher speaking about Chakras, you would hear, in an SLS lesson, a lot about Chest Voice, Head Voice and the Middle or Mix Voice (which is the bridge between the Head Voice and the Chest Voice). In "Chakra" language, and in my way of experiencing the Voice and the Chakras, the Chest Voice, with its beautiful deep resonant quality connects us more deeply with the lower three Chakras -- the Root, the Sacral and the Solar Plexus. These are the Chakras that help us stay grounded, connected and functioning in this physical Earthly reality we currently live in. The Head Voice, with its lighter, more ethereal quality and higher vibration, connects us more with the upper three Chakras -- the Throat Chakra, the Third Eye Chakra and the Crown Chakra. These Chakras relate to our Spiritual, Intuitive, Creative, Divine, Wise Nature. The Middle or Mix Voice is the transition from Chest Voice to Head Voice. It is the bridge between that powerful deep low earthy vocal vibration and that higher headier more spiritual type of vibration. In the Chakra system, it is the Heart Chakra that is the bridge between our lower, earth bound physical nature and our higher spiritual nature. In SLS, the Bridge, or Mix Voice is a combination of Chest Voice and Head Voice that becomes gradually lighter as we sing up into the higher notes, or gradually deepens as we move down more fully into the lower range.One really wonderful thing I have learned through my Speech Level Singing training is that we ALL have a Chest Voice and we ALL have a Head Voice. And it is very possible to train the Voice to connect between those two parts of our Voices. In other words, we probably all have a much greater vocal range than most of us ever thought possible. From my understanding (and brief experience) of older methods of singing instruction, Voices were generally classified as Soprano, or Baritone, or Tenor etc.This labelling of Voices meant that Voices were severely limited in range and possibility. And since the Voice is connected with the nervous system, that means that a part of the nervous system was being overworked while the rest of it would lie dormant. That also meant one portion of the voice was being overused while the rest of it was lying dormant. In Speech Level Singing, we get to develop the Whole Voice.
A similar thing happens in the Chakra system. Some people may go through life with an overabundance of energy and focus in the lower three Chakras which means they become overly focused on material gain and overly dependent on external status symbols and power. This can lead to greed and conflict and a feeling of disconnection from one's true values. Other people may feel more energy in their upper three Chakras and more drawn to things that are spiritual and psychic in nature. Being overly focused in this upper realm can leave one feeling disconnected from the body and the physical world and it can make coping with everyday realities more difficult. This also means that the nervous system becomes overdeveloped and overused in one area and underdeveloped in another area of our lives and physical bodies. Most of us do have a tendency to operate more from either the Upper Chakras or from the Lower Chakras, just as most of us tend to speak or vocalize or sing more from our Head Voice or more from our Chest Voice.
The ideal Vocal situation is to learn to vocalize and sing through our Entire Vocal Range.
In the case of the Chakras, the ideal is to develop an equal flow of energy through our Entire Chakra System. We open the door to this flow of energy through the Heart which is the bridge between our Lower Earthy Nature and our Higher, Divine Nature. Both aspects of ourselves are equally important to our functioning as a Whole Human Being.
Developing Head Voice and Chest Voice and connecting them through the Mix Voice or Bridge are equally important to freeing the Entire Range of Our Voices.
In Sanskrit (an ancient East Indian language), the Throat Chakra (the energy centre which is the most directly connected with Voice) is called Vishudda. That word literally means Purification. Freeing the Voice and allowing it to move and dance between Head and Chest, or through the Upper and Lower Chakras, can create a powerful catharsis and cleansing of our energy system. It can also awaken those previously dormant aspects of our nervous system. Not only that, but it is really fun and energizing to allow the Voice to play and dance through its entire range.
Lots more could be said about this fascinating Vocal/Chakra connection (and probably will be in future blogs). In the meantime, check out my events column to the left of this blog. I am offering a twice a month vocal event where we learn to care for the voice and we get to allow our voices to play and dance freely. AND -- we explore and sing some really fun and interesting songs.
I'll leave you with that old saying "Sing your own special song in your own special way" hopefully through the entire range of your voice!
Barbara
