Vibrational Tuning Forks for Healing

There are a variety of vibrational therapies. Sound and vibrational healing therapies with the use of tuning forks is just one type of vibrational therapy. This particular type is used as an alternative for pain management, stress relief and balancing the body's health.

Sound

• Most of us hear and feel sound vibrations. Sound affects us emotionally, as when we hear music that evokes joy, sadness or even fear. Focused, conscious sound can create calmness when implemented in a supportive and quiet environment. Some alternative therapists believe that, when used intentionally, sound can promote healing in the body and the mind.

Founder

• Tuning-fork therapy was developed by Francine Milford, L.M.T. of Venice, Florida, in the late 1990s. Milford has been a musician for over 40 years. Since tuning forks are used to tune instruments, she began to explore how tuning forks might be integrated into her Reiki practice. Milford explains, "Our energetic body has a vibration, and every organ in our body vibrates to a certain frequency. When you're healthy, all the organs vibrate in a specific way; when you become ill, it changes the vibration." Milford believes that our vibration can be thrown out of balance by trauma, negative emotions, environmental toxins and stress, as well as by modern day devices such as cell phones, televisions and laptop computers. According to Milford, "Tuning forks help the body to remember what its healthy frequency is...and how to be healthy again."

How It Feels

• A tuning-fork therapy session usually involves having the client lie on a massage table. A basic set of tuning forks include tones from a low to a high C. The practitioner gently strikes one of the forks to activate the tone it makes. She then passes the fork over the client's body in particular patterns and for specific amounts of time. Some techniques involve having the fork in direct contact with the body's pressure points. People who have tried this type of therapy have said that they feel relaxed afterwards. Others have shared more dramatic results such as seeing colors in front of them or experiencing pain reduction.

Children and Pets

• Since tuning-fork therapy is so simple and noninvasive, Milford suggests learning the techniques so that they can be used at home on children and pets. Milford says that you can have a tuning fork at home to use "to calm down your children and help them relax and refocus."

The Future

• Vibrational healing therapies are evolving, as is tuning-fork therapy. There are certification classes for tuning-fork therapy, and it is a growing area of interest. As of late 2009, there is no scientific evidence on the effectiveness of tuning-fork therapy.