Reclaiming Your Voice: Healing Through Breath and Sound
As women, many of us have spent years silencing ourselves. Whether through societal expectations, fear of judgment, or personal experiences. We’ve learned to hold back: our opinions, our truths, and even our voices. This silencing can manifest emotionally and physically, often showing up as shallow mouth breathing, tension in the throat, or even a fear of singing or speaking up.
I’ve been on a journey to heal this silencing within myself. Singing, something as natural as breathing, has long felt blocked for me. To heal this, I’ve turned to the power of breath. Specifically, I’ve been practicing the 9-9-9 breathing method: inhaling for 9 counts, holding for 9 counts, and exhaling for 9 counts. This simple yet profound technique has become a bridge to relaxation, vocal healing, and emotional release.
The Science and Practice of 9-9-9 Breathing
The 9-9-9 method works by intentionally slowing your breath, which calms the mind and strengthens the body’s connection to its voice. Here’s how to do it:
Find Your Space: Sit or lie in a comfortable position where you won’t be disturbed. Dim the lights or create an atmosphere that encourages relaxation.
Inhale for 9 Counts: Breathe in deeply through your nose, allowing your diaphragm to expand fully. Feel the air filling your lungs slowly and evenly.
Hold for 9 Counts: Pause at the top of your inhale. This moment of stillness helps regulate your nervous system and strengthens your diaphragm.
Exhale for 9 Counts: Breathe out gently and completely through your mouth, letting all the air leave your lungs. This release signals relaxation to the body.
Repeat this cycle a few times, or until you feel grounded and calm. With consistent practice, this method improves oxygen flow, reduces anxiety, and strengthens the muscles that support vocal projection.
The Healing Power of Vocal Vibrations Without Words
While the 9-9-9 breath lays the foundation for relaxation, adding vocal sounds to your practice can deepen the healing process. Making sounds without words—humming, chanting, or even creating soft vowel tones, allows you to focus on the vibration of your voice rather than the pressure of forming perfect words or melodies.
Why Wordless Sound Works
Vibrations Calm the Nervous System: When you hum or chant, the vibrations resonate through your chest and throat, activating the vagus nerve. This helps to lower stress levels and create a sense of calm.
It’s a Gentle Introduction: If singing feels intimidating, starting with simple sounds can feel safer. It’s about exploring your voice without judgment.
Unblocking Energy: Sound vibrations can help release tension stored in the throat and diaphragm, unblocking energy and encouraging emotional expression.
How to Start
Choose a Tone: Begin by humming a single note that feels comfortable. Focus on the sensation of the vibration in your chest and throat.
Experiment with Vowels: Try sustaining vowel sounds like “ah,” “oh,” or “ee.” Feel how each sound resonates differently in your body.
Add Repetition: Repeat a tone or sound for several minutes, allowing yourself to sink into the rhythm of the vibration.
Breathe and Pause: Alternate between sound and silence, letting the quiet moments deepen your connection to your body.
The Emotional and Physical Benefits of Breath and Sound
Both breathwork and sound are powerful tools for healing, particularly for those of us who feel disconnected from our voices. Here’s what they can do:
Reduce Tension: Breath and sound work together to release tightness in the chest, throat, and shoulders, areas that often hold stress.
Improve Vocal Confidence: Strengthening your diaphragm and experimenting with sound helps build trust in your voice, making it easier to speak or sing without fear.
Foster Emotional Release: Vibrations from humming or chanting can bring buried emotions to the surface, allowing you to process and let go of what no longer serves you.
A Bridge Between Body and Soul
Reclaiming your voice is not just about speaking or singing—it’s about reestablishing a connection with yourself. The 9-9-9 breath and vocal vibrations serve as a bridge between body and soul, creating space for healing, self-expression, and confidence.
This journey doesn’t require perfection. It doesn’t matter if your voice cracks or if your sound wavers. What matters is that you’re choosing to honor your voice and give it space to exist.
A Daily Practice to Begin
Start with 9-9-9 Breathing: Begin your day or end your evening with a few cycles of intentional breathwork to center yourself.
Incorporate Sound: Follow your breath practice with five minutes of humming or vowel sounds, focusing on the vibration rather than the pitch.
Reflect: Keep a journal to note how your body and emotions feel after each session. Are you noticing less tension? A greater sense of calm? More openness in your throat or chest?
Reclaim Your Voice, Reclaim Your Power
This practice isn’t about becoming a singer or public speaker. It’s about reclaiming your voice, both physically and metaphorically. It’s about saying, “I matter. My voice matters.” With each breath and each sound, you are taking a step toward wholeness, creating space for your voice to thrive.
Let the journey be yours, free from judgment, and full of curiosity. Let it remind you that your voice is not just a tool but a profound expression of who you are.
