As Tone Fox, I set paw on path to become a spokes-mammal to enlighten, awaken, and “teach” willing minds about the beauty and benefits of a rainbow of sound frequencies. There are few role models for me to pattern my syllabus after, so I have forged ahead, pulling together disparate disciplines from science, philosophy, personal experiences as a musician, meditation, quantum physics and everyday life. In an unseen twist of the fabric of the universe, I seems I have become my own pupil.
In U.S. pop culture many were exposed to the wisdom of the teacher and pupil relationship via the musical “The King and I”.
“It’s a very ancient saying,
but a true and honest thought,
That ‘If you become a teacher
By your pupils you’ll be taught.”
Truth. However the road as always, is a sometimes harsh, and bit less direct, favoring detours and mishaps along the way to teaching others. I would state that learning from your students is the master class and different than learning from a “teacher”. To me, a teacher must have the passion of a true believer to share the wonders they have learned. I have developed a passion and true belief in the practice of meditative exposure to sound frequencies. To bring my discoveries from paper to practice, I started doing ” Harmonic Activations”. These are musical adventures in the “magical” frequencies.
Ones that seem to resonate most; The Solfeggio Frequencies – 174 to 963, aligned with chakras. While it is difficult to find consensus on the properties of each, these so seem to have positive, real effects. I have also performed music in 528, often called the “love frequency”, and I have found it has special qualities. 396 is my latest favorite.
The higher frequencies 1074 and 1174 also seem to have qualities. Of course, my favorite, perhaps because my primary instrument is guitar, and it is most adaptable to music performed in a conventional 440 hz referenced A, the miracle healing frequency 432 hz.
My mind has been fed, nurtured and expanded by using these frequencies for meditation, relaxation, and performing music. Leaning into these frequencies, and incorporating them into daily life has been walk an a strange and unfamiliar, but welcoming forest for me. To go where I haven’t been, but to enjoy the sense of familiarity, comfort and exploration.
Listening, actively to these frequencies can introduce feather like memories in me, often dream-like and bearing faint ancient wisdoms. The joy is a beacon, a fixed point, somewhat of a guidepost to follow. The harmonic activations, where a group of us perform sounds together, live, have been unique experiential gateways. Each its own, completely different performance. The first I did was me alone, with an acoustic guitar tuned to 432 hz.
I set up mics in a stone stairwell, and meditatively performed whatever felt natural. It was my first flash of inspiration as I realized that if you play without rules or encumbrances, with only the purpose of the moment. The music happens in a wonderful, expanding, squishy way. With 432, it is usually a warm feeling in my chest. These first sessions expanded to adding acouple of players and recording in the studio, then growing into more and more players, up to a dozen or more in different locations, a church, a gymnasium, a bar, a performance venue, recording studios and someone’s house. We have now performed these exercise in 4 countries and many cities. When I look back, Wow!
These beautiful gatherings have evolved and some have created more of the magical healing/cleansing/mind-expanding properties than others, but there has been once constant; that after each one, there is a spirit of happiness and togetherness, and everyone says that the time felt like it went by in a flash.
After some time, I realized that my pedantic tendencies – a counter productive byproduct of producing music in the studio, was holding the process back. The universe resists micro managing! As a result, I swung the other way favoring the “Leaderless Group” approach. What this meant in practice was to get everyone in a room and with little guidance, just start playing. The results of both approaches were similar in output, but very different effects on my journey towards finding authentic self. I now believe that I have learned enough to pass something on and provide a little guidance, but to not over orchestrate or control. Why is letting go of something so much harder than embracing it?
Still, I am learning. If this were primary school, I would force myself to write 100 times: “I am learning, I am learning, I am learning…” For me, the biggest lesson is about letting go and letting things flow. I believe things move with unseen universal guidance and that when we resist, dissonance and subsequently negative impacts occur. I have found that sometimes I carry huge expectations into a desired outcome, and I have had to learn to put those expectations aside for the ugly beauty, the “lesson” of the moment, like when technical things go wrong, I have learned to separate performance in the moment from a performance that is trying to get a recording. Dealing with musicians who are on a non-aligned path and want to show-off skills has been challenging. Musicians who have not mastered their craft or have not started on a path towards self-discovery is also challenging. However, you don’t need to be a virtuoso to absorb the secrets of the one note.
For those looking to take the first steps I often introduce the Phillip Toshio Sudo book “Zen Guitar”. (ISBN 0-684-83090-6) It is a very personal instructional guide to living your instrument. “Zen Guitar is nothing more than playing the song we’re all born with inside.” I first picked up this book when it was published in 1997 and now when I see a copy at a used bookstore, I buy it an give it to the next student that I think would benefit from it.
As a pupil, this book gave me some insight into the importance of practicing with a mindful approach. As a teacher, it taught me to start with the smallest thing and build upon the “eureka” moments.
My approach is developing from a mix of Taoist eastern philosophy and stoic western thought. Perhaps a warm and pleasant cafe where Plato and Marcus Aurelius meet for a Turkish coffee with Rumi while Mingus burns up the place. Plato’s philosophy was abstract and utopian, and he focused on reason and universal Forms. He believed that knowledge comes from abstract reasoning, and that reason cannot understand the human good without grasping the form of the Good itself. “The Good” is in all of these great teacher’s principal. The “Chi” in Tai Chi, the love of god that Rumi worships. The “Self” in Jungian philosophy.
To me music, sounds and frequencies are a conduit to reclaim what we’ve forgot. Today I played with my grandson. He likes to beat on my guitar and turn the tuning pegs. The adult conditioned response is to say “don’t do that” because it appears reckless or may hurt the guitar. I encourage touching the instrument and use no negative language, instead asking questions. “What will happen if we do this?” We are born authentic and gradually conformity and inhibitions are introduced. Joy becomes a goal, or manufactured event.
These activations are a great way to start a journey to reclaim what that lost “Self”. Further, the sounds are shown to heal physical and emotional trauma and to open gateways to enlightenment. I believe sound vibrations are the key to raising our collective and personal consciousness. Even without some of the current rudimentary scientific proof it makes sense. Sound is vibration, vibration is energy and moves things, from seen physical objects, to cells, atoms, electrons and quarks. Like many, I believe there are quantum layers that are as of yet undiscovered. Many years ago, I wrote a song called “Science or Magic.” The basic premise was that until it is explained by science we consider unexplained phenomena as “Magic.” It’s all becoming magic to me.
These activations are indeed magical. Just ask anyone who has participated, or listened to the recorded sessions. Sound healings are starting to gain universal acceptance, and that is wonderful. Frequencies when applied with a purpose can work wonders, but they are not “magic” on their own. I believe it takes a holistic approach, intentionally focused and always striving for the moment. You can feel calm and peaceful after exposure to sound bowls, pan flutes or crystal harp, and that is great. For me, I have found infinite worth in incorporating this singular feeling into the multitudes of my daily life. In my experience, physical and spiritual growth and healing requires many steps, including:
People ask me, “Tone Fox, what are some easy things I can do to bring the calming, healing buzz balm of the activation session into my daily life?” Two easy things that I suggest are; 1) Be aware of what you are listening to. As I am able, I have calming, “mediative” sounds playing as a soundtrack for my day and night. Listen to some of our harmonic activation sessions, they are all different, and take you on a relaxing journey (they induce a mild trance for me). 2) Don’t be intimidated by meditation. It is as simple as stopping and sitting with yourself.
The most useful thing I have found is to play healing frequencies and binaural sounds and set a timer. The timer is both a goal and reassuring stopping point. There are many resources to help you learn the practice of meditation, my advice – keep it as simple as you can. Whatever your path, set positive intentions and carry this mindful practice into your everyday life.
I am eager to share what I learned so far at the next “Harmonic Activation” and to learn more from my “students”.
Tone Fox, Out!
Who is the fox?
Tone Fox lives a life full of experiences as a business
person, professional touring musician, poet, harmonic
activation facilitator and grandfather.
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