There exists all around us an invisible world — a world that can influence our mood, ignite reactions, inspire emotion, and dictate our well-being. It sometimes serves to destroy but often to heal. It’s a world beyond words, best appreciated in silence.
Tori Anito grew up in a world of sound. The daughter of a singer and a drummer, she began singing as soon as she could talk and quickly picked up the guitar. Music became part of everything that made sense in her life. Her voice became her art, and she wanted to share it with those she loved and beyond. As she matured in her craft, music became an accompaniment to life and a vital fabric of it without which she would not feel whole. It was this sense of wholeness that Tori began to explore and, as she discovered the true power of sound, created for herself.
Sound is a physical vibration that moves through a medium to produce an acoustic wave, stimulating the auditory nerve. Beyond the auditory nerve, other body parts can internalize these vibrations down to individual cells. Ancient cultures took advantage of this in their holistic approach to healing many ailments. The Australian didgeridoo is arguably the earliest example of an instrument crafted for medicinal application. Ancient sound healing practices have become more well-recognized in modern medicine in a practice known as sound therapy.
Cymatic, or sound therapy, attempts to abolish disharmony within the body that can be brought on by various forms of trauma. Through specific manipulation of sound, the body can become “reharmonized,” creating an optimal environment in which organs can properly function and ultimately have the chance to heal themselves. This practice has been known to benefit those with conditions such as anxiety, addiction, self-inflicted trauma, fibromyalgia, hypertension, headaches, and even low self-esteem.
On her 21st birthday, Tori received a gift that would change everything — a sound bowl, no bigger than the palm of her hand, but as she looked at it, she felt a calling. She studied, practiced, and grew in knowledge of the ancient art and eventually graduated from Hot Yoga Plus Yoga school. To her collection, she added a rain stick, native drums, a variety of bowls, a flute, and, coming soon, an ocean drum. In addition to these instruments, Tori uses vocal toning, chanting, and singing in her practice.
Tori offers her sound healing therapy to clients in various spaces in Memphis, including Hot Yoga Plus in east Memphis and Dose Hot Pilates & Yoga downtown. She also incorporates sound therapy elements in her vinyasa (flow style) yoga sessions at Mind Body HAUS in midtown and leads guided stretching sessions.
Her invitation to her clients is straightforward, “This is a space where you can allow yourself to truly be,” she says. As a city rooted in music, Tori considers Memphis the perfect place to grow a space for sound therapy beneficiaries. When asked her advice for those wanting to try it but who may be intimidated, Tori replied, “All you need is a heartbeat and a breath. From there, it’s easy. Just roll out your mat.”
By Amanda Tompkins
Photo by Laramie Renae
Foreman, Vicky. “The Science and History of Sound Therapy.” SleepHub, 26 July 2021, www.sleephub.com/blogs/articles/the-science-and-history-of-sound-therapy.
Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Encyclopedia.Com. 29 Jun. 2023 Encyclopedia.Com, 15 July 2023, www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/sound-therapy.
