The ancient mystics of both East and West have long held that sound creates matter. In the Gospel of John, it is the “Word of God” that signifies the beginning of the Universe. And in Hindu cosmology, the sacred seed sound “Aum” (Om) is the primordial sound from which all sound – and thus all creation – emanated. In the second session of this series, we’ll dive into the energetics of sound, exploring sound as the ultimate guru, and a potential gateway to other dimensions and layers of consciousness. Guest Jarrod Byrne Mayer, author of The Architecture of Sound and the Alchemy of Transcendence, a book spawned by a simple transmission he received during meditation, will share his philosophy of sound as a “Plane of Existence,” and our most direct connection to Divine energy.

About the Power of Sound Roundtable Series
How does sound “heal”? Can sound effect change in our bodies, minds and emotions, and if so, how? How can we harness sound to create more ease and wellbeing in our daily lives?

In this three-part Roundtable series, we will explore the therapeutics of sound, as well as its background, history, and application in the healing arts, music therapy, and daily life, and as a fast growing field unto itself. Through the lens of deep listening, we will experience sound’s inherent potency firsthand and learn how to refine our own personal sonic landscape to create a more peaceful existence.

Jessica Caplan is a certified sound practitioner, vocalist and yoga teacher. A graduate of the Open Center’s Sound and Music Institute, she has created sound experiences, retreats and trainings that weave her passions for music as medicine, and the power of community and self-connection, since 2013. Jessica teaches sound immersions and retreats at Maha Rose Center for Healing, and is on the faculty of Prema Yoga Institute, a training school for yoga teachers, where she regularly co-teaches Sound Yoga Therapy Immersion. In addition to yoga studios, festivals and event spaces, Jessica has also brought her sound work to youth at schools (Montessori School), graduate students (CUNY Graduate Center), and caregivers and chaplins (St. Mary’s Care Center, Madison, WI), to name a few. Jessica is a Reiki practitioner, and also teaches a holistic, intuitive approach to opening the singing/sounding voice, both privately and in groups. She continues her studies of yoga, sound healing, Native traditions, shamanic practices, and classical Indian music. Jessica is also the co-creatrix of SoundMind, an audio meditation series combining meditation with therapeutic sound, released in the fall of 2016.

Jarrod Byrne Mayer is a certified sonotherapist, author and sound philosopher. He also teaches Kundalini yoga and incorporates this technology into the practice and experience. He and his wife Melody are the founders of Brooklyn Healing Arts, specializing in modern-archaic healing modalities. They live in Greenpoint with their two cats, and are expecting their first child this summer.