Letting the Vibration Go Through You

One strategy for people who suffer from sound is to block it (for instance, tightly clasping hands over ears). Another is to reclaim vibration – that neglected sixth exteroceptive sense. Why? This is me speculating, based on my own experience with nociception and what I have observed with my clients. First, the mere fact of reclaiming vibration can soothe the eardrum-related acoustic pain. Second, resolving a possible 'sensory mismatch' between eardrum hearing and tactile/bone vibration can be an incredible relief. And third, leaning into the gift of vibrational 'architecture' – how we process vibrational information – can also help.

When you think 'sound,' it might be most natural to think in terms of blocking it if you don't like it. When you think 'vibration,' it might make more sense to think about letting it go through you. The more you block it, the more it jams you. But if it just passes through, that could even be pleasant.