Vocal and expressive habits

We rely on the subconscious mind when we drive a car, ride a bike or do countless daily chores. While we perform these activities we are able to use the conscious mind to think about things other than what we are doing, to plan our day, worry or daydream.

Our vocal and expressive patterns are largely subconscious. We begin acquiring them in the womb. We mostly speak and sing without thinking about the quality of the voice unless we are engaged in lessons. We take it for granted and assume that is just how we sound.

Because every sound we make with our voice bathes our entire system with its vibrations, the quality of that sound has a powerful influence on our state of being. It can keep us locked in patterns of thinking and feeling, and it can affect our physical vitality.

Working with the breath and vocal function engages the conscious mind to shift physical, emotional and mental programming along with vocal performance. This explains why vocal practice can bring up so many different thoughts and feelings, and why it can leave us energized or fatigued.

The brain is faster than the voice – we can have three thoughts for every idea that is spoken or sung. This means we have ample bandwidth to speak and sing consciously. It means we can use awareness of vocal function in the moment to break out of limiting patterns and become more inspired communicators.

Conscious activities that can shift old patterns:

• Align, balance and energize your posture.
• Without pushing down or out, simply release your lower abdomen, the floor of your pelvis, your sphincters and genitals when you inhale.
• Without locking or forcing, engage your lower ribs to pace the flow of breath with the beginning of the sound.
• Bring your vocal cords together to vibrate without excess air or muscular pressure.
• Feel the resonators in your chest and head vibrating with the sound of your voice.