Waiting in the Wings

I had been called to a residential home because Leonard, one of the older residents with learning disabilities and a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder was exhibiting ‘disturbing behaviour’. Apparently Leonard was making ‘strange noises’ to annoy residents who had gathered in the television lounge to watch their favourite programme. I arranged a visit to the home to observe the reported behaviour and discovered that Leonard was making deep growling sounds whenever he was in the company of others.  The sound he made resembled the deep Tibetan tone and it was also interesting to note that the  base chakra tone from the Light Voice system of Rainbow chakra tones  was also very similar to Leonard’s sound. The base chakra tone corresponds to the vibratory frequency of the base chakra in health and to the colour red on the rainbow colour spectrum. This powerful Tone breaks up any compounded, trapped energy of unreleased emotion held in the base of the spine.

Leonard was both bemused and delighted when we were later alone and I repeated the base chakra tone every time he made his tone. Toning with him in this way helped me to forge a closer connection with him.  To enhance the toning process,  I also produced a length of vibrant red silk from my bag to brighten the room.

Subsequent arrangements were made for me to visit Leonard weekly for six sessions. I was intent on discovering the cause of his behaviour and as a speech and language therapist, I had a responsibility to advise care staff on the best way to encourage appropriate communication.  The vibration of the base chakra tone releases held emotion and anatomically resonates with the lower bowel,  kidneys and adrenal glands.  On a metaphysical level, in expressing this deep tone,  Leonard would be releasing emotion associated with memory of painful past experience. On later visits, I demonstrated the base tone to care staff and told them of its healing application .  Having taught them the tone, I encouraged his care staff to spend time toning with Leonard in his room, explaining that this would lessen his need to tone infront of  others.

Ron

During my visits to see Leonard, I also noticed Ron, a man in his sixties,  peering through the glass partition of the door and laughing at the tonal sounds we were making. As he watched, he pointed excitedly at the rainbow coloured silks on display.  However, his support worker chastised him for interrupting the session and endeavoured to distract him and lead him away from the door.

On my regular visits, Ron would be waiting for me in the shadow of the hall and would take up his position on the other side of the glass – panelled door so that he could watch and listen. On one occasion, he bravely opened the door to have a closer look before he was again removed. I offered to include him in the sessions but his support workers were reluctant to agree, not wanting him to interfere with Leonard’s progress.

Leonard gradually began to interact and socialise with his care staff and fellow residents as he discovered a colourful world of opportunity and activity.  Creative opportunities  trigger the brain’s  self-healing mechanism.  By bringing colour and positive sound into focus, we stimulate the creative intuitive aspects of our right brain. I believe that working in this way with adults with learning disabilities, the shared enjoyment of the activity transmits pulses of healing light  to restore the impaired verbal processing areas of the left brain hemisphere.    Using material in the colours of the rainbow spectrum enhances the process.

Time with Ron

 One afternoon, I arrived as usual for our weekly appointment but this time,  Ron opened the door,  beaming from ear to ear.  A support worker appeared behind him and apologetically told me that Leonard had not returned from an outside visit.  I offered to spend some time with Ron who could not believe his good fortune.  He ran laughing in front of me into the room, throwing his arms up in the air with delight.  Unprompted, he emptied my bag of material, selected a swathe of purple silk and wrapped it around his head like a turban. He then proceeded to spread each length  of coloured silk carefully on the table, smoothing out the creases with his hands.

We were both transported to an Arabian bazaar of bright colours as Ron, in his turban, displayed his wares.  For my part, I vocalised the chakra tone corresponding to the colour in focus.  Ron was completely engrossed in the activity  He was happily oblivious of the healing he was receiving from the rainbow colours and each vocal tone .  Instinctively he repeated each chakra tone after me ,  unaware that his vocalisation would send ripples of healing vibration throughout his body.

 We continued to play, as Ron hurled lengths of coloured material into the air and watched the colours billowing and unfurling as they floated to the ground.  I had a sense of Ron as a magician confidently producing bouquets of brightly coloured flowers .  I stepped into the role of  ‘glamorous assistant’ presenting his performance and each ascent of coloured fabric with a flourish. Ron laughed with delight and became totally involved in his new persona, taking centre stage and entering fully into the role play.

We were having so much fun and time passed quickly. However, a glance at the clock reminded me of my next appointment.  I told Ron it was time for me to go…  He stood very still and turned to me, …he then sang the first line of the 23rd Psalm “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.…. … and kissed me on the cheek.  I was speechless and very moved and so thankful that we had had an opportunity to spend time together.  Hopefully, the laughter and fun we had shared in that hour, had triggered memories of joyful connection in happier times .

Footnote

Leonard and Ron were provided with their silken fabric in colours of the rainbow.  Care staff told me that Ron spent  happy times toning in his room ,  inventing imaginary situations and wrapping himself  in  colours to match his mood.   Training was offered and several care staff attended an Introduction to Toning course and learnt  how to make the chakra tones to maintain the healing practice.  Leonard and Ron were enrolled in a sing along group and loved it.

Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.

For the detailed case study which underpins this story, a handbook for carers and healthcare professionals is available as a free download  A Radical Approach: Working with Adults with Learning Disabilities

To understand the principles of healing, free downloads are available at the  Living Memory Research Trust:

Training manuals


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