May 14 is David Byrne's birthday—yes, the David Byrne of Talking Heads musical fame as well as a writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He's said quite a few fascinating and inspiring things over the years, but today we're focusing on this quote: "We don't make music—it makes us." Sound is an often-underused element in ritual and magical practice, yet it can be incredibly powerful and transformative. Archaeologists have uncovered instruments that were part of our earliest human rituals. Metallic percussive instruments such as bells, singing bowls, and cymbals are used to call upon spirits and entities, cleanse spaces, and awaken the senses. Drums tap into our heartbeats and provide a rhythm for dance. Pipes, flutes, and voice create an atmosphere that is a song for the soul. Purposeful silence can also be very powerful. How might you use sound for your workings?

Listen to what tools you have around you and experiment with them. Does that bell sound like it summons or disperses? Try using a bell, bowl, or cymbal to clear instead of using smoke, when health or building concerns prohibit it. Say:

I now clear this space with chiming tone. Hear me, beings of spirit and bone!