The vibrational frequencies of the planets. The tonal values of the earth. Can sound waves mimicking the universe's vibration levels help the body rid itself of a myriad of maladies? 

Regina Murphy, a local massage therapist and Reiki master, is conducting personal research with various methods that supposedly tap into nature's forces and heal people on a cellular level. There are about 50 individuals in her study group. The Desert Shores resident began her research in October 2003. 

One of the methods she uses involves specially-crafted tuning forks held on acupuncture sites. Held to the skin for a set amount of time, they are moved to new sites in a prescribed order, depending on a person's malady. 

"They have a sedating effect," Murphy said. "With sound waves, (treatment) is more pleasurable. Would you rather have a needle stuck in you or listen to pleasant sounds?" 

Applying the ends of the tuning forks to precise sites on meridian points, she said, unlocks the body's healing mechanisms by re-tuning it at the cellular level. It's called "œacutonics" and Murphy said there is medical evidence to back it up. 

Donna Eden's book "Energy Medicine" as well as "Emotional Self Management" by Drs. Peter Lambrou and George Pratt are two of the resources Murphy suggests people read. 

Dr. Bruce Lipton is a former medical school professor and research scientist whose work is meant to show that re-tuning cells to their original receptive patterns allows molecular changes that can result in the body healing itself as explained in his book "The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of the Consciousness, Matter and Miracles." 

He likened energy waves to two pebbles dropped into water at the same time. The ripples from each pebble converge on each other and, where they overlap, the combined power of the synchronized and interacting waves is doubled. It's a phenomenon referred to as constructive interference or harmonic resonance. 

"The behavior of energy waves is important for biomedicine because vibrational frequencies can alter the physical and chemical properties of an atom as surely as physical signals like histamines and estrogen," Lipton writes in his book. "Because atoms  are in constant motion, which you can measure by their vibration, they create wave patterns similar to the expanding ripples from the thrown pebbles. " 

The tuning forks are said to affect a myriad of conditions, everything from carpel tunnel syndrome to attention-deficit disorder to migraines to arthritis. 

"Sound waves work on a deep level, which is how they can transmit into the body and break up things like kidney stones," said Murphy, who prefers to be called an energy therapist. 

Her initial investigation into holistic healing methods began when her now-grown son was young and on behavioral medication. She preferred natural methods for his growing body, versus Western medicine. 

Later, Murphy experienced her own chronic physical ailment: bleeding tumors in her uterus. She found help at the holistic-centered Nevada Clinic, where Dr. Fuller Royal introduced her to thought field therapy. 

"I expected that he would tell me I was allergic to my massage oil and prescribe some remedies and I would be on my way," she wrote in an article for In Light Times. "Boy, was I wrong." 

It's believed thought field therapy works on unlocking past emotional issues that bring on physical disorders. After unlocking an event that occurred when Murphy was very young, a release that caused her to use a entire box of Kleenex for her tears, Royal completed his work and sent her on her way. 

To Murphy's surprise, her physical problems completely disappeared. 

That firsthand experience prompted her to look into thought field therapy and she studied under a leading name in the doctrine, Dr. Suzanne Connally. Murphy is now certified and added the therapy for her massage clients.' benefit. 

She went on to work with people with a variety of emotional issues: family members who lost loved ones to suicide, drowning or car accidents; people newly diagnosed with AIDS; victims of sexual abuse; those with panic disorders; they all reported being able to deal with their trauma or problem much differently. 

The Web site, www.the-tree-of-life.com , is a source of information on thought field therapy. 

Patty Jones, 56, a convention attendant who lives in Spring Valley, had no emotional issues. But she did have constant back pain. She went to a chiropractor and got relief, but only for a short while. She went to her doctor, who prescribed pills which ultimately had limited effect. Besides, she really disliked taking medications. Then she heard about Murphy, who did three sessions on Jones within a month's time, involving the forks and CD sound therapy. 

"She said to play it (the CD) all night long, over and over, while I slept, but I don't have a CD player that (plays continuously)," Jones said. "I fell asleep before it was time to start it again. So I kind of like, cheated." 

The CD is played with a special antenna inserted into the player, rendering its sounds outside human hearing levels. Jones said she knew it was sending out sound waves of some sort because her 13-year-old dog Emily cocked her head when it was playing. 

Though sound waves may seem a dubious way to treat muscles, Jones said they worked. 

"I felt a large improvement within the first few days," she said. "Within a week, it was phenomenal, a miracle. All of a sudden, I didn't have the pain anymore. Since then (January), 
the pain has totally gone away."