Customer Reviews

Cymatics: A Study of Wave Phenomena & Vibration

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Dr. Jenny was a thorough and detailed researcher and it shows in this book. Not meant to be a study in fluid dynamic or wave propagation physics though, if you're looking for that, try the "Album of Fluid Motion" by Milton Van Dyke. This book's beautifully photographed matter trasformations through sound and Van Dykes explainations would be a wonderful pairing.

I first became interested in the patterns sound can generate on the surface of a liquid when I observed beautiful patterns on the surface of a thin layer of water caused by vibrations from the disposal unit of my kitchen sink. I was easily able to reproduce these same patterns as well as others by placing an inverted plastic lid containing a few millimeters of water over a speaker. A function generator attached to an amplifier was used to drive the speaker. It was my search for previous research of this phenomenon that led to the discovery of Hans Jenny's two-volume work titled "Cymatics." On the positive side, this set shows many examples of patterns generated by sound in various media and using various techniques. As such, it represents a nice compendium of examples, and the photographs are visually appealing. However, the work does not represent scientific research into this phenomenon in the modern sense but is more like the exploratory research and categorizing done by the ancient Greeks. No theory is presented that explains the phenomena in terms of mechanics or dynamics and no predictions are made based on theory or observation. For such a modern scientific approach, one needs to look elsewhere. There is some information about this currently active scientific field on the Internet: use search terms such as "capillary waves" and "acoustic flow."

For anyone that has ever incorporated the use of sound into their practice of healing modalities this book will provide you with a deeper connection between the physical and the metaphysical. The book is written from a rather scientific standpoint so don't expect a discussion on higher consciousness. However if you've ever considered the importance of a visualization in the use of sacred geometry such as ancient mandalas for meditation or energy projection you will find that nature manfiests through these scientic explorations and to some extent may validate some people's belief that simply because we cannot see things doesn't mean they are not there.

Hans Jenny provides excellent experimental notes in this book. The conditions are easy to duplicate and I find the experimentation to be very rewarding. This book is a 'must-have' for anyone who wishes to learn more about the bare bones building blocks of our cosmos...

Absolutely fascinating reading and high quality photography. Though my scientific vocabulary is limited, I found the writing to be clear and understandable. The information was very helpful in my search for clues to how music impacts the body on a cellular level.

This is a fantastic book on an amazing subject. It does not contain the technical "how to", but it details Jenny's pioneering thoughts on the discoveries he made. Great photos of various materiels levitating and swirling in patterns. To actually see this in action, search YouTube for Hans Jenny, or Cymatics. There are several videos he recorded. Recommended.

Totally Intriguing book if you like anything to do with sound and the power of sound for transformation. Makes a great coffee table book as well.

Hans Jenny spent half a lifetime bringing us the beautiful pictures and philosophical ideas that are present in Cymatics. Complementary to his 30 min video, this book shows the numerous experiments that Jenny performed as well as the conclusions that these studies led to.

This is a really great book for all people interested in expanding their knowledge and perception of the world. Wonderful pictures, very professional explanations. Great, beautiful book.