Vāchikā Voice Work

About Vāchikā

Vāchikā draws inspiration from the reference to voice as ‘cosmic sound’ in the Nātyashāstra - the classical treatise on Indian aesthetics. The practice of Vāchikā uses the Sanskrit alphabet as a phonetic base and the concept of Rasa as a theoretical underpinning. The phonetic precision of Sanskrit enables speech and dialect work with universal ease. Rasa, through practical engagement with breath, is the gateway to empathy.

Methodology

The practice is a ‘how to’ - tantra - into integrating body, breath, imagination, voice, language and emotion.

First developed as batteries of exercises adapted from Yoga, Pranayama, Kalaripayattu and Butoh, the aim is to help performers break unconscious response patterns, access freedom, well-being and spontaneity.

At deeper levels of practice, the exercises lead to interwoven somatic concepts, playful exploration and subtler perception of energetic presence.

Broadly, the practice is made up of the following arms.

The body is a Musical Instrument

This involves understanding the body anatomically and imaginatively. We learn the basics of the nervous system, muscular release, breathing, resonance, skeletal alignment and the muscles of support. We learn to map the body along the flow of energy via the imagination of the Chakra system. These lay the foundation for how the vocal instrument functions within the human body.

Learning to play the instrument

This is the fun part! We explore what the voice can do, and what happens to expressivity when we alter or ‘play’ with the body, breath and the imagination. We play with the concepts of non-functional energy, body attitudes, the sonic body and the intuitive self. Gradually, we begin to intuit practical application of the concepts and embed self-care, ease and pleasure into our daily practice. Learning to follow 'ikchhā' or the 'flow of desire' leads us naturally to healthy habits that support the voice to communicate intention and feelings with ease.

Journey towards Mastery - the Nava Rasa Practice

This is a bit like tapping into the harmony inside chaos. A dancer trains to gain control of muscles in the body for better articulation of movement, while also enabling spontaneous responses that arise in the moment. Similarly, the practice of Rasā is about the subtle training of the breath to generate and explore the spectrum of emotions for Nātyā – play/performance.

Word as Mantra and Text as an Arrangement of Sound

Vāchikā specialises in rooting speech work in the body, through sensorial recognition of point of articulation. The spoken word when uttered with sensorial awareness of placement, support and focus becomes compelling, influential and moving! At subtler levels, the physical effects of sound as vibration enter into our perception.

About Fitzmaurice Voicework®

Fitzmaurice Voicework® focuses on improving the expressivity and range of the voice through Destructuring® and Restructuring®. Destructuring® involves reducing excess bodily tension, specifically around the breathing process. Restructuring® involves learning to breathe in the most physiologically efficient way to support the voice, without losing spontaneity.

What will Fitzmaurice Voicework® do for the voice?

Vocal resonance vibrates the body, and when muscles are tight, resonance can’t flow through the body. It flows better when we release muscles. While the focus of the work is always about presence, the human voice and communication, the work is inherently therapeutic and has direct benefits for those dealing with stress and anxiety.

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