Explore the magic of sound baths for deep relaxation
What to expect at a sound bath and the healing power of sound
Thanks for checking out this post about the magic of sound baths. I’m sharing some reflections about what to expect from a sound based meditation session below but, before I do, I wanted to share that after several years of running monthly, seasonally focussed sound events, sessions are currently on pause, so that I can focus on my 121 work offering psychotherapeutic and humanistic counselling integrated with somatic therapy, trauma therapy and, where it feels aligned, eco-therapy, or psycho-spiritual therapy. I am also offering occasional, one off events and workshops. You can check them out here.
I am still available if you want to book a private, one off soundbath for a group. You’d just need to arrange the venue and I’ll do the rest. Contact me here for a quote.
You can also purchase a professionally recorded, 40 minute sound session below. Get all of the sound bath benefits from in person sessions, in the comfort of your own home.
If you can’t make it to a sound bath in person, my sound baths can come to you. Download my professionally recorded sound bath, make a cosy nest, put your headphones on and drift away. Download your copy to listen to over and over again. Download is only available for personal usage. Commercial use or distribution is prohibited.
What is a sound bath and what should I expect?
So, on to some reflections. What is a sound bath is and what can you expect?
I vividly remember my first sound bath as a participant. I turned up feeling totally frazzled, having no idea what would happen next. I noticed some very well-prepared people had brought sleeping bags and I remembered that mine was still in my car from a recent camping trip. I excitedly grabbed it, wrapped myself up like a burrito, and then I waited. As soon as the sound practitioner started playing, I was somewhere else!
It felt like a few minutes later when I came back to reality, but it had been around an hour. It felt magical for my busy, neurodivergent brain to surrender in that way. Even as an experienced meditator, I have days where I struggle when I sit down to meditate. When my thoughts are very scattered, I find more active forms of meditation work better for me, as well as guided or sound-based meditations. Sonic and sound based meditations let me sink into liminal space, where I can drift away or fall asleep.
While there are so, so many benefits from meditation practices where you pay attention in a particular kind of way, sometimes you just need to be held in a restful space where there’s no efforting.
Sound baths, sound therapy and sound meditation: what’s the difference?
Sound baths are usually an immersive experience where participants passively receive the vibrations of instruments, like the crystal singing bowls and chimes that I use. Unlike sound meditation and other forms of meditation there is absolutely no need to pay attention in any particular way. In sound mediation you’d use the sound as a focus point to promote present-moment awareness and sound therapy would usually involve personal, 121 sessions.
The science of sound
Some studies suggest that certain types of sounds, such as low-frequency sound vibrations and slow-tempo music, can have a positive impact on mental and physical health. Sound can increase feelings of relaxation, decrease anxiety, and reduce cortisol; the stress hormone. Research also suggests that sound therapy can release endorphins, increase feelings of pleasure and reduce pain.
These responses can lead to increased feelings of pleasure and a reduction in the perception of pain. There’s also the deep rest aspect of sound therapy that I mentioned earlier. Whether you’re interested in the healing power of sound, the relaxation benefits, or the impact of sound on the vagus nerve, a sound bath is a great way to find deep relaxation.
The spirituality of sound healing
Beyond its physiological benefits, sound based sessions can be a gateway to deeper states of consciousness and self-awareness. Throughout history and across diverse cultures, there is a shared belief in the healing power of sound. From the drumming and chants of Native tribes in the US (or Turtle Island) to medicine songs, known as icaros, that are sung by Amazonian Shamans, sound is deeply revered as a catalyst for healing. In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the repetition of mantras helps to support the mind to focus, and to invoke states of deep meditation. The Aboriginal people of Australia work with the didgeridoo for healing purposes.
Many practitioners of sound healing modalities believe that the vibrations of instruments like singing bowls, gongs, and tuning forks can shift energetic blockages, restore equilibrium and promote overall well-being.
What to expect at your sound bath
Every sound bath will be different. At my sessions we would usually start with a guided meditation to ground into the space. This sometimes included elements of somatics, prompts for self reflection or other practices. My sessions, and a lot of my wider work, honours the cycles and seasons of nature by observing The Wheel of the Year. We’d then transition into our sound session, as attendees drift off on a wave of sound.
You’d usually be lying down for the sound practice and you're likely to be invited to bring blankets, pillows and anything else you need to get cosy.
Sound sessions are suitable for most people but it’s worth checking in with your practitioner to see what adjustments they might make for things like trauma and neurodivergence.
If you are epileptic, pregnant, have a severe clinical mental health diagnosis, or implants such as metal plates, a pacemaker or cochlear implants, a sound bath may not be suitable for you.
You might need to speak with your GP about this.
I hope this post was helpful. To find out what events I do have coming up, head to my events page or contact me for a chat if you’d like to explore working together.
