The benefits of sound baths, sound therapy and sound meditation and what to expect

I vividly remember my first sound bath as a participant. I turned up feeling totally frazzled, having no idea what to expect. I noticed some very well-prepared people had brought sleeping bags, and I remembered 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 found myself drifting off on the waves of sound that engulfed me.

It felt like just a few minutes later when I came gently back to reality but in actual fact, it had been around an hour. For my busy, neurodivergent brain to surrender like that felt like a tiny miracle. 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. Sound baths and sound based meditation allows me to sink into liminal space and I often 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 deeply restful space where you can surrender and drift away.

Keep reading to find out a bit more about about sound baths, sound therapy and sound meditation, along with the scientific and spiritual perspective about how sound relaxation works.

Sound baths, sound therapy and sound meditation: what’s the difference?

You might be wondering what the difference is between sound baths, sound therapy, and sound meditation. 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 to the sounds of the bowls. You can let yourself drift away to the backdrop of the soundscape, where as in sound mediation you’d use the sound as a focus point to promote present-moment awareness. My sound baths do incorporate a meditation practice where we focus our attention but once the singing bowls start, you’re welcome to drift away on the wave of sound.

Sound therapy would usually involve personal, 121 sessions. As an integrative counsellor I sometimes incorporate aspects of the more holistic services I offer into my therapy work because I deeply value the way that sound and other meditative practices can support my clients to find safety and grounding within their bodies, as a basis for exploring the issues that have brought them to counselling.

Whether seeking relaxation, therapeutic healing, or spiritual growth, sound offer pathways to profound insights and inner harmony through the transformative potential of sound vibrations.

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.

The science of sound meditation, sound therapy and sound baths

Studies suggest that sound therapy can have a profound effect on mental and physical well-being. Specific types of sounds, such as low-frequency vibrations and slow-tempo music, can bring about a physiological response in the body that promots relaxation and reduces anxiety. The soothing effects of sound therapy have been found to lower cortisol, the sstress hormone, while triggering the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. This 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 and sound baths that I mentioned earlier. In an increasingly challenging world, who doesn’t need more space for rest and nourishment?

The impact of sound meditation, sound therapy and sound baths on your nervous system

Sound can also have a profound effect on your nervous system. The vagus nerve, which runs through your whole body, regulates your parasympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for maintaining automatic bodily functions like your heartbeat, as well as your body’s ‘rest and digest’ response which counteracts the body’s ‘fight or flight response. The vagus nerve runs through the ear and down the back of the body through the spine. You can stimulate it by singing, humming, or listening to sounds with a deep vibrational frequency.

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 therapy, mediation and sound baths 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 potency of sound. From the rhythmic drumming and soulful chants of Native tribes in the US (or Turtle Island) American ceremonies 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, quiet and to invoke states of deep meditation. As another example, 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

At each sound bath we start with a guided meditation to ground you into the space. This sometimes includes elements of somatic movement, prompts for self reflection or other practices. My sound baths usually honour the cycles and seasons of nature, for example through observing The Wheel of the Year. We then transition into our sound bath, as you drift off on a beautiful wave of sound. You’ll usually be lying down for the practice and you can bring blankets, pillows and anything else you need to get cosy.

Sound baths are suitable for most people and as a trauma-informed practitioner, I include adjustments and suggestions so that everyone can get the most out of the experience. That said, 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. Please contact me for a chat if you’re not sure.

As well as my regular sound baths, I offer 121 sound healing and meditation, along with integrative therapeutic counselling. Check out all of my offerings here!