Your healing begins here!
WHAT IS SOUND HEALING?
What is sound healing and what are the benefits that make it something everyone should incorporate into their lives?
Where to even begin? In a very basic sense, sound healing is a holistic approach to healing that uses the power of vibration and sound through various instruments to help the listener bring their nervous system to a parasympathetic (rest and digest) dominant state to allow the body and mind to experience full and deep relaxation. We can all use more relaxation in our lives!
The goal of most sound healing sessions is to allow yourself to truly relax, reflect inward, and reset your nervous system. Sound healing helps switch you from your daily life of living with your sympathetic nervous system always activated (your fight or flight) to a parasympathetic dominant nervous system (rest and digest).
Healing through sound and vibration has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, increase blood flow, improve the immune system, lower cortisol levels, increase concentration and other cognitive abilities, heighten intuition, increase creativity, stimulate the flow of life force in the body (prana), remove mental and emotional negativity, and the list goes on (we have a more comprehensive list down below)!
Wow! Sounds like amazing things can really be achieved by allowing yourself the space to fully and completely relax. Most of the ailments we as humans deal with on a regular basis find their foundation deeply rooted in the immensely highly stressed lives we live on a daily basis. Those high levels of stress are often caused by bad work environments, money issues, and problems at home with a partner and/or family members. Stress on the body and mind also comes from more subtle places like thinking about what to eat for dinner, driving in traffic, and surprisingly enough, it also comes from watching movies and playing that game on your phone while you’re using the bathroom and you can can’t quite beat that damn level! Ha!
It becomes more clear to see that we spend a great deal of our day (and lives) in a near-constant state of stress and it’s that near-constant state of stress that starts to do real damage to our bodies over time. In these modern times, we tend to live most of our lives with our sympathetic nervous system activated (not very sympathetic now is it!?)
It’s through modalities like sound healing that put you in a place to really force your body and mind into a real state of deep relaxation, and it’s in that state of deep relaxation where you start to really see and feel the wonderful benefits of sound healing.
This, also coupled with the healing power of breathwork, helps to create the optimum environment for your body to start healing, both physically and spiritually.
Depending on how the sound healing session is carried out, it can vary wildly from practitioner to practitioner on whether it’s focused on a more physical embodiment of healing or a more indirect mental and spiritual deep reflection.
Just as a massage works most of its magic on the physical body, in my opinion (and how I typically center my sessions), sound healing does the bulk of its restorative healing to the mind and the soul, or the subtle body.
The physical vibrations through the air and directly on the body do very real physical healing, but that form of healing is far more temporary than the longer-lasting healing you get when you go to the source of suffering which is in the mind.
In my practice, I believe that intent has enormous power over the healing process. That is why in my sessions, I’m not just playing the Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, gong, or any other instrument; I’m actively pushing my healing intent and energy through the vibrations of the instruments and into the patient. That combined with the individual’s personal intent while receiving the sound healing session, creates a powerful synergistic healing effect.
I believe that your mind, your attitude, and how you carry yourself, make an enormous impact on your physical and mental well-being.
What are the Benefits of sound healing?
This is not an exhaustive list as everyone experiences a session differently, but here are some top benefits you could expect after leaving a restorative sound healing session.
Stress reduction: Experience a significant decrease in stress levels as the calming vibrations of the bowls help to alleviate tension and promote relaxation.
Pain relief: Find relief from physical discomfort or pain as the sound waves stimulate the body's natural healing mechanisms, potentially reducing pain perception.
Emotional release and healing: Facilitate emotional release and healing as the resonating sound waves encourage the release of stored emotions, fostering emotional well-being.
Immune system support: Strengthen the immune system by reducing stress levels, which can positively impact immune function, promoting overall health and well-being.
Balancing of energy centers: Feel a sense of balance and harmony as the vibrations of the bowls work to align and balance the body's chakras or energy centers.
Increased self-awareness and mindfulness: Deepen self-awareness and mindfulness by attuning to the present moment, aiding in self-reflection and personal growth during the session.
Enhanced sleep quality: Improve sleep patterns and overall sleep quality by soothing the mind and promoting a state of tranquility conducive to restful sleep.
Enhanced relaxation: Experience a profound state of relaxation and stress relief as the soothing tones of Himalayan singing bowls calm the mind and body.
Improved focus and clarity: Achieve mental clarity and heightened focus by aligning the mind through the resonating frequencies of the singing bowls.
Improved circulation: Enhance blood flow and circulation throughout the body, potentially aiding in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells and tissues.
Enhanced creativity and inspiration: Stimulate creativity and inspiration by harmonizing the mind and body, potentially unlocking new ideas and perspectives.
Release of energetic blockages: Release energetic blockages within the body's meridians or energy pathways, facilitating a smoother flow of energy.
Heightened sense of spiritual connection: Foster a deeper sense of spiritual connection or inner peace, facilitating a greater connection with oneself and the surrounding environment.
What are the possible side effects of sound healing?
This is not an exhaustive list, as everyone experiences a session differently, but here are some possible trauma-release reactions that you might experience during a sound healing session. Remember, a lot of what you get out of a session is the amount of trust, relaxation and release you allow it to give you. Experiencing anything on the list below also shouldn’t be looked at as a negative thing. Many of these are perfectly natural responses in the healing process to certain situations in your life and even things that rest in your subconscious mind that you may not be fully aware of just yet. Be kind to yourself and use this as a moment to of self reflection and growth!
Emotional release: Participants may experience intense emotions such as sadness, grief, or even moments of crying as the sound vibrations work to release stored emotional trauma and promote emotional healing.
Physical sensations: Some individuals might feel physical sensations like tingling, warmth, or vibrations in different parts of their body as the sound waves stimulate the release of tension and blocked energy.
Vivid memories or flashbacks: Recalling past events or experiencing vivid memories related to past traumas is possible as the sound bath facilitates the release of suppressed or stored memories.
Fatigue or exhaustion: Feeling tired or fatigued after a sound healing session is common as the body expends energy during the release of emotional or energetic blockages.
Increased sensitivity or heightened awareness: Participants may notice an increased sensitivity to their surroundings or heightened awareness of their emotions, thoughts, and sensations following a sound bath as they become more attuned to their inner state.
