My First Sound Bath

If you've never experienced it, you'll make your mind up after reading this.

Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

Imagine this: you're lying comfortably on a yoga mat and nestled in a cozy blanket, eyes closed, surrounded by an array of instruments: singing bowls, gongs, chimes, and maybe even some gentle drumming. As the session begins, the air fills with vibrations, each sound resonating through your body like a gentle wave, washing away tension and stress.

But how does it work? Sound baths are another way of describing sound therapy, which means that specific frequencies and tones can affect our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It's like giving your mind and body a musical massage.

As the sound waves surround you, they work their magic by helping to empty your mind, release muscular tension, and promote a deep state of relaxation. Some even claim to experience heightened creativity, clarity of mind, and a greater sense of inner peace after a session.

Sound baths aren't just about relaxation; they're also a form of meditation. By focusing your attention on the sounds and sensations around you, you're able to enter a state of mindfulness, where worries and distractions fade into the background, and you're left with nothing but the present moment.

I recently had a wellness staycation in the desert which involved one of the activities to be a sound bath. I was pretty excited because I’d never been to one before and was looking forward to just relaxing and realigning my mind, however, I was also slightly nervous. I’ve heard stories of people feeling all sorts of emotions (including the bad) being brought to the surface which I’d rather avoid in all honesty.

There were around 5 of us participating in the sound bath and we all got comfortable on our yoga mats with our silk eye masks, ready to float away in the vibrations of sound. The session started with very deep and loud sound vibrations and I couldn’t for the life of me tell you which instruments they were. Was I taken to another dimension? No, however, I did feel like every sound/instrument represented a specific time in my life. Somehow, the entire sound journey from start to finish felt like it was signifying my journey in life. I guess it got me thinking. I was thinking of experiences that I’ve been through that usually I wouldn’t think so deeply about.

When the sound bath finished, we were subtly woken by the person who performed the sound bath. As I’m writing this, I realize I have no idea what you would call this person. A sound therapist? Sound healer? I apologize to any sound bath person reading this, for my lack of knowledge! We were then asked one by one how we found the experience. I felt slightly emotional but nothing heavy and I put that down to spending an hour thinking about my life experiences, however, I felt lighter and relaxed.

One thing I did find very strange. We were lying there for an hour. It felt like 20 minutes! I remember feeling so shocked by how long were were in there. I could swear to you that it felt so quick which made me wonder, was I even awake?

So what did I learn from my first sound bath and my first time mingling with highly spiritual people? Well, I’ve learned that I’m not a deeply spiritual person. I’ve always known that I’m a highly intuitive person and trust my gut more than I trust people, but I’ve realized that this doesn’t mean I’m more likely to be spiritual. I’m happy with who I am and my intuitive nature.

Would I do a sound bath again? Sign me up! You won’t find me dabbling in the crystal world or catch me wearing a Rose Quartz anytime soon, but an hour of total deep relaxation? You’ll find me lying comfortably in my blanket ready for that gong to sing.