Regardless of our lifestyle, chances are we can all benefit from prioritizing our mental and physical health. The past few years, especially, have certainly taught us that life is short and we shouldn’t have to suffer.
When we care for ourselves, we’re also caring for our family, friends and community. While there are many intentional steps we can take to lessen anxiety, increase productivity or simply just chill, if you’re someone who’s into music, then the relaxing benefits of a sound bath could be a great addition to your wellness routine.
Submerged in an acoustic space of singing bowls, tinkling chimes and gongs, a sound bath may seem a bit out of the ordinary, but actually, it can be an incredibly gratifying experience. Unlike silent meditation where the goal is to quietly concentrate on allowing thoughts to come and go without reacting to them (which can be challenging for some), sound baths use music to support the same guidance easily. Not only are they an effective way to decompress, but they’re also great for sharpening overall meditation skills.
Here is a look into sound baths and why experts say they might be the self-care method you didn’t know you needed.
What is a Sound Bath?
Essentially, a sound bath is a meditative class where those in attendance are “bathed” in sound waves. Played by sound therapists or instructors, these waves are rendered by multiple healing sources that include instruments such as tuning forks, rattles, chimes, percussion, singing bowls and gongs – even the human voice itself. Attendees typically remain in seated positions (some instructors may require they lay down), but in most cases, participants are asked to close their eyes and just listen. The sound directs the focus to breathing, feelings and parts of your body while it encourages a consciousness of the present moment.
How Does a Sound Bath Work?
Much like a yoga class, every sound bath will differ because they are driven by how instructors organize the instruments. As the instruments are played, they release soothing and euphonious sounds that create a sensory experience. The instructor typically facilitates the session and sometimes the group may also participate with mantras, chants or rolling oms. A class usually lasts anywhere between 15 and 60 minutes.
“Science shows that when we focus our breathing in the diaphragm, where all the stress we carry is held in, it triggers the parasympathetic nervous system that says to our body that we are calm and safe,” explains Gloria Hagood, co-owner of HealYourLovePeriod, a New Jersey-based, Black-owned mental health and wellness center, per an interview with The Trenton Journal. “The focus is on doing those deep breaths so we can release stress and anxiety. There are also sound frequencies that bring about the same release. Those are the sounds that come out of the bowls.”
Hagood also notes how the involvement of a sound bath can likely change from session to session because it is a process where things can sometimes happen slowly at first, but as you continue, they might happen all at once. She says that not everyone will have an intense reaction every time, so there could be classes where you are able to unwind quickly and others where you might need more time to settle in and relax.
Ancient African Origins of Sound Baths
Although sound therapy may seem like a “new age” concept, the practice of using it to restore the mind and body is thousands of years old. This “spiritual cleansing music” can be traced back to ancient Egyptian civilizations where priests used chanting and incantations to bring about altered states of awareness.
Acutely aware of their acoustic power, Egyptians used therapeutic sounds, breath and voice to create vibrations with healing abilities that restored harmonic patterns. They also built structures to amplify the healing benefits of sound for religious ceremonies, those that include not only temples but also pyramids specifically designed to reverberate and increase the sound energy from ritualistic chants. Pharaoh Khufu, for instance, was the first Egyptian king to build one of those pyramids in Giza, a project he began circa 2550 B.C. He claimed it healed the chronic pain in his lower back.
Is Sound Therapy Right for You?
Sound baths can be a fantastic way to meditate, especially if you are bored with your usual self-care regimen. Although it may not be a practice that is easily accessible for everyone (the cost of a session can range anywhere from $30 to $65 with private sessions priced much higher), if you can find one that is right for you, then you may discover how quickly they become your favorite new go-to for relaxing and nourishing your body.
