Sound bath meditation is the use of singing bowls, gongs, drums and other percussive instruments to induce a relaxed state. As women with obligations self-care is the first thing that falls by the wayside. I first heard about the practice from a presenter at a conference who said that despite many attempts, meditation didn’t work for her. However, she was a fan of sound bathing. Naturally, I had to try it!
Though it may be a recent discovery to me, the ancient Greek mathematician/philosopher Pythagoras who is the earliest person on record as using sound as a tool for wellness and healing. But other cultures also have traditions of using sounds in ceremonies or methods to cure.
I went to a yoga studio in a tony neighborhood. The yoga studio was dimly lit and nearly three dozen people lined up yoga mats only inches apart. More than a few people had come with a friend or even partners. I did note that all of the other participants were either white or white-appearing–not unusual for that part of town. “Dress comfortably” is a standard instruction for most mind-body classes, but here was a twist: The instructions had said to bring a pillow or bolster and also a blanket. What was I in for? The session was to last 90 minutes.
The instructor arranged several white bowls in a semi-circle in front of the class. But there was also a stand for other bells and chimes. He introduced himself and explained what we could expect: singing bowls, drumming, chanting and asked that we be open to the process. In addition, if we were invited to place objects in front of the bowls that could be charged and provide a way to extend the experience after it was over.
From there he led us through a few deep breaths and mild stretches, before we laiid down on our mats and the sound bath began. At first I was a little squirmy on my yoga mat. I’d brought a blanket, the eye mask from my travel bag and an extra pair of socks in case mine got wet (personal quirk). I didn’t have any jewelry so I’d put that pair of socks on the table. Yikes! What would happen?
What did it sound like? Have you ever heard a Tibetan singing bowl? In the past I had heard small, bowls that were the size of my palm and fit neatly on a table, made of brass or maybe copper. The bowls in this class were large and carved from white quartz. The smallest was the size of a sink and they were in graduated larger sizes. He also had a string or two of lights. In the dim light the bowls appeared to glow.
The sound from the bowls was surprisingly loud and low-pitched. The sound seemed to oscillate, swell and filled the room. During the course of the class, besides playing the bowls, he also chanted and played chimes, bells and did some drumming. I had the distinct feeling that I was in the presence of a very gifted cantor. I focused on my breath and integrated it with the sound. Fully present and flat on my back, I could feel the sound’s vibrations in all of my bones and from the floor, too. As the session progressed I felt not only bathed in sound, but eventually suspended in it. I did have to shift from my back to my side, and my back again, but at some point I felt no sense of time.
Sound bath meditation is said to bring the brain into a theta wave state. Educator Ned Hermann explained in Scientific American that as the brain functions it gives off electricity. Like all electric activity, the pulses our brains give are measurable. Based on the frequency or height of the measured activity there are several states of our brain activity. During times of full engagement or arousal the brain is in beta state. An example of beta state would be the state of a person’s brain as they are conducting formal instruction. The theta state is typically a much more relaxed state. According to Hermann for people, it is a “state of mental relaxation. . . and when in theta, they are prone to a flow of ideas.”
So for people who show up for meditative activities, theta is the, goal, the thing, a positive part of the process. So often, during the course of our daily activities, if we are stuck or not finding a solution to a problem or trying to connect the dots, we find that if we step away for a period of time and engage in activities such as meditation, swimming, or a drive to clear our heads, afterwards is when we have an epiphany or solution, the big eureka. That’s patent theta.
During the class two surprising thoughts entered my attention. One was of my ancestors and the other was of being in a forest of holly leaves and berries. At some point the instructor circulated the room and jangled bells just above the head of each participant. After, he returned to the head of the class and told us to open our eyes and sit up when we were ready. It felt early, at best forty-five minutes in, but the class had possibly lasted even longer than 90 minutes.
After we all sat up, he asked if anyone had any interesting ideations during the meditation. Too shy to share, I kept mine to myself, but some participants shared some of the interesting things they’d experienced. He said vivid imagery is not unusual. Some people, he said, experience a range of benefits from sound baths, including relief of aches and pains. He advised that for aftercare we should be sure to hydrate well and take it easy the rest of the evening. When I stood up, I hadn’t expected that I would be as wobbly as I was. Not exactly tipsy, but wobbly, such as when I’ve spent a day riding roller coasters at an amusement park. As I reflect on the experience, the tipsy feeling makes sense; I had undergone ninety minutes of intense stimulation. But even wobbly, I had a pleasant sense of well-being and calm. I felt refreshed.
My first sound bath meditation was a positive experience and I definitely will do it again. As a part of a regular practice of meditation, I think it could be a valuable tool. If you have medical or mental health issues you should definitely check with your doctor before trying it. That said, I think it could be an accessible mind-body activity for people of all abilities, sizes and ages. And, I was delighted to see that by putting “sound bath” into a search engine, I found events across the U.S. so you can probably find one very close to you.
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