All you need to know about Sound Baths

Sound healing is currently one of the top wellness trends. There’s an ever-growing number of sound baths and gongs baths, popping up all over the place. I’m currently studying sound healing myself and will be running a series of group sound baths in Bognor Regis as part of my case studies.

I also offer one-to-one Sound Baths with Reiki, a sublime combination.

But what is a sound bath? What are the benefits of a sound bath? And how do you find the right sound bath for you? 

What is a Sound Bath?

In a nutshell, a sound bath or sound meditation uses the vibrations of different instruments to bring about a deep state of relaxation. You’ll most likely find yourself on the border between being asleep and awake – a deeply healing alpha-theta brain wave state enhancing the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Native Americans, and many other cultures all recognised the healing properties of sound. Nada Yoga, for example, an ancient practice from India, recognises that everything in the universe vibrates. It’s a philosophy that encompasses inner transformation and healing through a range of practices including the chanting of Sanskrit mantras and listening to meditative music. Although that’s a very simplified description of Nada Yoga, it is just one example of how sounds have been used in healing for many thousands of years.

What are the benefits of a Sound Bath?

Sound baths can be healing on many levels, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Here are just some of the believed benefits of sound baths.

• Increased relaxation
• Improved sleep
• Stress reduction
• Anxiety reduction
• Improved mental clarity
• Increased feelings of wellbeing
• Reduced pain
• Enhanced spiritual wellbeing
• Enhanced creativity
• Boosted immune system

What can you expect in a group Sound Bath?

For your typical sound bath, you’d take off your shoes and usually lie down on a yoga mat for about an hour while the practitioner plays a series of healing sounds using a range of instruments such as Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, gongs, drums, chimes, and their voice. You can also sit on a chair. Either way, it’s important that you are comfortable throughout.

You may be asked to set an intention. This can be fairly general, such as ‘I will be open to the healing sounds.’ Or something more specific, such as ‘My back feels wonderful.’ It’s entirely up to you but it’s important that your intention is phrased as a positive and does not include negative words, such as ‘pain’ or ‘hurt’. So rather than say ‘My back will stop hurting.’ or ‘My knee will be free from pain.’  you should rephrase these to something along the lines of ‘My knee feels wonderful.’

Sound baths often, but not always, start with a guided meditation and/or breathwork to help you relax.

While most of the sounds are designed to be relaxing, there may also be a ‘releasing’ section where the sounds can be more intense and encourage the release of emotions. Occasionally, this can be a little uncomfortable. Stick with it but if it is too much for you feel free to leave the room, as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the other participants. However, please don’t leave the venue. Where possible, I work with an assistant so should this happen (which is very rare), they can check in on the person who has left the room, while I can continue the sound bath.

As well as sounds, there will be periods of silence. These are just as important as the sounds as they allow you to process your emotions. So remain still with your eyes closed throughout the silences.

The sound practitioner will make it very clear when the sound bath has ended and will gently bring you back into the present moment before suggesting you open your eyes.

Is it okay to fall asleep?

Yes, It’s not unusual to fall asleep. You will still get all the benefits of the sound bath. If you do start snoring loudly though, I will ask my assistant to gently squeeze your ankle to help you wake up so as not to disturb the other participants.

How to get the most out of a sound bath?

One thing that takes some people by surprise is how cold you can get lying still. And, if the sound bath is in a big hall that isn’t in continual use, the heating may take some time to warm up a large area. So my top tip is to take an extra blanket in all but the warmest of weather.

1. Before you go, drink water and have something to eat but avoid alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and heavy meals.

2. Wear loose comfy clothing. I like my legs and arms covered so that my bare skin isn’t touching the floor, especially in winter.

3. Take your shoes off and pop on an extra pair of socks.

4. Lie on a yoga mat and ideally a blanket as well for extra comfort and warmth. Some people find a bolster cushion under their knees a lot more comfortable than lying flat on their backs but you could also try lying on your side.

5. Alternatively, sit up, but remember most sound baths last about an hour so you need to be comfortable throughout. If attending one of my sound baths, please let me know in advance that you’d prefer to sit up so that we can discuss how you might be most comfortable.

6. Lie under a blanket (or two). Not only does this helps you keep warm in winter, but it also helps you feel safe and secure any time of year.

7. Take a pillow for under your head.

8. Place a weighted eye pillow over your eyes (cutting out all the light makes a huge difference).

9. Take water with you and drink some as soon as the sound bath finishes and plenty more throughout the rest of the day.

10. Avoid alcohol, smoking, caffeine, heavy meals or strenuous exercise for the rest of the day.

Remember, it is okay to move during a sound bath, to shift from lying on your back to your side, for example, but please do so as quietly as possible so as not to disturb those around you.

Can everyone take part in a Sound Bath?

Sadly, there are some conditions (often referred to as contraindications) that either exclude people from taking part in a sound bath or require the advice of a health professional such as a GP or your consultant. This is why, anyone attending a sound bath with me, will be asked to fill out a health questionnaire in advance. Not all sound healers do this, but I believe it is important. If any of the following applies to you, I will ask you to consult your doctor before joining one of my group sound baths:

• You have epilepsy (some forms of epilepsy can be triggered by sound).
• You get noise-triggered migraines.
• You might be pregnant (especially during the first 12 weeks).
• You are being treated for cancer.
• You have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• You have a serious mental health issue.
• You have carotid stenosis, a cardiac pacemaker, artificial heart valves, cardiac arrhythmias, a stent, a shunt, or a deep brain stimulation device (DBS).

Please note, anyone with whiplash, should not take part in a sound bath until at least three days after injury. And, anyone with a hearing aid may find sound baths uncomfortable.

What to do after a Sound Bath?

Ideally, after a sound bath, you should relax and take it easy. Maybe go for a walk. It’s important that you feel grounded before driving or operating heavy machinery. If you feel ungrounded, try eating or drinking something but not alcohol and only eat something light. Always drink plenty of water, not only to keep you hydrated but also to allow any toxins that may have been released by the sound healing to be flushed away.

Very occasionally, as with most complementary therapies, people can actually feel a little worse before they feel better, after a sound bath. This is often referred to as a healing reaction. Following the advice above, especially drinking plenty can help minimise the effect. In the unlikely event that a healing reaction does happen, you should contact your sound practitioner but if you are particularly concerned, do contact your GP as well. If you feel you need immediate medical care, don’t hesitate to contact a medical professional.

Finding the right Sound Bath for you

We all respond a little differently to sound and each sound practitioner has their own way of doing things. So, when it comes to sound baths, you may need to shop around a bit to find your perfect match. Each sound bath I’ve experienced has been unique to that practitioner. Some have a lot of experience and excellent training whereas, at the other extreme, some may have had no training at all. So the first thing I’d suggest is checking out what training a sound healer has had.

Furthermore, different sound healers often specialise in particular instruments. Some are very much focused on gongs for example, while others focus on playing crystal bowls. Not all instruments are for everyone though.

While I find gongs deeply healing, some people find them overwhelming.

And while most people utterly adore crystal bowls, others find them too intense, even if they are played correctly which should always be very sparingly. It’s very easy to overplay them which can be quite excruciating.

In my experience, however, everyone loves Tibetan Bowls. I certainly do! I currently have 14 of them, although I’d generally only use a few of them in any one sound bath. Less is more is a common phrase that pops up when studying sound healing.

And the silence between instruments or segments of the sound bath, and especially at the end, are equally important, giving you time to process the experience.

As well as Tibetan bowls, I also regularly use chimes, a gong and drums as well as a variety of smaller percussive instruments. My collection is ever-growing.

I’m running a series of sound baths in Bognor Regis as case studies for my diploma. These will be a mixture of general sound baths, sound baths with yoga and sound baths celebrating the seasons and the cycles of the moon. The first is 12th August but sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear about new dates. 

I also offer one-to-one Sound Baths with Reiki.

above: Practising running a sound bath with yoga during my studies in Marlow with the Sound Healing Academy

Why I chose to study Sound Healing

I’ve had a passion for percussion and for discovering different cultures for as long as I can remember, and I’ve collected many instruments during my travels. I used to play djembe and dunduns (West African drums) in a group and performed at local festivals. Sadly, the group I played with, the Nyodema Drummers, has long since disbanded but my love of percussion has never waned.

I also love to dance and sing. I’ve dabbled in all these things on and off over the years including organising singing and dance workshops and small music festivals, learning belly dancing and West African dancing and even conducting a choir for several years. I’ve sung with the London Rainforest Choir in the Rainforest Dome at the Eden Project in Devon (boy was that special). I’ll never forget hearing our voices ring out through the trees as we sang chants from the Baka tribes that live deep in the Congo. Music holds so much power! It can uplift our souls and fill us with joy or, indeed, elicit a whole range of emotions.

Above: Me dancing while playing the dunduns with the Nyodema Drummers at one of our world music festivals in Bognor Regis. More photos from Nyodema.

Having worked in the corporate world all my life, in my fifties I left all that behind. At first, I worked as a travel writer and walking guide. Then Covid hit and brought another huge change as I switched to teaching mandala art online.

When my mother passed away another big shift occurred in me. I started meditating regularly (most days rather than just every now and again) and studied first Reiki and then reflexology. My healing journey had begun.

Last year, I went to a sound bath with Josephine from Echo Yoga and Sound. It was utterly sublime. I’d experienced many different sound baths before but this was on another level. As the sound bath progressed, I felt my body melt into the floor as I was cocooned in the healing sounds. The sound healer took me on a journey that ebbed and flowed. At one point, the sounds were almost sinister as she built the gongs up into a crescendo. But it was never scary, just a wonderful release.

Afterwards, I felt like I was floating on air, calm, relaxed and nurtured. I’ve been back many times since. Josephine studied with the Sound Healing Academy and having researched various other options, I decided to study the same course with a combination of in-person and online training. I’d like to thank Jospheine for her inspiration,

A year on, having successfully completed their Foundations in Integral Sound Healing, I am now studying the first of two diplomas in Sound Healing (one for working with groups and another for working one-to-one). These take up to a year to complete and I am running a series of group sound baths in Bognor Regis and Chichester as part of my case studies. Sign-up for my newsletter to find out about future dates as well as news about sound baths with yoga and sound baths celebrating the seasons and the cycles of the moon. Coming soon!

All you need to know about Sound Baths

Sound healing is currently one of the top wellness trends. There’s an ever-growing number of sound baths and gongs baths, popping up all over the place. I’m currently studying sound healing myself and will be running a series of group sound baths in Bognor Regis as part of my case studies.

I also offer one-to-one Sound Baths with Reiki, a sublime combination.

But what is a sound bath? What are the benefits of a sound bath? And how do you find the right sound bath for you?

What is a Sound Bath?

In a nutshell, a sound bath or sound meditation uses the vibrations of different instruments to bring about a deep state of relaxation. You’ll most likely find yourself on the border between being asleep and awake – a deeply healing alpha-theta brain wave state enhancing the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Native Americans, and many other cultures all recognised the healing properties of sound. Nada Yoga, for example, an ancient practice from India, recognises that everything in the universe vibrates. It’s a philosophy that encompasses inner transformation and healing through a range of practices including the chanting of Sanskrit mantras and listening to meditative music. Although that’s a very simplified description of Nada Yoga, it is just one example of how sounds have been used in healing for many thousands of years.

What are the benefits of a Sound Bath?

Sound baths can be healing on many levels, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Here are just some of the believed benefits of sound baths.

• Increased relaxation
• Improved sleep
• Stress reduction
• Anxiety reduction
• Improved mental clarity
• Increased feelings of wellbeing
• Reduced pain
• Enhanced spiritual wellbeing
• Enhanced creativity
• Boosted immune system

What can you expect in a group Sound Bath?

For your typical sound bath, you’d take off your shoes and usually lie down on a yoga mat for about an hour while the practitioner plays a series of healing sounds using a range of instruments such as Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, gongs, drums, chimes, and their voice. You can also sit on a chair. Either way, it’s important that you are comfortable throughout.

You may be asked to set an intention. This can be fairly general, such as ‘I will be open to the healing sounds.’ Or something more specific, such as ‘My back feels wonderful.’ It’s entirely up to you but it’s important that your intention is phrased as a positive and does not include negative words, such as ‘pain’ or ‘hurt’. So rather than say ‘My back will stop hurting.’ or ‘My knee will be free from pain.’  you should rephrase these to something along the lines of ‘My knee feels wonderful.’

Sound baths often, but not always, start with a guided meditation and/or breathwork to help you relax.

While most of the sounds are designed to be relaxing, there may also be a ‘releasing’ section where the sounds can be more intense and encourage the release of emotions. Occasionally, this can be a little uncomfortable. Stick with it but if it is too much for you feel free to leave the room, as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the other participants. However, please don’t leave the venue. Where possible, I work with an assistant so should this happen (which is very rare), they can check in on the person who has left the room, while I can continue the sound bath. 

As well as sounds, there will be periods of silence. These are just as important as the sounds as it allows you to process your emotions. So remain still with your eyes closed throughout the silences.

The sound practitioner will make it very clear when the sound bath has ended and will gently bring you back into the present moment before suggesting you open your eyes.

Is it okay to fall asleep?

Yes, It’s not unusual to fall asleep. You will still get all the benefits of the sound bath. If you do start snoring loudly though, I will ask my assistant to gently squeeze your ankle to help you wake up and not disturb the other participants.

How to get the most out of a sound bath?

One thing that takes some people by surprise is how cold you can get lying still. And, if the sound bath is in a big hall that isn’t in continual use, the heating may take some time to warm up a large area. So my top tip is to take an extra blanket in all but the warmest of weather.

1. Before you go, drink water and have something to eat but avoid alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and heavy meals.

2. Wear loose comfy clothing. I like my legs and arms covered so that my bare skin isn’t touching the floor, especially in winter.

3. Take your shoes off and pop on an extra pair of socks.

4. Lie on a yoga mat and ideally a blanket as well for extra comfort and warmth. Some people find a bolster cushion under their knees a lot more comfortable than lying flat on their backs but you could also try lying on your side.

5. Alternatively, sit up, but remember most sound baths last about an hour so you need to be comfortable throughout. If attending one of my sound baths, please let me know in advance that you’d prefer to sit up so that we can discuss how you might be most comfortable.

6. Lie under a blanket (or two). Not only does this helps you keep warm in winter, but it also helps you feel safe and secure any time of year.

7. Take a pillow for under your head.

8. Place a weighted eye pillow over your eyes (cutting out all the light makes a huge difference).

9. Take water with you and drink some as soon as the sound bath finishes and plenty more throughout the rest of the day.

10. Avoid alcohol, smoking, caffeine, heavy meals or strenuous exercise for the rest of the day.

Remember, it is okay to move during a sound bath, to shift from lying on your back to your side, for example, but please do so as quietly as possible so as not to disturb those around you.

Can everyone take part in a Sound Bath?

Sadly, there are some conditions (often referred to as contraindications) that either exclude people from taking part in a sound bath or require the advice of a health professional such as a GP or your consultant. This is why, anyone attending a sound bath with me, will be asked to fill out a health questionnaire in advance. Not all sound healers do this, but I believe it is important. If any of the following applies to you, I will ask you to consult your doctor before joining one of my group sound baths:

• You have epilepsy (some forms of epilepsy can be triggered by sound).
• You get noise-triggered migraines.
• You might be pregnant (especially during the first 12 weeks).
• You are being treated for cancer.
• You have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• You have a serious mental health issue.
• You have carotid stenosis, a cardiac pacemaker, artificial heart valves, cardiac arrhythmias, a stent, a shunt, or a deep brain stimulation device (DBS).

Please note, anyone with whiplash, should not take part in a sound bath until at least three days after injury. And, anyone with a hearing aid may find sound baths uncomfortable.

What to do after a Sound Bath?

Ideally, after a sound bath, you should relax and take it easy. Maybe go for a walk. It’s important that you feel grounded before driving or operating heavy machinery. If you feel ungrounded, try eating or drinking something but not alcohol and only eat something light. Always drink plenty of water, not only to keep you hydrated but also to allow any toxins that may have been released by the sound healing to be flushed away.

Very occasionally, as with most complementary therapies, people can actually feel a little worse before they feel better, after a sound bath. This is often referred to as a healing reaction. Following the advice above, especially drinking plenty can help minimise the effect. In the unlikely event that a healing reaction does happen, you should contact your sound practitioner but if you are particularly concerned, do contact your GP as well. If you feel you need immediate medical care, don’t hesitate to contact a medical professional.

Finding the right Sound Bath for you

We all respond a little differently to sound and each sound practitioner has their own way of doing things. So, when it comes to sound baths, you may need to shop around a bit to find your perfect match. Each sound bath I’ve experienced has been unique to that practitioner. Some have a lot of experience and excellent training whereas, at the other extreme, some may have had no training at all. So the first thing I’d suggest is checking out what training a sound healer has had.

Furthermore, different sound healers often specialise in particular instruments. Some are very much focused on gongs for example, while others focus on playing crystal bowls. Not all instruments are for everyone though.

While I find gongs deeply healing, some people find them overwhelming.

And while most people utterly adore crystal bowls, others find them too intense, even if they are played correctly which should always be very sparingly. It’s very easy to overplay them which can be quite excruciating.

In my experience, however, everyone loves Tibetan Bowls. I certainly do! I currently have 14 of them, although I’d generally only use a few of them in any one sound bath. Less is more is a common phrase that pops up when studying sound healing.

And the silence between instruments or segments of the sound bath, and especially at the end, are equally important, giving you time to process the experience.

As well as Tibetan bowls, I also regularly use chimes, a gong and drums as well as a variety of smaller percussive instruments. My collection is ever-growing.

I’m running a series of sound baths in Bognor Regis as case studies for my diploma. These will be a mixture of general sound baths, sound baths with yoga and sound baths celebrating the seasons and the cycles of the moon. The first is 12th August but sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear about new dates. 

I also offer one-to-one Sound Baths with Reiki.

above: Practising running a sound bath with yoga during my studies in Marlow with the Sound Healing Academy

Why I chose to study Sound Healing

I’ve had a passion for percussion and for discovering different cultures for as long as I can remember, and I’ve collected many instruments during my travels. I used to play djembe and dunduns (West African drums) in a group and performed at local festivals. Sadly, the group I played with, the Nyodema Drummers, has long since disbanded but my love of percussion has never waned.

I also love to dance and sing. I’ve dabbled in all these things on and off over the years including organising singing and dance workshops and small music festivals, learning belly dancing and West African dancing and even conducting a choir for several years. I’ve sung with the London Rainforest Choir in the Rainforest Dome at the Eden Project in Devon (boy was that special). I’ll never forget hearing our voices ring out through the trees as we sang chants from the Baka tribes that live deep in the Congo. Music holds so much power! It can uplift our souls and fill us with joy or, indeed, elicit a whole range of emotions.

above: Me dancing and playing the dunduns with the Nyodema Drummers at one of our world music festivals in Bognor Regis. More photos from Nyodema.

Having worked in the corporate world all my life, in my fifties I left all that behind. At first, I worked as a travel writer and walking guide. Then Covid hit and brought another huge change as I switched to teaching mandala art online.

When my mother passed away another big shift occurred in me. I started meditating regularly (most days rather than just every now and again) and studied first Reiki and then reflexology. My healing journey had begun.

Last year, I went to a sound bath with Josephine from Echo Yoga and Sound. It was utterly sublime. I’d experienced many different sound baths before but this was on another level. As the sound bath progressed, I felt my body melt into the floor as I was cocooned in the healing sounds. The sound healer took me on a journey that ebbed and flowed. At one point, the sounds were almost sinister as she built the gongs up into a crescendo. But it was never scary, just a wonderful release.

Afterwards, I felt like I was floating on air, calm, relaxed and nurtured. I’ve been back many times since. Josephine studied with the Sound Healing Academy and having researched various other options, I decided to study the same course with a combination of in-person and online training. I’d like to thank Jospehine for her inspiration.

A year on, having successfully completed their Foundations in Integral Sound Healing, I am now studying the first of two diplomas in Sound Healing (one for working with groups and another for working one-to-one). These take up to a year to complete and I am running a series of group sound baths in Bognor Regis and Chichester as part of my case studies.Sign-up for my newsletter to find out about future dates as well as news about sound baths with yoga and sound baths celebrating the seasons and the cycles of the moon. Coming soon!