Sound Healing
Sound healing is a growing field of alternative medicine that has been around for thousands of years. Music has been used throughout history to create positive effects on our mood and as a form of therapy to heal the body, mind, and spirit.
Many people find that after practicing sound healing techniques, they experience an increase in energy, improved mental clarity, increased creativity, and better relationships. Sound healing is safe, affordable, and effective. There are many ways to practice. Read below to find out how sound healing works, how to get started, and what to expect during a session.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is sound therapy?
Sound therapy covers a range of treatments, from music therapy to sound baths. Similar to massage therapy which delivers healing through touch, it’s a form of sensory therapy, and it has been used by various cultural groups for centuries. The most prominent form practiced in the U.S. is music therapy, but the use of individual sounds and frequencies has been growing. Essentially, sound and music are noninvasive, simple, and cost-effective therapeutic tools.
What does a typical session look like?
Many sessions begin with simple breathing exercises, which help slow the mind and shift focus to listening. For sessions like sound baths and vibrational therapy, participants sit or lie down in a comfortable position, sometimes with an eye mask or blanket. Often, bowls are placed on the body and around the head.
What kinds of sounds are used?
Sound baths and sound therapy are not about one particular sound or set of sounds, but about cultivating intention and receptiveness in the listener. Common sound therapy instruments include Tibetan sound bowls, crystal bowls, gongs, tuning forks, chimes, and voice. Sounds can also be pre-recorded, like white noise, ambient music, or guided instructions. The right instrument, tone, and frequency varies with the purpose of the session.
How does sound therapy feel?
The goal of sound therapy is to ultimately balance and restore the mind and body. Although, participants have emotional release of all kinds, such as crying, euphoria, laughter, and even anger.
How does it work?
There is no definitive answer to why sound therapy can be so soothing (or sad, or euphoric, or angering). But its practitioners have theories. The vibrations work by massaging every cell in the body. It is about more than just the meditative, relaxing effects of sound. Some have described the experience as a contrast to a traditional massage, which manipulates the surface tissue of the body, by which this treatment works all the way through your skin, muscle, tissue, and organs.
What benefits does sound therapy have?
Plenty of compelling research supports sound therapy for relief of both physical and psychological pain. Studies show noticeably decreased stress and anger, especially among people who were new to this kind of practice.
Using sound as therapy can provide results for a variety of issues including:
- Sleep disorders
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress management
- PTSD
- Depression
- Pain management