Chances are you've never heard of sound baths, or maybe you have, but you are not quite sure what they are. According to Sara Auster, an experienced sound therapist, meditation teacher, and author, sound baths are “A deeply-immersive, full-body listening experience that intentionally uses sound to invite gentle yet powerful therapeutic and restorative processes to NURTURE YOUR MIND AND BODY.”
Photo by Elina Fairytale
How Do They Work?
Most sound baths begin with you getting in a comfortable position, such as laying down on a yoga mat. You may be provided with blankets, pillows, and an eye mask to get extra comfortable. After getting situated, you are led through a meditative practice or breathing exercise to prepare you. Then, you will be introduced to different sounds and frequencies throughout the bath.
Throughout the bath, your body will enter a deeper state of consciousness with the help of different sounds. This will help your body feel deep relaxation and enter a meditative state.
Photo by Magicbowls
What Instruments Are Used During A Sound Bath?
During sound healing sound baths, different instruments are used that make deep, resonating vibrations or what we call “sound.” These instruments may include crystal singing bowls, bells, chimes, gongs, tuning forks, and Tibetan singing bowls.
While experiencing a sound bath, these instruments will be played to create soothing and overlapping vibrations, which ultimately lead you into a meditative experience.
How Long Have Sound Baths Been Around?
Sound bath practices have been around for thousands of years. According to the Token Rock Sound Healing Center, the first known use of sound healing was from the Aboriginal people of Australia using the instrument now called the didgeridoo. This dates back to about 40,000 years ago when they used sound therapy to heal broken bones, muscle tears, and any illness imaginable.
The Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks also used sound healing. The Ancient Egyptians were said to use vowel sounds in their rituals, while the Ancient Greeks had the father of music therapy named Pythagoras.
What Are The Benefits Of Sound Baths?
While extensive research is limited on this topic, we do know that sound baths do have beneficial properties. Here are some of the benefits we know of:
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Can help reduce stress and anxiety
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Helps improve your overall mental health
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Helps calm your mind and body
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Decreases tension within your body
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Can help boost mood
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Increases clarity or focusing ability
Where Can You Experience A Sound Bath?
Sound bath sessions may be hard to find, but we are here to give you some pointers! Start by contacting your local yoga studio to see if they offer sound baths. Chances are, if they do not provide sound baths at the studio, they may be able to refer you to a place that does offer them.
You can also do a quick search online to see the closest location to offer a sound bath experience. Do note; you should definitely look into each location and read reviews to make sure you are getting a sound bath from an experienced professional.
A Word From Our Founder
As you may know, our founder BritB is a holistic health and wellness queen. When we were talking about what to write for this Wellness Wednesday, and sound baths were mentioned, there was no looking back, Brit had recently hosted her own private sound bath for friends at her home in the greater Palm Springs area.
When asking Brit why she loved sound baths so much, she said, “I love to quiet the “noise” with a sound bath, especially on a slow Sunday morning, feeling each and every cell in my body align with the vibrations. My entire body feels like butter the rest of the day.”
Check Out Our Other Wellness Blog Posts
At BeachCandy, we take our health and wellness seriously. In fact, we dedicate every Wednesday to wellness here with our “Wellness Wednesday” blog posts. Take a look at our most recent wellness blog post on Our Top 10 Superfoods.
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Written by Kaleigh Medellin