Sound Bath Serenity

One aspect of wellness I wanted to touch on is how our senses can really impact our mood and state of mind. I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise that sound, especially music, can change how you feel in an instant. We go to music as an outlet when we're sad, when we need something to pump us up, when we're angry, and when we need to be calm. Music can serve as an old friend who understands you with their lyrics and tone or help to change your energy completely. It's a great way to give yourself an attitude adjustment, and I say that without any negative connotation. Sometimes we just need to get out of our funk.

Meditation is something that doesn't come easy to me, especially when I'm having a hard day or am experiencing nervousness. It's hard to drop into stillness when your brain is thinking about something it considers urgent. To not think about it for 5-10 minutes can feel impossible. Meditation can turn into just another dwelling session about my problems, except my eyes are closed. People call this "monkey mind", and it can happen even when you don't have something pressing that you're worried about. You could be thinking about you grocery list, the chores you have to do, and simply what is next after you meditate.

This is why I have turned to sound baths to make the meditation process not only possible and more regular, but also enjoyable.

Sounds baths is something I had wanted to try for years, but the location was always too far out of the way or too expensive. Recently, however, I've noticed sound baths are becoming widely offered in the Los Angeles area and there's even sound baths online for free!

Traditional meditation involves dropping into the moment by tapping into your breath, which has always been a struggle for me. I tend to overthink whether or not I'm breathing the way I should be. We breathe incorrectly for most of our day so it becomes a question of, "Do I even know how to breathe right at all?"

With sound, I am able to ground myself much more quickly. Tuning into the long notes of the crystal bowls even seems to regulate my breath automatically as I sink into stillness. Most of the time, you will be asked to lie down on your mat during a sound bath, which I've heard makes the awareness of your breath a lot easier. You can certainly be in a seated position if you prefer.

In addition, sound baths are also wonderful to do as a group in person. While the usual setting is a yoga studio, I've also experienced outdoor sound baths as well. In these incidences, the host may have you position the crown of your head toward the sound bowls so you can absorb more of the vibrations, especially if there are external noise factors in the atmosphere like planes or cars on the street. What I love about this, though, is that sound baths invite you to let go of perfection and control of your environment: every sound that occurs during a sound bath is part of the experience. Even the person creating the beautiful notes play from the heart without any set pattern which contributes to the flow and rhythm of the vibrations. Each experience is unique and knowing that really melts away the need to be distracted by every little disruption. I know during a sound bath, I can completely let go.

In fact, it's not only sound bowls that can be played during a bath. There are different kinds of bowls (Tibetan vs. crystal), chimes, gongs, rainsticks, ocean dums, kalimbas, handpans, cymbals, harps, etc. Certain variations can stir different emotions and ideas that support your inner connection. Remember: the goal of a meditation isn't to be completely thoughtless, it's to quiet your body and mind so that what comes up informs you of your true present being.

I highly suggest this form of meditation if you experience the same issues around monkey mind and have a hard time connecting with your breath, especially since it is so accessible on platforms like YouTube and Spotify! Sometimes I even turn on a playlist during a bath or when it's time to settle into bed. It's such a lovely way to unwind.

Please feel free to share your own experience of sound baths in the comments; what works for you or what doesn't, or your thoughts after trying it.

Take care,

Tedders

(Owner/Contributor)