What is a Sound Bath?
A Sound Bath is a deeply-immersive, full-body listening experience that intentionally uses sound to nurture your mind and body.
The experience begins with each person lying down or seated in a comfortable position, often with a blanket and an eye mask. After a few minutes of guided focus on the breath, the remainder of the experience is filled with different sounds and frequencies being introduced in succession. The sounds are created by a variety of overtone-emitting instruments including tuning forks, gongs, shruti box, Himalayan and crystal singing bowls, chimes, and voice.
When you sink into a Sound Bath and guide your awareness to your listening,
you allow your brain waves to slow, shifting from a more active state to a more relaxed state, or even a dreamlike state
The sounds introduced during a Sound Bath are an invitation into a deeper state of consciousness, an opportunity to unplug from external stimuli and to gain perspective on what’s going on within you. The goal of the experience is to invite deep rest and relaxation, and explore self-inquiry and self-discovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
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You aren’t listening to music in the formal sense. Though the sounds come from instruments as well as my voice (and your own), they don’t incorporate melody, harmony, rhythm and arrangements like music does. The less-structured sounds in a Sound Bath help you listen without judgement. Sound Baths remove the desire for reaction and analysis that you might have with a pop song, and allow the listener to go deeper into their own experience.
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It is not meditation as you may traditionally think of it, but the Sound Bath experience can be helpful for anyone who wants to access the benefits of meditation or a moment of relaxation. Instead of a meditative practice that requires you to sit up straight or have a point of focus or recite a complicated mantra or count your breaths, all you have to do during a Sound Bath is listen. Sound is ephemeral – this particular sound is only happening right NOW – and thus an awareness of each sound helps you connect to the present moment, and explore mindfulness.
This experience can be beneficial for both beginners of meditation and experienced meditators.
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Explore the PAUSE App, a sound bath in your pocket, right here.
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Based on over a decade of study in psychoacoustics, yoga and meditation, and a lifetime of experience in music and art, I have created a uniquely approachable method of sound therapy. Facilitating Sound Baths combines my experience as an artist and survivor of trauma, my diverse studies in complementary and alternative medicine practices, and my belief that deep listening allows us to access improved focus, expansive creativity, and greater human connection. Learn more about the ASM Sound Bath Training here.
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Most people report of a “good night’s sleep” after a Sound Bath which often extends into a calm, centered feeling the next day. A Sound Bath can help you access a reflective, self-healing state and invite calm into your daily life, and further promote healthy sleep.
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Please dress comfortably. Usually mats and blankets are provided for you to lay on but feel free to bring a small blanket, eye pillow or anything else that will help you to feel more comfortable.
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Lying on the floor is one way to experience a Sound Bath. If this is not possible, you are also welcome to sit on a cushion or chair.
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Children of all ages are welcome, and many have enjoyed the experience. For some children, being quiet and still for any length of time is difficult and movement, fidgeting or talking is disruptive to other participants. You know your child best.