The Healing Benefits of Sound Baths
In our fast-paced, digitally connected world, people are constantly looking for ways to unplug, slow down, and take a breath. As we gravitate toward more novel and immersive wellness experiences, one ancient form of meditation has experienced a surge of popularity within the past decade: sound baths.
A Short History of Sound Healing
The history of sound healing goes back thousands of years. Greek physicians used musical instruments to heal patients, tapping into the power of vibration to aid in digestion, treat mental disturbance, and promote sleep. The ancient Egyptians described musical incantations to help heal the sick. Native Americans used singing, chanting, and drums as part of the sound healing process. It wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that researchers began to study the healing effects of music, finding that it could lower blood pressure and assist the work of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps your body calm down and recover from stress.
Today, sound healing takes shape in many forms. Different types of sound healing include music and sound therapy, binaural beats, mantra and chanting, tuning forks, and sound baths with singing bowls. This article discusses the healing benefits of sound baths, which have risen in popularity in recent years and have been popping up in yoga studios and spaces around the world.
What Is a Sound Bath?
A sound bath is a form of meditation that guides listeners into a deep state of relaxation using the sounds and vibrations from instruments. Common sound bath instruments include:
Crystal or brass singing bowls
Tingsha cymbals
Chimes
Gongs
Tuning forks
Shakers
Shruti box
Didgeridoo
Harps
But exactly how do sound baths work? We asked a few sound healers to give us insight into the art and science of sound healing.
“A sound bath is meditation,” says Phyllicia Bonanno, an NYC and New Jersey-based sound healer. “With these singing bowls, we are able to feel the vibrations flowing through our body and get into a deep, relaxed state, almost like a trance. You are actually being cleansed with the sound.”
Each note you hear in a sound bath has a purpose. It’s more than just a string of beautiful sounds tied together — there is intention behind every note and every sequence.
“These specially tuned frequencies of sound help to bring you into a very deep state of rest and self-healing,” says LA-based sound healer Susy Markoe Schieffelin. “Each bowl is tuned to a different chakra, or energy center. When these bowls resonate with your chakras, they cleanse, they clear, they open you up, and they move energy through your body and bring you into a state of vibrational harmony. This is a time when you can return to a place of centeredness so you can let go of blockages and experience healing.”
As a form of meditation, sound baths are an excellent way to let go of your worries and sink into a deeply serene experience. Adding sound to the meditation experience can take your relaxation to a completely new level.
“The beauty of working with sound in meditation is that it can quite literally tune us into a state of calm and peace,” says Avery Whitmore, an LA-based sound healer. “Our brain will naturally begin to synchronize with the rhythm of music, so as we play slower, calming rhythms, we can ease our mind into slower brain wave states.”
Benefits of Sound Baths
Sound baths offer us a spa-like retreat from the everyday. Carving out even just 10-15 minutes for a sound bath can be just what you need to relax and restore when you don’t have a lot of time in your schedule.
“Sometimes in life, we feel anxiety. We feel stressed. We find ourselves holding on to negative energy or feel heaviness in our heart,” says Schieffelin. “Sound baths will give you the opportunity to let go of all of that and just return to a state of calm and well-being.”
Though studies specifically on sound baths are limited, there is a lot of research that shows the physical and psychological benefits of sound therapy. Here are a few benefits of sound baths, sound healing, and meditation:
Calms your body and mind
Reduces stress and anxiety
Increases focus and clarity
Decreases tension and fatigue
Boosts your mood and reduces feelings of anger
Improves sleep
Elevates feelings of spiritual well-being
As to how you will feel after a sound bath — there’s a wide range of emotions that come up for people, from blissful to spaced out. But most people feel an overall sense of relaxation.
“This is an opportunity to relax and heal your inner self,” says Schieffelin. “You’re going to feel calm, you’re going to feel centered and balanced. You’re going to feel uplifted and inspired as you connect with your own positive energy.”
How to Practice a Sound Bath At Home
Dress in relaxed clothing and find a comfortable, distraction-free place where you can tune out the world around you. It is recommended to wear headphones to help block out external distractions. Then, cue up an online sound bath from Alo Moves. We recommend these sound baths to get you started:
Sound Bath: Root Chakra - Phyllicia Bonanno
Daily Detox - Susy Markoe Schieffelin
Full Moon Sound Bath - Avery Whitmore
Don’t have a lot of time to spare? You don’t need to spend hours creating a cozy sound bath haven for yourself. You can practice a sound bath almost anywhere.
“If you’re on break at work and you’re at your desk and you want to meditate and listen to a sound bath, you don’t need any props,” says Bonanno. “You can sit in the chair comfortably and close your eyes and relax.”
Sound bath meditations can range anywhere from five minutes to an hour, so it’s easy to dip your toes in and feel out the waters if you only want to commit to a short amount of time.
“If you’re unsure about practicing a sound bath or you don’t know what it is, give it five minutes,” says Bonanno. “Put on some headphones and zone in just to get a break from the world and the busyness of your day to day.”
Want to relax with a free sound bath online? Unlock our entire library of sound baths and other mindfulness videos with a 14-day free trial to Alo Moves.