What is Sound Healing?
Sound healing, along with crystals and meditation, may seem like the latest trend in mindfulness and expanding your yoga practice, but it’s much more than energy channeling. Sound healing is the practice of using sounds and frequencies to heal and soothe the body and mind. The practitioner, or “sound healer,” uses a combination of vocal sounds like chanting and singing, in addition to Tibetan singing bowls and crystal singing bowls to create a relaxing healing frequency. Sound healing is believed to attune to the natural cycles and vibrations of the earth, and thus create a healing chorus that alleviates symptoms of insomnia and anxiety.
How Does Sound Healing Work?
Sound healing works by relaxing the body and mind with frequencies and vibrations caused by certain instruments. An ancient practice common in Aboriginal tribes, sound healing has now expanded to include instruments like tuning forks and crystal singing bowls. It’s no myth though, a similar practice, music therapy, was proven to lower depression and improve emotional well-being in adults with chronic diseases. For this reason, sound healing is often used in addition to physical rehabilitation, for pain management and for brain injuries and recovery.
The Benefits of Sound Healing
The benefits of sound healing are extensive, and while there are not too many scientific studies on the practice itself, it can be found to help in the treatment of anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorders and dementia. The therapy itself has been proven to lower blood pressure, improve sleep, decrease mood swings and teach pain management.
Try Sound Healing
Similar to meditation, sound healing requires you to sit or lay in a relaxed setting. This can be in your home or in a studio. Sometimes, it is nice to engage in a sound healing session before or after a yoga practice. Make sure that you have all of your home comforts around you: a mat, blankets, cushions or bolsters, a diffuser or candle. Lower the lights and prepare to relax entirely. Begin the sound healing practice simply by listening to the sounds. Try to block any other thoughts, let them come and then let them go. Imagine the instruments, the simple swirling that creates such a soothing sound. Allow yourself to entirely succumb to the sound and frequencies. Relax your body, joint by joint, muscle by muscle. Continue this meditation throughout the performance. When it’s completed, awaken gently, recognize your feelings and note any changes in feeling or thoughts.
Try sound healing with this sound healing performance by Susy.
About The Copper Vessel
Susy Markoe Schieffelin is a sound healer, Kundalini yoga teacher, Reiki master and sobriety coach also known as The Copper Vessel. From her own personal experience with addiction and anxiety, Susy learned how her practice could deeply affect lives. Susy now leads restorative crystal alchemy sound bath experiences in Los Angeles. Her sound baths lead the way for deeper meditations.
