Everything You Need To Know About Getting A Sound Bath For Meditation
A phenomenon of meditation, sound bath, using one of the oldest instruments known to mankind, the gong, has been in practice for healing of the mind, body and soul for centuries. But the practice of sound bath is slowly uprising, and becoming more popular in mainstream culture.
No, it's not a bubble bath with music playing, although combining the two isn't a bad idea.
If you've had a long week at work or are going through a difficult time with finances, relationships or other struggles, a moment to yourself through sound bathing can alleviate some of your stress and anxieties.
If you're trying to achieve zen in your life, and meditation with deep breaths isn't cutting it, you should try something new.
Here are five things you need to know about getting a sound bath:
1. It's all about vibrations resonating to the frequencies and beat of your own drum.
What's quite interesting about music is that each sound is tailored to the energy center of the nervous system.
These sounds and vibrations enter each soul independently, and each beat resonates differently from one person to the next. Ultimately, it causes a deep relaxation and rejuvenation of the spirit and mind.
Every person is different and will have a different experience from the sound bath. Some can have the auditory experience, a sound massage and deep relaxation, while others can fall asleep or shift into altered states of consciousness.
2. Quartz crystal singing bowls are used with several musical instruments.
Other instruments include Tibetan singing bowls, heartbeat drum, harmonium and didgeridoo.
According to Jamie Ford, the gongs and crystal bowls are used to “tune to the orbital properties of the planet, sun, moon and other celestial bodies so energy of the cosmos are brought into experience.”
3. Sound baths allegedly heal physical injuries and emotional traumas.
It's fascinating how much we like to hide pain and suffering. It takes courage to heal your soul and go beyond the depths of flesh to tap into your inner journey and heal all of your suffering. Music can heal the pain and trauma.
4. Each session lasts anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
Each person is laying down in the “Savasana” yoga position on a mat on the floor.
This gives you enough time to go to a session in between a lunch break, before work or late at night after work to destress.
5. Memory recall is the first sign that the meditation is working.
Participants have claimed that while in the peaceful environment and deep relaxation, having a memory recall, particularly a childhood memory, is one of the first signs that the meditation is in fact working.
It's a magical concept that the mind can shift from 2016 and take you to any year in your brain and the sounds will allow you to go to those depths.
6. The experience is intended to make a shift in the brainwaves through sound.
Through frequency and sound humans are able to manipulate the brain wave frequencies by shifting from one state to another of alpha, beta, theta and delta waves that monitor the human brain activity.
Beta waves are associated with normal waking consciousness, where frequency of brain activity is between 12.5 to 30 Hz with a low amplitude. At this moment, this person's eyes are awake and alert. Alpha waves signify a state of relaxed consciousness with a frequency of 7.5 to 12.5 Hz.
Theta waves signify a state of meditation that a majority of sound bathers are able to reach. Essentially, theta waves generate theta rhythms. Further, hippocampal theta rhythms have been studied and linked to memory formation and navigation.
Delta waves characterize the depths of deep sleep and some bathers can reach this level as well. Delta waves are high amplitude and range from 0.5 to 4 Hz.
The benefits are clear. Sound baths can improve mental focus, concentration, relaxation and an overall self-balance.
