Can a melody really improve your wellbeing? That’s the concept behind sound healing – but it’s potentially less ‘woo woo’ then you think. Here’s your quick cheatsheet on everything you need to know.
If you’ve ever felt completely lost in a song, or felt an instant mood shift from your favourite playlist, you’ll probably agree that music – or sound in general – can be incredibly powerful. Ultimately, that’s the basic concept behind sound healing too – an ancient wellbeing practice that can be especially helpful if you’re feeling stressed, struggling to sleep, or want to deepen your relaxation. And, with our busy lives nowadays, who doesn’t feel that way every so often?
Interested to know more and want to try it for yourself? Here’s your beginner-friendly guide to sound healing.
What is sound healing?
Rooted in the ancient cultures of Tibet, India, and Greece (among others), sound healing is a holistic therapy that uses sound vibrations to try to bring balance to your body and mind. The ‘healing’ sound waves are produced by practitioners using instruments like singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks, or even the human voice.
The practice is also sometimes called a ‘sound bath’ as you are surrounded or ‘bathed’ in sound. However, don’t get confused – there’s no need for a swimsuit; there’s no getting wet involved.
How does sound healing work?
The idea is actually quite simple: sound carries frequency, and since everything in the universe – including our bodies – is made up of energy, sound frequencies can, in principle, interact with our own vibrations to promote healing.
Sound healing is also said to have a particularly strong impact on our bodies because we are made up of about 60 to 70 per cent water, and water just happens to be an excellent conductor of sound and vibration. So, if our natural energy frequencies become disrupted – which is said to easily occur due to stress, illness, or trauma – the concept is that the sound waves can travel through the body and create subtle shifts at a cellular level to restore harmony.
Different tones are said to target different chakras or energy centres in the body, encouraging healing where it’s needed most, and depending on the sound, the therapy can help reduce anxiety, improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and support emotional release. Think of it like tuning an instrument – when you’re feeling out of sync, sound can help bring you back to a state of balance.
Is there any modern science behind sound healing?
As well as being used and trusted for generations, there is science alongside the spirituality when it comes to sound healing. Modern studies suggest that sound healing may influence brainwaves (after all our brains operate on rhythmic patterns of electrical energy), guiding the mind into relaxed states, like alpha or theta, which are associated with deep meditation and healing.
What are the benefits?
The main benefits of sound healing are relaxation and stress reduction – so it’s the perfect technique for calming busy minds and relaxing your body. Here’s how some of the most documented benefits are said to work:
- Deep relaxation: sound waves are used to slow your brainwave activity, leading to an almost meditative state
- Stress reduction: vibrations designed to slow your heart rate and calm your mind can lower cortisol levels, reducing tension
- Better sleep: by calming your mind and body, sound healing can prepare you for a better, deeper sleep
- Emotional release: some sounds can encourage emotions, meaning some sessions may be designed to end with a scream, shout or other expression of mood
Are sound healing and meditation the same thing?
Not quite. While a lot of the benefits of sound healing are shared with other wellness techniques such as meditation, the approach is slightly different.
Meditation is typically a silent, inward-focused practice that involves techniques like breath awareness, visualisation, or mantra repetition. Most distinctly, it requires active mental participation, which is why it can be a tad of a struggle at first! Sound healing, on the other hand, is more passive. Instead of focusing the mind through effort, it uses external sound frequencies to guide your brain into a meditative state. That’s why it can be especially helpful for people who struggle with traditional silent meditation or have difficulty quieting their thoughts.
So, what is actually involved in a sound healing session?
A sound healing session typically involves you lying down in a comfortable position on a yoga mat or bed, while you listen to your practitioner (or even a sound track) work their magic for about an hour. It really is that simple. And yes, it can be incredibly relaxing and a little soporific.
Sound baths specifically tend to involve you being ‘surrounded’ by the sound, so your practitioner may play a crystal bowl or gong in the centre of a group of wellness seekers in a yoga studio or similar space. One-to-one sessions may involve crystal bowls or tuning forks being actively placed on your body, before being ‘played’ by your practitioner. This can be especially helpful if you are looking to unlock mental or physical clarity in a certain area. Chanting and mantras, such as vocalising the sound ‘om’ may also be involved in your session to help activate the healing vibrations. While there’s no issue with falling asleep during your session – plenty of people do! – this chanting can keep your mind a little more focused.
Can you combine sound healing with other wellness techniques?
Yes! In fact, it is actively encouraged. In particular, it can add an added layer of relaxation to your yoga flows and massages; help deepen (and guide) your meditation; and help release tension during breath work sessions too. Reiki – aka energy healing where your practitioner places their hands on energy points of your body to ‘unblock’ them – is often combined with sound vibrational therapy, and you can bring in your other senses by adding aromatherapy oils to your practice as well. This is something that the best spas and wellness spaces are increasingly doing. Discover three of our favourites below.
The Best Sound Healing Experiences in London
1. The Mandrake Hotel
Not just a five-star hotel, The Mandrake is a true wellness retreat in the heart of the capital, with a full Spiritual Wellbeing Programme that includes multiple sound healing opportunities. The Cosmic Gong Bath journey is the perfect beginner-friendly sound bath where you are truly immersed in sound and relaxation, and the Reiki & Sound Healing experience amplifies the experience with crystal bowls and hands-on energy healing Reiki. The absolute highlight, though, is the Infrared Light Therapy & Chakra Sound Healing experience every Saturday. It includes a guided chakra meditation, a soothing soundscape with crystal singing bowls and the chance to supercharge all that by lying under a healing (and skin-reviving) infrared light therapy dome too. You’ll emerge feeling totally refreshed and centred.
2. Re:mind
Regardless of how hectic your day was before stepping inside the doors of Re:mind in Victoria, you’ll feel immediately calmed on entry – and that’s even before your tailored wellness session starts. The atmosphere is soft, serene, and grounding, with earthy interiors, cosy cushions, and salt lamps that instantly set the tone for rest and recuperation. The ever-popular Re:Sound Gong + Crystal Bowls session helps you sink into deep relaxation, with all experiences led by experienced practitioners who use crystal singing bowls, gongs, and Tibetan bowls, as well as energy healing and breath work techniques. There’s a real sense of zenned-out community at the centre as well, so you can meet lots of likeminded individuals. However, there’s the option for private sessions too, to really melt away tension and unplug from the daily grind.
3. Cloud Twelve
Cloud Twelve is the very definition of a holistic wellness clinic, complete with an indulgent spa, luxury hair salon, and even a family-friendly interactive play zone, making it a brilliantly comprehensive retreat in the heart of London. It’s also our top pick for couples-based sound healing, with a private shared experience for two that fosters a sense of deeply personal and shared relaxation. The session starts with complimentary spa access, so you can enjoy the mind-calming and tension-relieving powers of the steam room, sauna and salt room, before settling in for the one-hour sound bath together on heated Dolomite crystal beds that are designed to further ground you. While surrounded by serene candlelight, you’ll instantly feel cosy and pampered, as well as further calmed as the soothing tones from Tibetan singing bowls and gongs wash over you. Ultimately, it is the best way to turn your sound healing experience (whether your first time or 100th time) into an indulgent spa memory.
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