Sound Healing- Sound Bath Meditation...Stay for the Gonging

I had never experienced any type of sound healing. All of that changed…

In the Winter of 2018 I moved to South Louisiana. Struggling with painful health issues, a break-up, and the death of my sweet dog. Not to mention, leaving behind everything that wouldn’t fit in my car and driving over 1,300 miles to my new “home". Damn change is hard! So I did what I do in hard times. I looked to my practice for stability.

The first order of business after unpacking the car was to find a yoga studio.  Proceed to practice every day , because (this is how I heal, balls to the wall yoga and meditation, this beats binge drinking benders any day!) I was hurting, inside and out, but I kept practicing. I have always struggled with Savasana. To say I have trouble relaxing is an understatement, the pain in my body had taken this to a new level it had allowed a new kind of fear to emerge, a fear of being still in silence.

Sound Healing-Stay for the Gonging

Thursday at 5:45pm, my favorite class of the week. Slow Flow with Neil @ombalanceyoga. I had been coming to this class regularly for at least five or six weeks. This time Neil brought a gong. The gong was very beautiful, gold with a black ring around the outer edge and a solid black circle at the center, pretty large maybe about 3 1/2 feet across, it hung from the ceiling in the front of the room. After the asana practice the class began to wind down with some seated poses. We then made our way to Savasana.

Sound Healing-An Inner Journey

As we settled in Neil mentioned that he would play the gong during this time. I came to my final resting pose with my usual tension and anxiety, but heightened because the pain in my body always felt stronger laying flat this way.

The sound healing began. Vibration of sound from the gong filled the room. Softly at first, then louder and stronger. I could feel the vibrations in every area of my body at first but then more intensely in the areas where I felt the most pain, my shoulders, neck and jaw and of course in my heart. The sound seemed to “know” exactly where it was needed.

Unbelievably, over the next few days my pain level decreased significantly, like from a 10 to a 5.  And that was only from about 15-20 minutes of gonging. Amazing! I was astonished, curios, and hooked.

Stay for the Gonging

Since then I have stayed for many more gongings and attended sound baths hosted by @ombalance yoga . The sound healing journey has continued. Not just in my physical body but also in my heart.

I have done thousands of Sun Salutations, Mantras, and hours of Meditation which I love and continue to do, but I have never experienced this kind of rapid healing and opening that I  received through sound healing. I am truly grateful for this inner journey into the healing power of sound.

Sound Healing- Sound Bath Meditation...Stay for the Gonging

I was so moved by the experience of sound healing that I signed up for a training to learn Sound Healing Massage, so I could help others experience this healing and expansion.

Sound Healing is an inner journey so everyone responds differently. Most people feel a deep relaxation, peaceful, and light. I often get a burst of energy and a jolt of creative juice. Whatever your experience might be…sound healing will definitely fan the flames of the inner fire.

If you are struggling with pain of any kind, relaxation, sleep, soggy creativity, a heavy heart, or just want to experience the joy and beauty of sound here are a few ways you can get some gong in your life-

Sound Healing- Sound Bath Meditation...Where to find it.

1.) Seek out a Sound Bath in your area- if you are not sure where to look, start by asking at your local yoga studio or wellness center.

2.) Book a private session with a Sound Healer, Sound Massage is a beautiful practice…singing bowls are placed on areas of the body (back, hands, feet etc..) and gently played to allow the vibrations to flow through the body…pure bliss!

3.) Try a virtual sound bath- many sound healers offer free virtual sound baths – check out YouTube to find one.

4.) Sound Healing Music- Tibetan Singing Bowls, Crystal Bowls and Gongs…all of this can be found on Spotify and YouTube- less intense than an in person experience but can be very soothing… and can give you an idea of the range of unique sounds in these items.

5.) Seek out a sound healing training- If you test the waters with sound a find that it moves you and you feel a calling to learn more, I would highly recommend a Sound Healing training with a reputable teacher. Ask around and do your research to find the right teacher for you-

If the opportunity presents itself, Stay for the Gonging.

Namaste

Annmarie

If you are in the Lafayette Louisiana area and are in need of Gong- you can follow Neil from @ombalance yoga on Instagram for dates and locations of his sound baths and yoga class schedule.