FAQ’s
1. What is a Sound Bath and why do some people refer to it as a Sound Journey or Gong Bath?
A sound bath is a creative, meditative and harmonious interplay of gongs, Himalayan singing bowls, various drums, didgeridoo, flutes and several other instruments. Commonly also referred to as a sound meditation, sound wash, or specifically, a gong bath, it suggests that you are bathed in vibrations and resulting sound waves. And while you are immersed in the sound of gongs and other sound tools, there is no water involved, or clothes removed. Figuratively speaking you are floating or swimming in a bubble of sound, cleansed by sound…it is like, when we want to clean our bodies, we use soap and water. Sound and vibration…cleanse us on the inside - emotionally and physiologically.
2. Who can participate and what are the effects and benefits I may experience in a sound bath session…and will it help me to meditate or sleep?
Sound based relaxation and healing modalities are for any and everybody, from teenagers to elders...each participant receives the benefits derived from varying tempi and rhythms, as well as different pitches and tonalities, varying sound frequencies, all and each known to trigger different memories, feelings, emotions and sensations within...all geared toward unblocking trapped or stale energy and reinstating a natural flow of energy within.
I provide a portal to a psycho-acoustic experience and the beauty of Sound Healing is its simplicity. Sound Healing is the practice of using sound and listening in a mindful manner to transform and expand consciousness in order to enhance the body’s natural drive to regenerate and heal itself, to reach its intrinsic state of homeostatis (optimal state of functioning). In a sound bath immersion experience people lie down or sit and mindfully listen to different sounds, which are carrying a stated healing intention.
Mindful listening is the ability to be aware of, and consciously enter into sounds by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment while calmly accepting thoughts, feelings, and body sensations without judgment, the essential concept of meditation. So with that, one of the main purposes of my sessions is to get participants into a deep state of relaxation and mindful meditation. Please note there is no requirement to be a practiced and experienced meditator as all of life is a constant meditation if one so chooses…
When our conscious awareness is mindfully focused on a sound we simultaneously entrain with that sound. As our inner experience of reality is entrained by the sound, our consciousness and inner awareness expands, and our “rational-objective mind” becomes an aware yet passive observer. Similarly as in our sleeping hours, during the entering of ALPHA, THETA and sometimes DELTA brainwave states, when our physical body receives the opportunity to renew or restore its immunological system, endocrine system and central nervous system; the physical body can receive temporary rest from the mental and astral bodies as well. This opens the possibility for healing via a change in consciousness that creates an inner sense of balance, harmony, and well-being. Regenerating energies become activated, leading to renewed health, allowing cells to renew and re-balance their own natural vibration. Many participants report of an improved ability to fall asleep and /or sleep soundly, or the relief from chronic pain, or to simply having gone on a vacation from the racing mind chatter.
Simply put…once participants allow themselves to get past, or bypass, their analytical minds, their left brain, sounds assist them to move into their true peaceful nature, found in the present moment, the eternal NOW – essentially the only place where Life happens. Participants can reconnect or balance with the deepest truth of their essential and innermost being. My events are designed and intended to foster harmony, self-healing, heightened awareness & mental capacities, physical, emotional, spiritual and/or psychological renewal, stress control, creativity, ability to focus and much more. They assist people in managing and overcoming stress, anxiety, depression, negative thinking, self-sabotaging behaviours and more. Experience a natural re-balancing while travelling sonically...find more about the benefits of sound here
3. How long is the session and what is the format?
My Group events are about 90 minutes in duration and include 3 stages:
the introduction - participants receive a general overview of sound therapy and how the upcoming meditation and Sound Bath experience work together to facilitate a personal transformation, evolution and healing method within the conscious mind.
followed by a carefully chosen guided meditation which primes the subconscious mind to transition into the essential personal transformation experience brought on by the healing sounds in the…
sound session where guests flow in a stream of ancestral and otherworldly sounds generated by several large titanium and bronze gongs (40” and 38”), one of man’s oldest therapeutic instruments, singing bowls, handpan, didgeridoo, bells, chimes, tuning forks, ocean drum, vocals, rattles and other sound tools. The sound space envelopes listeners in a uniquely rhythmic, melodic and pleasing fashion while the gong’s vibrational and sonic characteristics deeply resonate and harmonize all 50+ trillion cells of the body. The experience energizes and relaxes simultaneously in a most powerful and unique way and invites a natural synchronization of the brain's right and left hemispheres.
The first 2 stages are about 12 - 18 minutes in duration, and the following sound bath fills the remainder. Colored light illumination enhances the experience.
4. Does it get really loud?
Generally I play the gongs at a "normal" volume level. At times I amp up the intensity a bit to evoke different stimuli and emotions, with the goal to prompt releases of a spiritual, emotional, physiological or psychological nature, or all of the above combined...essentially I provide you with a very colorful bouquet of sounds and rhythms. For your convenience here is a reference chart for decibels. During my sound practitioner training we were in a room of about 1,000 sq ft with about 17 gongs and all were simultaneously going at a maximum intensity. The decibels measured there were around 96, so way below a questionable or objectionable threshold.
5. What will I need to do when you start?
The introduction is followed by a guided meditation which then segue into the sound portion of the event. I invite you to place your own intention for the sonic journey, take some deep breaths, lie (or sit) comfortably, relax, close your eyes, open yourself to the experience, fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride...
6. What should I expect during a session?
Nothing. When you expect something, you are coming from the known…Instead, come with an open mind and anything good, magical, amazing, unexpected and healing is possible as we all swim in an ocean of possibilities and potentials. You are in for a re-boot, a re-calibration, a cleansing. And while each of the transformational experiences is received and integrated individually, per one’s own nature of being, there are common denominators shared by most people, even though everyone experiences it according to the stage in their life’s journey. However, do know that all which is coming from me to you in my events is of a very loving, healing and benevolent nature...imbued with positive and healing intentions.
7. What should I bring, wear, and how do I position myself?
I recommend to bring your own mat, small carpet, yoga mat, blanket, pillow etc., as not all venues provide them. Wear comfortable clothing per your liking and style…typically people experience a session lying comfortably on their back, or side, eyes closed or with eye shades. Some prefer to sit, it is a very individual experience….there is no “one-size-fits-all”. Moreover, typically the body's functions slow down and the body temperature drops slightly when deeply relaxed, hence the blanket to cover oneself up. Feel free to bring your crystals, journal, small statues etc., to cleanse and charge them with the high frequency sound and intention.
8. How can I continue the experience by myself?
While each sound bath event is unique due to a number of factors, you can benefit from the element of sound in a myriad ways. Begin by covering your ears and hum. Change the pitch of your hum and feel the vibration and resonance in your head and rest of body. Next, OM... If you want to amplify the experience use a Himalayan singing bowl.
9. How often should I allow myself the experience?
As often as you wish and can. There is no known downside or negative side effects to it as each session rides on benevolent and positive intentions. Visit my testimonials section to see what others are saying or see my current schedule of upcoming events, workshops and retreats.
10. What is an Overnight Awakenings Event?
My Overnight Awakenings Events typically occur around each seasonal change (Equinoxes and Solstices). They are 10 hours long which include a 90 minute workshop on a specific topic related to personal transformation and 8 hours of continuous gongs sound throughout the night. The only prerequisite for participation in these unique events is to be open-minded, give yourself permission to relax, to “drift in and out” throughout the night (it is not required to stay awake all night), and to allow sound, vibration and harmonics to serve as a psycho-acoustic gateway to a meditative and transformative inner dimension and heightened states of consciousness. The play of live gong sounds begins around 10:00 pm on a Saturday evening and lasts for 8 continuous hours to end at 6:00 on Sunday morning, followed by a brief forum to conclude at around 6:30 am. Fruits, nuts, cheese and cookies, as well as coffee, water and tea are being served throughout the event.
11. Why do you call it Higher Frequency Living?
At the end of the day, that is what it is all about. To embrace the inner work to be done to attain higher frequencies within…