Sound bath gives off good vibrations

If yoga seems a little too much like hard work for you, and the thought of other therapies sends you off to sleep, how about trying a very special aural event known as a Sound Bath? 

I attended a session yesterday where participants settle down, relax and allow a wash of sounds to cleanse their bodies on physical, emotional and mental levels to aid relaxation and encourage healing to take place.  

After a session, participants have reported that they feel calmer, extremely relaxed both physically and mentally, more in control of their life, and sometimes find long-term issues have resolved themselves. With such benefits on offer, I was keen to give it a try.

Unsure of how the process was supposed to work I asked Stephanie to explain the principles at work. She said: ‘The waves of sound work on a very deep level. As your physical body relaxes deeply, your internal energy (Chi or Prana) is able to flow more freely along the meridians (energy lines).  The soundwaves penetrate through and along these meridians, releasing stagnant energy so that your whole body is able to flow with vibrant energy and well-being.’ She also added intriguingly, ‘Often the experience will evoke memories - sometimes of this life, sometimes of past lives.  This is all part of the healing process.’

I found I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, finding it surprising how my awareness did seem to respond in different ways to the different timbres. The mbira-like instrument actually made me feel tearfully nostalgic for a bygone experience of childlike innocence, to which I can’t assign an explanation!

Regular attendee Linda Griffiths said: ‘Pretty soon the room, then the rest of the universe melt away leaving one floating in a sea of sound. Some sounds bring emotions which slowly fade away, some conjure up beautiful pictures which come and go. One eventually ‘becomes’ the sound, pure sound and pure vibration.’

Another lady Rosie said ‘Steph creates an atmosphere of quiet solitude which deepens the senses and raises awareness’ describing it as ‘ A beautiful and enriching experience.’

If you would like to experience a Sound Bath, Stephanie is running a series of 6 Sound Baths in 2010 at the Beaumont Centre.  Dates for subsequent sessions (all from 6-7:30pm) are:

25th April, 27th June, 1st August, 5th September, 3rd October  (Cost: £10 per session)

Please contact Stephanie Hiller on 01749 - 689 114 to book your place or to enquire about private one-to-one Sound Therapy sessions.