12 Mar GUEST POST: WHY SOUND HEALING?
In light of their upcoming Sound Journey event a Yogahome, Cinnamen Johnson and guest teacher Lindsay Markovits share their experiences of sound healing.
WHY TRY SOUND HEALING?
Our bodies go through quite a lot daily. We can hold much tension and stress, and may not even be aware of it. The body works hard for us – digesting what we eat, repairing while we sleep, functioning to work, to look after kids, to push hard in exercise, not to mention how much work our hands and feet do and of course the immense job our backs do to support us.
We are also up against mental strain – studying, researching, overthinking, planning, and problem solving. Plus, our emotions can get us in a tangle.
A busy, demanding life may leave us with an excess, or lack of energy; we can feel unbalanced.
Just 60-90 minutes of being bathed in healing sound waves can help our body, mind and energy levels return to a more harmonious state. No prior experience is necessary, all are welcome. Some people just come for the experience of sound healing – to stop doing, and just be.
Sounds woo woo? Guess what, it’s not. Science has shown sound to be very beneficial. Many eastern traditions have used sound for centuries to heal and it’s increasingly being used in hospitals and healing centres to aid recovery. Read on for further information.
WHAT IS A SOUND JOURNEY?
Each session is completely unique and intuitively designed for the group’s current needs or for a themed intention. Typically, you’ll be invited to lie on a yoga mat on the floor with a pillow and blanket to keep warm (although you can sit, if lying down is uncomfortable). A qualified sound practitioner (or practitioners) will play various sound healing instruments in the room and the sound waves travel to each individual, taking the group into relaxation and peacefulness. The recipient does not need to do anything other than rest, listen to the flow of sounds, or sleep. The instruments used may include hand-held drums, gongs, tongue drums, Koshi chimes, rattles, Tibetan singing bowls, crystal singing bowls and voice toning. These are played sometimes as solo instruments or in unison with other instruments with moments of silence to provoke inner transformation.
Some sounds can be dissonant to release tension, stress and emotions in the body, whilst others are harmonious, in order to nurture, support, relax, or energise the body. Usually, a sound-bath will centre around triggering deep relaxation and creating clarity and calm within the body, mind and biofield.
Sessions can be hosted by one or more practitioner for group sound healings. The events are usually bookended with a meditation, or sometimes breath-work.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Sound helps to entrain our brainwaves by providing a frequency they can attune to. Entrainment is a process which helps synchronise our brainwaves to the vibrations of the sound, inducing a state of deep relaxation. You may feel like you are drifting into a dream. You might feel sensations in the body, see colours, have dream-like visions, fall asleep, or simply just relax. Some people feel emotions bubble to the surface, or pains in the body arise to release. Everyone experiences sound a little differently, but ultimately it is a relaxing and nurturing environment.
Science has produced strong evidence that music has mental, emotional and physical health benefits improving mood, wellbeing and reducing stress. The autonomic nervous system is stimulated, allowing the body to reduce the fight, flight and freeze response and to encourage the rest, digest, re-balance response.
Using sound as therapy has been reported to provide positive results for a variety of issues including sleep disorders, anxiety, fatigue, physical and emotional trauma, stress management, migraine and much more.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER?
It’s important to drink lots of water afterwards to help release any toxins from the body and help the sounds to integrate deeper, and to eat food to ground the body. It’s recommended to have a bath or shower afterwards to aid in the healing. Most people report feeling relaxed, calm, peaceful, and more energetically balanced.
CAN THE TREATMENT HAPPEN ONE ON ONE?
Absolutely, this is done when an individual wants to address certain things that can be focused on in a more private setting.
It can also be a great experience as a couples or duo healing.
GROUP EVENTS:
The power of all participants facilitates a deeper transformations by collimating an energy frequency aligned with the sound vibrations to assist each other in a qualitative change by raising wellness. It can be a rather beautiful experience.
FROM CINNAMEN:
Over the years as a holistic and shamanic practitioner I have experienced a lot of talk therapy where sometimes people don’t want to talk about their stresses or traumas and just want to receive and release the layers of physical/emotional pain or anxieties. With sound healing it is a great therapy to receive individually or in a group setting by allow the sound waves to work through the biofield, body and mental aspects to begin to release what might be holding an individual back from moving forward or from releasing stress and trauma. It is a very soothing experience and can really benefit allowing the central nervous system time to relax. I’ve worked with many people from trauma clients, to stressed clients, clients with physical conditions and those that just want to relax and experience sound healing. I’m really passionate about sound healing as I can see the results it has given my clients and myself over the years.
FROM LINDSAY:
Since experiencing my first sound-bath, I’ve been continually amazed and intrigued by the transformative power of sound. It has a capacity to bring me back into a state of equanimity, and has hugely enhanced my meditation practice – if you struggle to still the mind for meditation, I highly recommend trying sound-healing, which naturally coaxes the mind into quietude.
I now weave sound through most of my yoga classes and meditations, and host group sound-baths, often in collaboration with other practitioners. It brings me great joy to witness and hear about the positive experiences of those who attend my sessions. People most commonly report stress relief, deep meditative states, and improved sleep. The shift of energy in the room following a sound-journey is palpable; I encourage everyone to give it a try.
WHO ARE WE?
Cinnamen and Lindsay met many years ago during their training with the Sound Healing Academy and bonded over their shared fascination with the transformative capacities of therapeutic sound, delving deep into the finer nuances of sound healing.
Both have been hosting sound, energy and body workshops for many years. Cinnamen is an intuitive holistic practitioner and shamanic healer whilst Lindsay teaches Hatha and Kundalini yoga, all of which influence the guided meditations that frame the duo’s soundscapes.
By Cinnamen Johnson & Lindsay Markovits
© 2022 Cinnamen Johnson & Lindsay Markovits
Cinnamen and Lindsay are hosting two Sound Journeys at Yogahome in March and April. Follow the links below to reserve your spot.
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
£20