I recently became certified as Sound Meditation Facilitator. I learned how to play the beautiful instruments such as Tibetan and Crystal Singing Bowls. I practiced the process for private sound sessions as well as sound baths. Since then, I've even added a few instruments to arsenal such as Koshi Chimes, tuning forks and Crystal Bowls.
Yesterday the Wall Street Journal released a video concentrated on the effect of Sound Therapy and wanted to share because it's truly fascinating.
The core of the video emphasizes the effects of music on the brain and how it assists in entering a meditative state. It discusses how sound healing slows down breath and heart rate and thereby stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of our nervous system responsible for involuntary actions such as digestion. The result is less stress and a calming effect on the body.
The reason I shared the video is even MORE interesting to me, is the end of the video takes us to Yale University to visit a neurologist/musician who studies music's impact on the brain. In addition to the effect of sound bath on the brain, we learn that HARMONIC music enhances social connection. Looking at one another while listening to regular old music (not sound baths) causes us to connect with one another. So in short, sound bath are great for calming ourselves and going into a more reflective state while the music we might sing together or dance to bring us closer to one another. I love both of these effect and see the uses in both. This is all the more reason to take my Singing for Fun class! Singing and harmonizing with one another increases social connection so one more reason to take the class. :-)