A Guided Introduction To Sound Baths

An introduction for beginners to the What, Why, and How of Sound Baths. Included is a relaxing Guided Process and 25 minute Sound Journey with Crystal Alchemy and Tibetan Singing Bowls played by Marcus Fung for Higher Calling Music. This recording was prepared for the Family Medicine Summit for the Alberta College of Family Physicians.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Marcus Fung and I'd like to talk to you about Soundbath.

For over 12 years,

I've taught music and movement to young children as an essential part of their primary development.

I've also specialized in using rhythm,

Song,

And drumming circles in a therapeutic context in places such as hospitals,

Care centers,

Schools,

And the office.

I've also led trainings for holistic practitioners who want to learn to incorporate sound tools and sound therapy principles to support the well-being of their clients.

Today,

I'd like to give you a little introduction to sound baths,

What they are,

How they work,

And why.

Most importantly,

We will guide you in your experience so you can see for yourself.

Because a sound bath really is about getting the opportunity to really drop in and experience it.

To get the full benefit of the sound bath portion,

Be sure that you can be without distractions or other tasks you need to tend to so you can be free to experience it.

The average time I like to give sound baths for are about one hour,

Though they can often go longer.

Today,

We'll have about 25 minutes,

Which is more like a nice dip or a little tune-up.

In today's fast-paced world with the continued uncertainty and chaos that has come along with the COVID-19 pandemic,

People and care providers alike experience their own limits as we traverse together the uncertainty,

Unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety,

Racing thoughts,

Tension,

A backlog of unprocessed grief,

And negative emotions compound as difficult as they seem.

They compound as dis-ease and adversely affect our well-being.

Sound baths,

Whether experienced virtually or as recorded audio in person,

Provide a simple and generally predictable positive experience for the user.

It is worth noting that the way someone experiences sound in a room from acoustic instruments is different from how we experience it played through a speaker.

If you get to experience a sound bath in person,

It is highly recommended.

A sound bath is offered by a practitioner who,

With their unique array of sound tools and special instruments that often have a deep resonance,

Create a spectrum and palette of overlapping sounds and rhythms.

Often,

These are a blend of ancient and modern instruments like metal and crystal singing bowls,

Gongs,

Chimes,

Drums,

Rattles,

Tuning forks,

Flutes,

And the human voice.

The experience can be with or without words.

Often,

A portion of the sound bath can contain words that serve to guide the awareness,

Often in conjunction with the breath and bodily sensations.

You can refer to the link in the video for published study results for the mental and physical benefits incurred from participants in a study group going to sound baths.

After a sound bath,

Participants have often described a feeling of expansion and renewal in their being.

Studies have shown an improvement in distressed moods as well as relief from tension,

Anxiety,

Anger,

Confusion,

And even pain.

The instruments used in sound baths have been shown to have a correlation to shifting brain states of participants,

Beginning in beta with active,

Alert,

Characterized by the thinking mind,

Then beginning to shift to alpha,

Eyes closed,

Deeply relaxed,

And with the environment beginning to fall away.

And then even into theta state,

Like the dream-like state akin to what we experience when we are falling asleep or waking up.

A sound bath really is a very personal experience.

Though participants have described their body begin to relax as they naturally become aware of the reverberating sounds and tones.

As the sound and vibrations help to switch on the body's parasympathetic nervous system,

People often describe a release of emotions and the feeling of healing.

It is also worth noting that one benefit that sound baths offer are for people who are new to meditation an easy entryway into a state of calm and centeredness.

It is said that if meditation is like taking the stairs,

Sound baths are like taking the escalator.

We hope you enjoy this experience and at the end of the video we will provide a few questions to help you process any insights and takeaways.

Find a place where you won't be disturbed for the next 25 minutes or so.

If you need to,

Turn off or put away your device and find yourself seated comfortably or lay down while noticing if your palms like to be facing upwards or downwards.

You could even curl up into a little ball and get very cozy.

At the end of the sound bath,

You will hear three distinct chimes signaling the beginning of the conclusion of this experience.

There will be words there to guide you.

I want you now to take a moment to acknowledge all of the roles and the responsibilities of your life.

Acknowledge all the people who rely on you,

All the people and things that need your attention.

I promise you they will still be there waiting and ready for you when we finish this session.

For now,

I want you to take three deep breaths with me,

Sighing on the exhale.

And with each breath,

Letting go of any burdens,

Worry,

Stress,

Anxiety or confusion.

The first breath welcoming relaxation.

The second breath,

Relaxing a little more.

The third breath,

Feeling a little more relaxed.

I want you to notice any tension in your body still.

Notice where it is.

Is it in the jaw,

The shoulders or your lower back?

Now is the time to just be with it a while.

Feel its particular intensity and the nuance of the sensations.

Is it tickly?

Is it sharp?

Is it throbbing?

Is it dull?

Another deep breath.

I want you to set a simple intention for yourself for this sound bath.

It could be as simple as just to be open to the experience or to feel renewed or to release stress and negativity from your body.

It could be anything.

Say it aloud or hear it in your inner voice.

As you state your intention,

You can then just let it go.

Your awareness is now free to drift.

Or you can follow the sounds and feel the vibrations.

If you need a little more guidance,

You can follow my words.

You notice the sound,

The vibrations.

At first you notice where you feel them in your body.

You notice their intensity and subtlety.

And then you let it go.

If your mind is especially active today,

I don't want you to be too hard on yourself.

Gentle,

Gentle,

Gentle.

If your mind is especially active,

I want you to give yourself the permission to relax.

And begin to gently shift your focus to your pulse.

The feeling and the sound of your heart beating.

Can you notice the subtle feeling of the blood pulsing through your veins?

Pulsing as part of this symphony of sound.

The symphony of sound which is the miracle of your body working together.

You begin to notice the spaciousness between each sound.

You begin to notice the space in between your own thoughts.

There's nothing else you need to do but to simply be here right now.

Everything that needs to be done,

You are already doing it.

There is no wrong way to do this.

Just let yourself be.

And you let yourself be carried away by the sound.

Beginning to allow this experience to come to its own natural completion.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

I want you to take a deep breath and soak up a little bit more.

Now come back to the intention you set at the beginning of this session.

Reflect on whether your intention served your experience.

And I'd like you to be open to your intention also being fulfilled in its own way and in its own time.

As you're stretching out your body,

I'd like you to prepare yourself to conclude this experience.

Thank you so much for tuning in and giving yourself the opportunity to experience this introduction to the sound bath.

Marcus Fung,

And it's been my pleasure to be your guide today.

Thank you for tuning in.

.

Reviews

oops a few things i will correct from this recording.. a new recording will be up shor/)/

Beavo

Thank you, I love sound baths but have always wondered about the specifics of them. This has been most informative!! I appreciate you and your knowledge, thanks again for sharing 😊