Sound healing is a practice that has been gaining quite a bit of traction in recent years. With celebrity endorsers like Kendall Jenner and Charlize Theron, it’s not really a surprise that it’s seeing a boom as a wellness practice.
But what is sound healing? What benefits does vibrational sound therapy offer? And where can you do sound therapy if you like the…sound…of it after reading this article?
Well, keep going to find out more.
What is sound healing?
Sound healing can take a variety of different forms. Though the individual specifics can vary, these generally take the form of a guided meditation session that incorporate a range of different instruments, both live and pre-recorded.
Tibetan singing bowls are extremely common, as are their crystal cousins. Gongs and other percussive instruments may also be utilised, and perhaps even synth drones.
So, what is sound healing like? Well, let’s just say that longtime ambient music fans will find themselves right at home!
These sessions are usually led by a dedicated practitioner who identifies what sort of healing you’re looking for, and will cater the methods used appropriately. Some people will also conduct sessions on their own for themselves.
More involved are “sound baths”, which have grown in popularity in recent years. Now, these don’t involve water – they’re called baths as the sound “washes” over the participant.
Rather than being a solo experience, they’re often held in group sessions. They also tend to have more elaborate set-dressing – appropriate mood lighting (candles are a favourite), along with room aesthetics and scents designed to evoke a meditative state of mind.
The type of setup can vary depending on the spiritual background of the practitioner, if any. It’s not unusual to see crystals, mirrors, Buddhist or Hindu art, or Native American and Celtic accoutrements.
However, some have definitely embraced technology and will use tools like projectors to display more modern mystical or cosmic imagery – starscapes, Alex Grey-style paintings and much more.
Where did sound healing come from?
Sound healing – in its current form – dates to around the 1960s. In many ways, it can be seen as an outgrowth of other New Age ideas that had a lot of public traction at the time.
But to see it solely as that would be a bit reductive, too. The idea of sound being used for healing is considerably older. We know that a variety of different cultures have used sound as part of their healing practices – Native American sweat lodges are one example.
There are written references stretching back as far as ancient Greece and ancient Israel, too. And today, some Charismatic Christians believe that miraculous healing can occur during musical worship – though it’s not necessarily a mainline belief.
With that said, we spoke a bit in our article on the “dangers” of singing bowls about how some practitioners like to exaggerate the “ancient” origins of their therapies. There’s also a lot of uncritical reporting in the wellness space that just parrots some of the more questionable claims practitioners make. Sound healing is no exception – it’s not a formally accredited industry, and the reader is advised to beware of plastic shamans.
How does sound healing work?
Depending on which specific practitioner you speak to, you’ll get differing answers about the way sound healing therapy works. The more reputable ones tend to be pretty matter-of-fact and see sound healing as a complementary therapy, rather than a cure-all. The more dubious ones make some extremely outsize claims about sound healing benefits (more on them in a moment).
What these camps tend to have in common with one another is the belief that sound healing works via vibration.
All energy – which includes sound, and our very bodies – vibrates at a specific frequency. So when an illness or injury has occurred to the body, it’s not resonating at the correct frequency. Practices like sound vibration healing, its proponents claim, can help restore the correct frequency and in turn good health.
The scientific basis for these claims? A little sketchier.
But this isn’t to say that sound healing doesn’t have value of its own. Let’s take a look at some sound healing benefits.
What can sound heal?
Some – though definitely not all – sound healing proponents claim that it can offer a variety of health benefits, including improved circulation, enhancing the healing of broken bones and even treating cancer.
Unfortunately, some unscrupulous practitioners will equate their sound therapy with real medical treatments like HIFU. Do not listen to these people. If you are experiencing a serious illness or broken bone, make sure you consult with a doctor and seek appropriate medical attention.
But there do seem to be some benefits to sound healing therapy, particularly around mental health and mood. Poor mood and elevated anxiety have both been linked to an increased likelihood of illness – and the current research suggests that sound healing can be effective in improving mood and reducing anxiety.
Individual results will vary, and there are definitely cases of anxiety where medical intervention is required – but there’s no question plenty of people find it relaxing and enjoyable to experience a sound bath.
Being able to set aside time for yourself and chill out in a peaceful room is something many of us could benefit from, whether or not we ascribe a particular spiritual significance to it.
It’s probably best to view sound healing as a form of self-care, mindfulness and meditation exercise, that can potentially have preventative effects for your health. Just make sure you’re visiting your doctor regularly, too!
Visit Mindful Store to learn about sound healing therapy and more
If you have more questions about sound healing, meditation practices or mindfulness, make sure that you check out some of the other articles in our blog. It’s updated regularly, to make sure our customers have access to the best possible information.
Here at Mindful Store, we stock a wide range of meditation accessories, sound bowl mallets and Tibetan singing bowls. Our range is always growing, so make sure to get in touch with us if you have any questions about our products.