Sound for Restorative Rest and Healing

“Life is about rhythm. We vibrate, our hearts are pumping blood. We are a rhythm machine, that's what we are”  Mickey Hart 

I believe music and sound to be instrumental in the safe passage and expression of emotion in our bodies. Consider how the soft tones of piano keys or the mournful pull of a violin bow creates lumps in our throat or warming in our heart. Or how a building beat and rhythm can quicken our pulse, shoot electric goosebumps across our skin, or encourage reflexive, rhythmic movement through swaying, jumping or clapping. Combine all this with lyrics that seem to speak directly into our soul, it makes sense why music is such a universal medium for human connection and self expression. Our bodies, or more specifically, our nervous system is constantly listening not just to process sound, but to decide how we feel, how we move, even how we heal.

Back in October, I attended a seven day retreat in Nepal which consisted of daily sound healing. The impact on my body and state of mind was remarkable. Sound healing is an ancient tradition born in the Himalayas, consisting of the use of primarily metal singing bowls, tuning forks, gongs and other instruments with the purpose of aiding meditation and healing the body on many levels - emotionally, spiritually, mentally, energetically, physically... The list could go on. Now hear me out. Perhaps you’re wondering how on earth this could be the case. What’s pretty incredible is that despite their origin dating back over 2000 years ago, the healing effect of singing bowls can be explained through science. Which helped me to understand why this healing technique had such a deep impact on me. 

Our bodies are made up of 75% water. When a singing bowl is struck on or near the body, a series of physical and subtle vibrations travel into the deep tissues of our bodies, with ease due to our supple nature. The impact of this allows for physical tension or tightness to be released, as well as slowing our heart rate, lowering blood pressure and reducing cortisol levels - the hormone responsible for stress in the body. 

What’s more, vibration is a key tool to help stimulate the vagus nerve which is the longest cranial nerve, running from the brain stem and connecting to the gut, heart, lungs, vocal chords and the organs responsible for metabolic function such as the kidneys, liver and pancreas. When we stimulate the vagus nerve through vibration, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is the state in which the body enters rest and digest mode. It’s our chill mode. When we feel relaxed and our body senses there is no threat, we feel completely safe and our body works to restore and reapir it’s most important functions. 

During the retreat I mentioned earlier, I found myself melting into a state of relaxation which I hadn’t experienced in as long as I could remember. Travelling and being on the road is actually pretty exhausting and dysregulating. Even whilst being back at home, I identified as someone who was a bit of a do-er. Deeply restorative rest, not just sitting down on the sofa for ten minutes, was something I struggled to make time for. There is something about sound healing being resistance against the grind, or planned rest, which gives us the permission we need in order to send signals to our body that it’s okay and safe to give in to relaxation. I found myself almost in a dream like world- loud noises, busy roads and chaotic traffic simply didn’t phase me. I felt completely and utterly at ease. Something which was very new for me. 

Upon digging a little deeper, I realised that learning to play and use these mystical instruments for healing was something I wanted to dive into. I wanted to know more about their origins, the depth of their healing capacity and how other instruments could be used together to create a cacophony of bliss. I wanted to understand what had happened to me and why I had felt so dreamy. I wanted in on the magic. On completing my sound therapy training in Rishikesh in India, all I had both experienced and researched, was confirmed. The power of sound is simply profound. 

During my training, I discovered that sound healing also interacts with our brain waves. Entrainment is the process by which the brain syncs up with the rhythm or frequency of external stimulus, which in this case is the singing bowls. With these consistent tones, our brain waves begin to shift into Alpha or Theta frequencies which are associated with relaxed, creative and meditative states. This is what explains people recalling dream like colours and images during a sound healing session, as their brains are entering REM states which is the sleep stage cycle responsible for dreaming. 

And then, set the science aside. If you have ever heard a singing bowl being played, the word soothing just doesn’t quite cut it. The resonance of each specifically tuned bowl, allows for a melting of our body that is like nothing else. The sound is beautiful. It has a pulsing heart beat of its own that reverberates for minutes at a time. In a 'family' set of bowls- there are seven in total- each 'sings' at a specific frequency believed to correspond to one of our seven energy centres, or chakras. This allows for energetic healing - a concept deeply rooted in Eastern traditions and practices - which has transformative potential. Perhaps I can save that for a later post.

So, I’ve been hauling the precious cargo of my new singing bowls with me around India, waiting for the perfect time to ship and send them home. They were lovingly hand made and crafted from the traditional seven metals, in the city of Kolkata, the district in which the majority of singing bowls are made and exported around the world. Sharing the beauty of these healing instruments is something I’m greatly looking forward to when I come home. Sharing the gift of relaxation, the gift of surrender. When we have opportunities to rest from the external world, our whole being can finally show up in the soft, serene abyss of sensation. We can settle into our internal experience and slip into deeply restorative care.

“We must believe we are worthy of rest. We don't have to earn it. It is our birthright. It is one of our most ancient and primal needs.” Tricia Hersey