The Benefits of Sound Baths
Sound baths have become a hot new trend – and they don’t involve water. Instead, the listener allows sounds to wash over them. The concept of “sound healing” has been around for thousands of years and
it’s exactly what it sounds like – it’s the process of using sounds to heal the body. This is slightly different from music therapy, as music therapy entails evoking an emotional response rather than healing it in a metaphorical and spiritual sense.
What is a Sound Bath?
Without getting too technical, sound baths are a full-body listening experience that uses sound as a form of therapy to nurture the mind and body. Each person lies down on a yoga mat or sits in a comfortable chair, sometimes with a blanket draped over them and sporting an eye mask. An instructor or sound therapist will start the session with a few breathing exercises to get you nice and relaxed. Now the healing can begin.
The sounds you hear are a mixture of tuning forks, gongs, bells, Tibetan singing bowls, chimes, and even voices. The objective is to slow the brain waves enough to create a more maximum relaxation. You may become so relaxed that you enter a dreamlike state. This allows us to soul search and really connect with ourselves. Sound baths calm the mind, much like yoga and meditation. The perk with sound baths is that they are less daunting – all you have to do is listen. They can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.
The Benefits of Sound Baths
Although sound baths are relatively new, the concept behind them is not. Ancient Greeks used flutes to treat digestion and mental health. Australian
aborigine tribes used the didgeridoo as a form of healing as well. A major factor in preventing alcohol addiction or drug addiction relapse is the ability to block out distractions. We must focus on ourselves and not the addiction. Arguably, the most difficult aspect of preventing relapse is finding an effective way to keep urges at bay. Fortunately, sound baths give us that outlet with their mental health benefits.
The Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine found that sound meditation helps relieve:
- Stress
- Anger
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Tension
And can Increase:
- Relaxation
- Mood
- Optimism
- sleep
- A “Zen” feeling (focusing on the mind)
Some people have a hard time reaching that meditative state, but sound baths help them get there. In addition, different sounds can target different body parts, helping alleviate physical pain. We may have a million thoughts racing around in our heads, but sound baths teach us to block them out so that we can find that sense of peace. The thoughts then become passersby as we allow our minds to focus on the soothing sounds. We may even fall asleep during the session, which speaks to how relaxing sound baths can be. The most beneficial aspect of sound baths is that they are 100% natural – no medication is needed to achieve that euphoric feeling. They reduce negative emotions and tendencies without the use of pills and foreign substances.
Dive Into a Sound Bath at My Limitless Journeys
Here at My Limitless Journeys, we believe that the holistic approach is the best approach. We don’t consider you someone with a substance abuse addiction, but rather as a person. That’s why our rehabilitation center offers multiple holistic activities, including sound baths, as a form of addiction treatment. Whether solo or with a group, our trained professionals will utilize sound bath meditation as a
tool in addiction recovery. Together, we can float with sound rather than drown in addiction.
