5 Surprising Things You Might Experience During a Sound Bath

There are many reasons why I love running crystal singing bowl sound baths. The impact on our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing is profound. One reason is hearing about what people experienced during the sound journey. It’s fascinating because it varies widely between different people in the same session and the same people during different sessions. 

The variation in what people experience during sound baths is down to a couple of factors. The first is that crystal singing bowls produce a range of healing frequencies as they are played, especially as a set with multiple notes and sizes. Each frequency has a slightly different effect. 

Then each person receives these frequencies in their own way because we all have a unique frequency. I could play one bowl for a minute, then ask a group of people to point to where they felt the vibrations and there would be a range of answers from the solar plexus, to the heart, to beneath the body. 

So I can’t say exactly how you’ll react to a sound bath and what you experienced during your first sound bath might not happen in the next. Trust the healing vibrations, whether you feel super sleepy or alert and full of ideas. Here are a few reactions I’ve heard from attendees that may not be what you expect from a sound bath. 

Interesting things that can happen during a sound bath

Each sound bath experience is personal. This is a selection of reactions I have experienced or my clients have told me about that I think are fascinating. You might experience these things yourself regularly, just once or twice, or not at all. These reactions give us interesting insight into the effect of healing vibrations. For an extensive list of the benefits of crystal singing bowl sound baths, read my other blog. 

Pain relief

Many people go to sound baths for the benefits to their mental wellbeing. It is a wonderful experience for relaxing and grounding if you are feeling stressed and anxious. The relaxation reaches our physical body too. It has the physiological effect of switching off the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and switching on the parasympathetic nervous system (rest & digest). In this state, the body is no longer in survival mode so it initiates processes for care and restoration. It can help with balancing hormones and cellular repair. 

One of the bodily processes that takes place in this relaxed state is the release of nitric oxide. This has been found to expand the blood vessels, increase the flow of blood around the body and reduce the pain response. As the body is physically relaxing and taking care of itself, we can release tension and pain. I’ve heard clients say they came to the sound bath with a sore shoulder and they are leaving feeling so much better. 

Revelations & epiphanies 

Some people come away from sound baths with new ideas for something they're working on, clarity on a problem they were worried about or a renewed sense of direction in their lives. This is because the way crystal singing bowl vibrations affect the brain creates the perfect environment for creativity. Your brain can find the answers you’re looking for. 

During a sound bath, the brain moves through different states. Most people start with beta brain waves. This is the state of alertness. Then throughout the session, their brain waves will get slower and move between alpha waves, theta waves and even delta waves. Alpha waves are the state of relaxation before unconsciousness. The brain is in a balance between relaxation and soft alertness so it can wander into different possibilities, unveiling revelations, epiphanies and creative ideas.

Altered states of consciousness

Have you ever noticed that one of your senses is stronger than the others? You might discover

which sense is your strongest in a sound bath. I’ve had attendees tell me they saw colours, shapes and patterns as they were listening to crystal singing bowls. This is called an altered state of consciousness. It’s connected to the brain waves slowing down, the sense of being present in the moment, and greater communication between the different parts of the brain. 

It could also be linked to the chakras. The vibrations of crystal singing bowls can shift negative energy and clear the chakras. You might notice a link between the colours you’re seeing, where you felt the vibrations and the chakras. For me personally, I’ve never seen anything visual during sound baths. My stronger sense is feeling, not seeing. But I’m always fascinated when people tell me what they see!

Drifting in & out of sleep

It’s quite common for people to fall asleep during sound baths. How long they are unconscious varies. It can look like drifting in and out of consciousness as the brain moves between different waves. You might experience daydreaming and deep sleep in the same session. The reason this happens is that theta and delta are the brain waves associated with sleep and unconsciousness.

Falling asleep isn’t an issue. You’ll still experience the benefits of a sound bath because you are absorbing the healing vibrations of the crystal singing bowls and the body is still responding even if you’re unconscious. If anything, it’s a good thing because reaching deep sleep initiates restorative rest including cellular repair. 

Stress relief

I’ve heard people worry about being able to relax enough to enjoy a sound bath, particularly if they are anxious and have a busy mind. You don’t need to do anything for the healing vibrations to have an effect on you. Your brain and body will naturally respond to the sound waves. 

Your brain waves will synchronise with the sound waves and move into slower states. Your body will relax the nervous system and engage in restorative rest. As a result, your stress response will reduce. This can look like a slower heart rate, deeper breathing, lower blood pressure, relaxed muscles and a lower cortisol level. Cortisol is the hormone that drives the stress response so reducing these levels will improve how you feel during the sound bath and afterwards. 

A sound bath is a holistic experience taking place on multiple levels. As you go to your first or next sound bath, keep your mind open to how it will affect you. Enjoy the discovery and whatever you take away from the healing vibrations that day. If you’re looking for sound baths to attend, check out our events page. I’m based in Bristol but I can recommend other practitioners who run events across the country in our directory. 

If you’re curious about the healing vibrations of crystal singing bowls and would like to buy your own to play, consult our guide on choosing aligned bowls. It covers the different factors to consider as you select the notes, sizes and sets.