What Happens at a Sound Bath?

This type of bath has nothing to do with water! Although it is very relaxing. During a sound bath, you’ll soak in the healing vibrations of instruments played by a practitioner. You don’t have to do anything. You’ll just sit or lie down as the practitioner takes you on a sound journey.

I still remember the amazing comfort of my first sound bath. I’d been working on my wellbeing but was struggling to get my mind to quiet down. I have a very busy mind thanks to ADHD! In the sound bath, it was like flipping a switch. The vibrations relaxed my mind and body and I could truly rest. 

Let’s go into more detail about what you can expect at your first sound bath!

What is a sound bath?

A sound bath is a wonderful wellbeing session, usually hosted for a group of people. Some sound practitioners offer individual sessions. The practitioner will encourage you to sit or lie down and just rest as they play instruments that take you on a journey of relaxation, reconnection and restoration. 

Often, the main instruments used in sound baths are crystal singing bowls. They produce beautiful angelic sounds (listen here) and powerful healing vibrations that affect the brain and body (more on that soon!) The bowls might also be accompanied by other instruments traditionally used in healing ceremonies such as chimes and shakers. 

To help you fully immerse yourself, the practitioner might guide you through complementary practices including breathwork, meditation or a cacao ceremony. It does vary depending on the practitioner and the kind of session they want to curate. Usually, the sound bath will last about an hour. 

What happens to the body at a sound bath?

In short, the body relaxes! All the tension you’ve been holding in filters out and you can be serenely calm. While you might be resistant to the change at first, within a few minutes of the vibrations washing over you, your body will realise that it’s safe to switch off and go from fight or flight to rest and digest mode. 

This means that your body can take care of all the functions and repair it postpones when on high alert. It helps balance your hormones, digestion and other bodily processes. You might feel your breath and heart rate slow. You might even feel floaty you’re so relaxed and tingly from the sound sensations. 

As the body is 70% water, the sound waves are soothing on a deep level. They are absorbed by the cells, initiating cellular repair. All this amazing healing going on inside will help you sleep well when you get home!

What happens to the brain at a sound bath?

It’s not just the body that’s affected by sound waves. The brain is too! That’s because of something called brain wave entrainment. Your brain waves naturally move in sync with the sound waves around it. So instruments like crystal singing bowls which play relaxing frequencies slow the brain waves down, taking you from alert to relaxed to maybe even deep unconsciousness. Some people have major realisations or tap into their intuition in sound baths.

During this gentle journey into deeper brain wave states, your mind will get quieter. All those pesky thoughts pipe down! There’s a sense of calm and peace. Being able to switch off like this might give you a new perspective on something in your life. There’s no pressure to think or work out anything. You’re there to relax. Anything else is a bonus. 

I encourage people to bring an intention, something they’d like to focus on in the sound bath. It could be to simply relax and switch off. It could be a goal or a challenge they’re working on. As the bowls are made of quartz crystal, they are amazing at amplifying and clearing energy. So being in the presence of the vibrations helps you unconsciously work towards your goals or deal with your challenges. 

What do you bring to a sound bath?

Check with the organiser! They should let you know what the studio provides and what you need to take yourself. They might ask you to bring your own yoga mat and blanket or they might cover that. In addition, I suggest bringing a couple of cushions for under your head, hips and anywhere else that would help you feel comfortable as you lie down for about an hour. 

Bringing an eye mask can help too. You’re conscious the whole time, just very calm and serene, but an eye mask can help you go further inwards. And cosy socks! Your body temperature will drop as your body does all the good stuff so bring something to keep your feet warm.

Those are my recommendations for comfort and immersing yourself in the sound bath. There are a couple of things I’d suggest bringing on the more spiritual side. First, like I mentioned above, is an intention. It doesn’t have to be grand, just something that you want to put your focus and energy towards. 

You can also bring crystals. The practitioner might even have an altar you can place them on or you can keep them near your mat. Choose any crystals that mean something to you as you immerse yourself in the sound ceremony. The vibrations of the crystal singing bowls will cleanse and charge their energy as well. 

Who can go to sound baths?

Pretty much anyone! That’s the beauty of sound baths. You don’t need to do anything or even know how they work to feel their wonderful benefits. If you’re worried about how you’ll manage to lie down for an hour due to injury or a physical constraint, you can always sit in a chair or use bolsters. Use adjustments to make it comfortable for you. That’s the most important thing.

There are some people who are recommended not to go to sound baths for medical reasons. Some forms of epilepsy can be triggered by sound so please check with your doctor first. Also, check with your doctor if you are less than 12 weeks pregnant. If you have implants, plates or a pacemaker, keep a distance of 20cm from the bowls due to the vibrations. You can always ask the practitioner if you have a concern. They might need to go by what their insurance covers. For example, their insurance might not cover participants under 16 years old. 

With that, you’re ready to experience a sound bath! If you’re looking for a sound practitioner near you, check out the I Know This Girl Trusted Practitioners Directory. Here you’ll find practitioners I have personally verified, checking they are qualified, have high-quality bowls and are lovely to work with, of course. 

If you are interested in recreating sound baths at home or potentially introducing them to sessions you run with clients, book a discovery call. I can help you start and build your collection of crystal singing bowls, sound instruments and other rituals you can bring into your healing ceremonies.