The Benefits of Sound Healing
Laura Benson is a lifelong musician who merged her love of music with energy medicine to become a sound healer. We asked her to tell us about her journey and sound healing, how it work and it’s benefits. Here's an excerpt from our interview!
How did you get into sound healing?
Music has always been a big part of my life. I grew up singing in musical theater and playing the violin. I ‘ve always connected really deeply with music. I loved going to concerts and from a young age, I’ve always noticed how much music impacts my emotions. I’ve been consistently performing for decades, and am always uplifted by singing and playing in groups with others. I’ve always deeply believed in the spiritual power of music, but it wasn’t until about four years ago that I began digging into sound healing.
While struggling to balance my mental and physical health in my mid-twenties, I embarked on a journey into meditation, and discovered the powerful impacts of receiving sound baths on my own healing. Years later, I was pursuing a Master’s Certificate in Intuition Medicine from the Academy of Intuition Medicine®, and I became acutely aware of a desire to merge my love of music with energy medicine and alternative healing modalities. About three years ago, I acquired a set of crystal sound bowls, and began to play them for my own meditation and for friends. Shortly thereafter, I trained as a Sound Healing Practitioner with the Sound Healing Academy and since then, have been facilitating sound baths for individuals and groups - always integrating Energy Medicine practices and tools into the space as well.
How does sound healing/therapy work?
Sound therapy utilizes the physical and physiological interactions of sound on our bodies and nervous systems to produce therapeutic results. In a sound healing session, specific sonic frequencies are used to soothe the central nervous system, calm the breath, and quiet the brain. Sound therapy encourages the brain to move into more relaxed, meditative states, down from beta (fight-or-flight) and into theta and alpha waves.
Additionally, crystal bowl sound baths are particularly powerful in that each bowl is tuned to a specific frequency that corresponds with a different chakra, or energy centers, of the body. Based on specific needs, a practitioner can focus on releasing tension or clearing out stuck energy in specific chakras by playing certain bowls or intervals.
What to expect?
The most impactful sound healings occur when we’re able to really drop down into a state of receiving. When we release our desire to analyze how the sounds are made, and allow ourselves to experience the sounds on a full-body listening level, we receive more of the benefits. At Radiate, we offer a full hour sound healing session immediately following an hour of restorative or yin yoga. Restorative and Yin yoga drops you deep into your parasympathetic nervous system which enables your physical, emotional and mental body to receive the healing benefits of intentional sound. Additionally, during each sound bath journey, Laura integrates tools of Intuition Medicine, such as Reiki energy, into the space to provide an even stronger container for healing to occur.
You may experience physical sensations brought out by the crystal sound bowls or gong, such as tingling in your limbs or scalp, slowing of your breathing, and release of tension. The release of tension can be different for everyone, in some cases you may feel discomfort at first, this is a good time to breathe deeply into the area to encourage movement. You may also notice emotions come up during a session, which is often a great indicator that they’re ready to be released.
Benefits?
There are physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual benefits to sound healing.
Physical relaxation
Regulation of the central nervous system
Endocrine system support
Release of emotions & trauma
Improved circulation and lymphatic function
Increased energy, inspiration & creativity
Synchronization of the hemispheres of the brain (read more link)
You can join Laura the last Sunday of each month for a sound healing and yoga workshop. Laura co-hosts each workshop with Melody Hopkins or Kelley Butwill who alternate each month teaching Yin or Restorative yoga. Check out our schedule to learn more and sign up!