Sound Bathing in Yoga and Its Benefits

My first exposure to Sound Bath in Yoga was about 2 years ago. My youngest daughter Ditas  is a Yoga instructor ( Kundalini). When she was still residing here in Sacramento she  introduced us to this yoga practice. https://www.esalen.org/faculty/ditas-katague

I did some search and here's what I learned about Sound Bathing and it Benefits. Have you experienced sound bathing? If so, I like to hear from you.

What is sound Bathing? A sound bath is a full-body meditative experience where people lie down and listen to resonant sounds. It often involves singing bowls, which create an echoing sound that ‘bathes’ people.

Some people refer to sound bathing as a healing practice. However, while studies suggest it may help people relax, there is no evidence it heals or treats any medical condition. The origins of the practice are also unclear.

Some proponents of sound bathing claim it helps people with various concerns, such as stress, processing emotions, or unblocking chakras. Chakras are centers of spiritual energy or power, a concept that comes from Hinduism. 

A sound bath usually involves lying down on a mat and listening to highly resonant, immersive music. Sound baths usually happen in a group setting, but a person can also do a sound bath alone at home. 

Just as a typical bath involves a person immersing themselves in water, a sound bath attempts to immerse a person in sound, so they feel enveloped in it. In most cases, the bath involves singing bowls, which are small bell-like instruments that create a resonant tone when a person strikes them.

Where does the practice of sound bathing come from? 

According to the Tricycle Foundation, which is a Buddhist nonprofit, the origins of both singing bowls and sound baths are unclear.

There is a common misconception that the practice must come from Tibet because singing bowls are sometimes known as “Tibetan” singing bowls.

While sound and music have long been part of religious practices in Tibet and other East Asian countries, chimes and bells seem to be more prevalent. However, a Japanese instrument called a rin is similar to a singing bowl. This may be where the Western understanding of singing bowls originated.

Despite claims that sound bathing is ancient, the practice that exists today may have emerged from contemporary Western or New Age spiritualism.

Benefits of sound baths

Most of the evidence about the benefits of sound bathing is anecdotal. Proponents of this practice claim it is relaxing and meditative and may promote spiritual well-being.

Only a few studies have explored sound baths or the use of singing bowls, but what does exist suggests that the practice may offer some health benefits. 

For example, in one 2020 study, 105 participants took part in a single 40-minute long sound bath. Following the sound bath, all participants showed reductions in negative mood and increases in positive mood based on a positive and negative affect (PANAS) rating scale. 

The 20 participants who agreed to heart rate monitoring saw a decrease in their heart rate.

A 2018 randomized, controlled studyTrusted Source assessed the effects of music using singing bowls on 60 people awaiting surgery. The participants either listened to music or wore headphones without sound. 

The music group showed lower measures of anxiety based on an anxiety inventory. They also showed slight decreases in heart rate variability, suggesting lower anxiety and stress. 

A small 2020 meta-analysisTrusted Source included four prior studies on singing bowls. The authors concluded that there was evidence their use could lead to general improvements in well-being, including reductions in distress, anxiety, depression, and pain. 

In some previous research, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate also improved. However, the studies were small, and the review’s authors emphasized the need for more research. 

A 2016 observational studyTrusted Source of 62 adults found participants reported lower tension, fatigue, depression, and anger after singing bowl meditation. The effects were strongest among people new to this form of meditation.

Who are sound baths suitable for? 

A person might be a good candidate for sound baths if: 

• they feel comfortable meditating or would like to try meditating 
• they are interested in group meditation
• they are realistic about what sound baths can and cannot do

However, some people may not get on well with sound baths. This includes those who:

• find intense sounds stressful or overstimulating
• have migraine with noise triggers
• have hearing aids, as the sounds may be uncomfortable

People who have a mental health condition may want to speak with a doctor before trying a sound bath, as they can be intense experiences that bring up both pleasant and unpleasant feelings. For complete details visit:

https://www.shantisom.com/en/blog/what-is-a-sound-bath-and-its-benefits/

Lastly, Here's One of My Favorite Poem of My Younger Years: 

"Come live with me and be my love"

By Christopher Marlowe

Come live with me and be my love,

And we will all the pleasures prove

That valleys, groves, hills, and fields,

Woods or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the rocks,

Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks,

By shallow rivers to whose falls

Melodious birds sing madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,

A cap of flowers, and a kirtle

Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool

Which from our pretty lambs we pull;

Fair lined slippers for the cold,

With buckles of th purest gold;

A belt of straw and ivy buds,

With coral clasps and amber studs:

And if these pleasures may thee move,

Come live with me and be my love.

The shepherds' swains shall dance and sing

For thy delight each May morning:

If these delights thy mind may move,

Then live with me and be my love.