Sound Healing & Yoga: The Power of Vibration
Hello, gorgeous people!
We are delighted to have a deep understanding of a topic that is very near and dear to us and has completely enhanced the way we experience yoga personally—and that is sound healing & yoga. If you have ever experienced a huge sense of calm wash over you in savasana with soothing chimes as a background, or if you found yourself captivated by the harmonic vibrations of a singing bowl, then you have had a sample of this experience!
There are many ways to heal your body, soul, and mind, and sound healing is one of them and can be used by many to make their life and lives even more peaceful and calm. So, what is this magic, and how does it relate to our yoga practice? Let’s explore the amazing healing capacity of vibration.
The Balance Struck: What is Sound Healing?
Sound healing is an ancient therapeutic practice that uses consciously performed sound and vibrations for improving relaxation, balance, and well-being. One way to think about it is that everything in the entire universe, including you and me, is made up of energy, which vibrates. When we are anxious, unwell, or emotionally stuck, our vibrations may become misaligned. Sound healing helps us restore our bodies’ natural state of balance.
In a sound healing session, you may experience a variety of tools such as singing bowls (Tibetan or crystal), gongs, chimes, tuning forks, and/or the human voice through chanting. The practitioner will create various kinds of sound vibrations that vary in frequency, amplitude, volume, etc., and can penetrate deep into our tissues, cells, and energy centers.
Yoga and Sound: A Match Made in Heaven
Also Read: The Science of Auras and How Yoga Affects Your Energetic Field
Now, let’s discuss how this wondrous practice enhances our yoga experience.As we all know, yoga, if taken as a practice, is a discipline that involves connecting our bodies, minds, and spirits to our true self. It is a practice of quiet and mindfulness, ultimately leading us back to our actual, calm nature.
Once you dip into sound healing practices, it is like adding an additional layer of healing and contemplation. So doesn’t it sound like a great packaged deal to not only make a good note of your physical health but also get a great benefit that adds to your mental and emotional well-being as well?
Here are a few ways sound and yoga practice fit together like bread and butter:
- Deep Relaxation: Imagine being in a restorative yoga pose such as Supported Bound Angle while soaking in the rich, deep tones of a gong. There’s something about the meditative sounds in themselves that can guide your nervous system into a deeper state of relaxation and therefore help relieve tension in a way that is not as easily accomplished without sound. This is a powerful resource for stress relief and health.
- Enhanced Focus and Mindfulness: The relaxing sound frequencies can help you focus, drawing your attention away from the bustling thought chatter. This makes it easy to focus on your postures and helps you strengthen your meditation practice. It’s also an excellent technique to maintain your mindfulness practice.
- Chakra balancing: Many sound healing practices are a real fit for your energy centers, or chakras. Some tones or sound vibrations pair nicely with different chakras and can provide healing to clear blocks and restore balance. Adding to the benefits of your yoga practice for energetic healing usually has a physical aspect (postures focused on a specific chakra).
- Emotional release: Sometimes, we can get emotions stuck in our body. Gentle but strong sound vibrations can begin to retrain our bodies’ emotional attachment in aid of release and healing. Sound healing, plus a physical release via posture, can be very cathartic for emotional well-being.
- Sleep: Can’t sleep? The calming effects of sound baths and sound healing can directly affect your sleep quality. Many yoga studios now offer restorative yoga classes in the evening, with sound included, to guide you toward a sleepy and restorative night. It’s exactly like listening to soft music and getting thrown away in a world of dreams with the sound that feels so relaxing and calming.
Bringing the Power of Vibration into Your Life
Also Read: Unlocking Inner Power: The Subtle Science of Bandhas in Your Yoga Journey
It’s not necessary to go to a costly retreat to experience the benefits of sound healing. Here are some simple ways to infuse the power of vibration into your daily life and yoga practice:
- Look for Sound Bath Experiences: There are growing opportunities at local studios or workshops to coordinate an experience of a sound bath. Sound baths can be very immersive and allow you to simply lie back and let the sounds carry you.
- Listen to Meditative Music: There are several free and paid online resources that offer meditative music, or sounds that utilize healing frequencies, along with singing bowl meditations and soothing soundscapes. You could play these for sound in the background of your home yoga practice, or if you are resting.
- Play Chimes or Singing Bowls: If you feel attracted to it, consider purchasing a small chime accessory or singing bowl. Playing a singing bowl or chime for just a few minutes can induce a state of calm into your body.
- Chant or Hum: Your voice is the most powerful natural instrument there is. Try to chant “Om” during meditations, or you can hiss and hum a song or tune that you enjoy. The vibrations created inside your own body are extremely effective.
Your Journey to Inner Harmony
Whether you’re new to yoga or have practiced for many years, sound healing is a unique and powerful way to establish an additional layer of meaning and peace in your journey. It gives you the chance to listen, to feel, and to work with the gentle power of vibration to settle back into your most balanced, peaceful self.
We encourage you to try it out for yourself to see how these ancient practices land in your being. Have you ever had a sound healing experience? What was it like? Let us know what you think and feel in the comments below; we would love to hear from you! While Maa Shakti Yog Bali emphasizes the ancient roots of yoga in Bali, we also acknowledge how practices like sound healing have become popular additions for many practitioners globally.
With much love and many vibrations,
Your yoga guides
