Every Practitioner presents a sound session differently. We each have our own way of setting sacred space and we each have unique methods of sharing this beautiful experience. We also can use a variety of different sound healing instruments.
Sound healing is an ancient practice using waves of vibration that promote healing. You may have heard of Tibetan singing bowls? They are metal bowls that the Tibetan monks play. They are tapped and encircled with a mallet and the sounds are hauntingly beautiful. The vibrations are considered to be healing. Tibetan Singing Bowls have been used for centuries for healing and meditation purposes. It is believed that the sounds generated by the bowls are a type of energy medicine that promote healing.
How does Sound Healing work?
Our bodies are made up of 60% water. The brain and heart of 73% water. The lungs are 83% water. The skin contains 60% water, muscles and kidneys are 79% and even bones are 31% water! It has been proven scientifically that water can be changed through vibration. Masaru Emoto was a Japanese pseudoscientist who proved that human consciousness has an effect on the molecular structure of water. Emoto proved that positive words and emotions, classical music and positive prayer directed at the water produce beautiful crystals, while negative words and emotions and crude music, such as heavy metal, produce ugly crystals. Water is a very special chemical. He did this by showing the vibration of the words and photographed how it restructured the waters molecular structure. For example: he photographed water after saying “I love you” to it and it looked like a gorgeous snowflake. The same water when told, “I hate you” changed structure through this vibration into a blob. This was proven over and over again. That is a simplified example, but it shows my point. If our bodies are made up of so much water—how can the molecular structure not be changed through healing vibrations?
Healing with sound vibration is believed to date back to ancient Greece, when it was used in an attempt to cure mental disorders.
Resonating structures (sound temples) were built by the Egyptians to amplify the therapeutic effects of sound during religious ceremonies. These structures did not include just the temples, but also the pyramids, the King’s chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza was designed to reverberate in order to increase the sound energy from ritualistic chants.
The use of sound as a healing modality dates back to prehistoric times, when shaman chanted and drummed to heal people.
In the ancient mystery schools of Greece, India, Egypt and other centers of knowledge, the use of sound and music for healing was a highly developed sacred science.
There are many ancient forms of sound healing from many countries and continents that date back thousands of years.
A Sound Temple is a sacred space built to accompany the acoustics of sound for healing purposes.
I work with crystal singing bowls and metal singing bowls as well as gongs and a few other artisan instruments. I mainly focus on the crystal alchemy bowls and gongs.
Crystal bowls are used to help to balance the chakra system.
These singing bowls have been used for meditation, music, relaxation, personal well-being, healing energy and chakra cleansing. Bowls are tuned to the chakra notes: all seven chakras a, b, c, d, e, f & g.
Crystal singing bowls are used by a wide range of professionals, including health professionals, school teachers, musicians and spiritual teachers.
Crystals are known to have specific healing modalities. The different healing crystals are fused with pure quartz crystal creating very specific singing bowls that all offer different healing tones and abilities.
What are Sound Baths?
As a sound practitioner, I offer “sound baths” to my clients (called sound bathers).
Sometimes I do one-on-one sound baths and sometimes I do group sound baths.
A sound bath is a relaxation technique and meditative experience whereby participants 'bathe' in the sound waves produced by the human voice as well as instruments such as chimes, gongs, drums and singing bowls. A Sound Bath or a Sound Massage is a fully clothed, relaxing and blissful experience where you bathe in healing sound waves.
Is a Sound Healer a "Healer"?
Am I a Healer? I believe I set the space for healing to occur.
I believe in the energy of these sacred instruments and with the right intent this sacred setting can be a magical place of transformation.
A true healer sets the space for others to do their own work.
Sound Healing:
The latest bizarre, whacky, holistic, wellness trend.
There are all these crazy sounding holistic therapies that claim to be “healing”, and it can get overwhelming sometimes. So, is sound healing even a thing?
Recently, my husband and I relocated to Tulum, MX. We felt strongly guided to build and facilitate a Sound Temple --- a sacred space for deep relaxation and healing through vibrational resonance and light.
The vibe in Tulum is very hippy chic with ample yoga and plentiful spiritual retreats to bring yourself back to ONEness. We left a metropolitan city and the Sound Bath trend was strong and widely known.
I didn’t realize how whacky we appear until I moved to the middle of the jungle.
We have a sweet Mayan couple that live on the property that work as our caretakers. As I was unpacking they kept eyeing my plentiful crystal collections that would spill out of boxes, my Malas, my statues, but moreover they were dumb-founded over these crystal bowls and gongs that I seemed so fond of.
I have come to understand that what I do for work may look a little whacky and bizarre if you aren’t familiar with it.
My neighbor mentioned that our trabajadores (caretakers) had told her that we were bizarre and very weird. They thought it odd that I would open a business striking bowls and “healing” people. Hahahahaha. It was difficult to explain in my broken Spanglish what a sound bath is and what I do for work.
One day I was making a mandala with the crystals and flowers from the garden. It was really beautiful and I wanted to leave it in the garden for a few days.
The young wife asked me what it was and I explained that it was a decoration. (It’s far too hard to give full explanations when you speak Spanish like a 4 year old). She walked away and had her husband later ask if we worshipped the devil. (Oh, dear).
Not to mention, it didn’t help when my practicing Shaman friend came to visit—and brought me some Dragon’s Blood from her travels in South America. Dragon’s blood is sap from a tree that Shamans use to heal cuts and open wounds. It’s amazing and natural. However, it was brought to me in a little glass bottle and looks like just like blood! I put it in my water to drink because I had a cold sore and it helped greatly, but my caretakers literally thought I was drinking blood! (oh my!). It didn’t matter how much I explained that it was from a tree—they didn’t believe me.
I told my husband, it will be difficult to run a business here with our beliefs so strong if our workers are so avidly against what we do. It was concerning to me. We decided that being who we are; kind, compassionate, good people, should show them that we are not bad. In time, they would understand that we come from a place of love.
A few days later, I offered their little girl a bowl of my crystals to play with. The mother hurriedly rushed her out and told her she could not play with such things. My heart hurt.
Not long after, my kids (now adults) came to visit and I gave them the a sound bath one evening. The windows were all open, the night was quiet, the birds were singing gently, and I had candles lit for the occasion.
I burned sage and copal, I sprayed rose water and orchestrated a beautiful sound bath for my family.
The next day my caretakers told me they had never heard such beautiful sounds before. They sat outside and enjoyed the incredible concert, heard through the open windows. My heart melted.
I realize that what I do may seem odd and even bizarre to some. I understand it looks strange to light candles and strike pretty bowls and put people into a deep relaxed sleep. It must seem quite weird. That’s ok. I am weird.
I invite the curious and interested to open their hearts and minds and try a sound bath. It is a warm, loving experience and I can’t imagine after having one that many would not find something special to say about it.
Come be weird with me.
Joey McCune, a free spirited Seattle Realtor turned Energy Practitioner, has traveled the world in her studies of deeply rooted spiritual traditions and rituals in many forms. She is a Sound Healer/Weaver, Gong Master, a Master Reiki Practitioner, and works with Shamanic Energy, and now lives and practices in Tulum, MX.
Her work with clients focuses on achieving a sense of balance, wellness and soul fulfillment and utilizes a combination of crystals, color theory, chakra systems, sacred geometry and Sound Healing principles.
The views expressed in this article intend to highlight alternative studies and induce conversation. They are the views of the author and are for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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