Music Therapy: What Is Sound Healing And How Can You Benefit From It?
by MassiveMusic
Blog
20.12.2017



“We live in a vibrational universe. Modern science has proven that everything is always in a state of vibration. We live in a sea of sound. And even in silence..
WE. ARE. SOUND.
WE. ARE. SOUND.
From the movements of the planets to the beating of our heart, every atom, cell, tissue, organ and bone in our bodies is vibrating and that vibration produces sound, whether or not the sound is audible to the human ear. Each of these parts of our body are vibrating at a specific rate, that together create your own resonant frequency.
When you’re in a state of health and vitality, you are actually vibrating at a specific rate. When you become stressed, sick or simply feel out of balance, your frequency changes, literally causing internal and external dis-harmony.”
This is how Stacey Griffin, Mindfulness Teacher and Sound Healing Practitioner at Shift Meditation, led us into our first MassiveMusic Sound Bath meditation, an experience we shared with our friends from the industry.
Thanks to their candles and fragrances, Rituals added that extra spiritual touch we needed, to help us set the mood and create a relaxed, warm atmosphere.


But wait: what is a sound bath meditation?
As explained by Quartz, “a sound bath is a shortcut to the deeply relaxed state that eludes many newcomers to meditation. As the name suggests, it immerses participants in soothing sonic resonance emitted by instruments such as crystal singing bowls, tuning forks, and gongs”.
When Samuel and Ebony (respectively our Creative Development Manager and Account Manager Music & Brands) introduced this brand new concept to our company, the aim was to focus on sound and music as a way to heal ourselves.
Because, let’s admit it once and for all: we live in such a frenetic world where everything is urgent and last minute BUT, guess what, we are notthat good at multitasking. Actually, we might even suck big time. Still, we would rather act as if we’re capable of anything. We’re not superheroes. We’re ordinary heroes who can focus on one, maybe two things at a time.
Yet instead.. Attend that meeting. Hop on that call. Cross off all tasks on your never ending to do list. Do this and that. And that as well.
Oh, and also, chores. Walk the dog. OMG, that bill! Is it too late if I pay it now? Pick up kids from school. Check. Go get some groceries. And clean the house. Do the laundry. Check your emails even when you’re off because this is urgent. And this is urgent too. Maybe go to Mars but make sure you’re back within 24 hours, ok? Whoah. Feeling overwhelmed, anyone?
Breathe in. Breathe out. And just listen. For once.
Breathe in. Breathe out. And just listen. For once.
If you’ve also experienced what is mentioned above, maybe you should make meditation a daily habit.
It is proven that mindfulness meditation helps us deal with anxiety and stress. It decreases depression, regulates mood and increases grey matter concentration in the brain. It fosters creativity and it may even make you live longer. And, after all, isn’t this also the case when it comes to music and sound?
How do you feel when you hear familiar sounds or listen to songs you like? Serene. Happy. Excited. Calm. Joyful. So, as Pythagoras would say: do the math, honey. Why not combine Sound AND Meditation?
Instruments of change
The venue we picked for our sound healing session was Shelter, the Amsterdam haven for quality dance music, based in the A’DAM Toren – which is also home to our headquarters.
All we needed to do was to lay down and let Stacey guide us through this sound bath experience. She brought along 24 instruments, more precisely:
• 7 100% quartz crystal singing bowls (each note corresponds to a chakra) • 5 tibetan singing bowls • A wind gong • A large frame drum • An ocean drum • Koshi chimes • A set of 7 tuning forks • Kalimba
It was such a magical experience. Almost surreal. I remember it took some time to get in the zone, but when I got there everything made sense.
It felt like drowning, but I wasn't scared at all
In fact, I got covered by the sound, as if the sound was my blanket. At some point I couldn’t feel my legs and arms anymore so I had to check in if they were still there. They were.
It was as if I were below the sound, in a different dimension that could protect me from anything that attempted to interfere. And no, if you’re thinking this is the product of binge-watching the latest season of Stranger Things, you’re doing it wrong. No upside down here. Still freaking cool though so go watch it if you haven’t done it yet.
It took 30 mins for my mind to stop wandering and that’s when I fell asleep. Not sure if it was just for a few seconds or 10 minutes but it happened. I woke up to the gong, feeling refreshed and recharged but kept my eyes closed.
Stacey walked around with her instruments, to make us feel the vibrations when placed close to our body. If you paid attention during your high school science classes, you should know this: our bones work as conductors. The feeling was similar to when you activate stereo-mode option on your speakers and you hear the sound going from left to right and back.
I cried. I smiled. I felt at ease and connected to my inner self.
Needless to say, each one of us had a completely different experience. A few people didn’t connect as deeply as I did, and that’s perfectly fine. But, hearing the stories of our attendees afterwards made us realise that there was some common ground: sound made us float, wander, it brought us to different worlds. It made us feel high on life.
It makes sense then that, if we are all vibrating with sound, we can use it to promote health in our lives. Through sound, we can change the rhythms of our brain waves, our heart beat and our respiration affecting our overall health not just on a physical level, but emotionally and spiritually as well.
As Stacey mentioned: “This sound bath experience is designed to guide you on a journey of self-discovery and inner exploration. The sounds promote healing on all levels, deep relaxation, expansion of consciousness, and open the body’s entire energetic system. The intent is to assist the body to re-harmonize itself and bring you back to your natural state of balance.”
The possibilities are endless. All we need to do is just press play, listen and allow music to do the work.
I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music. ~Billy Joel
ABOUT SHIFT MEDITATION: Designed to alleviate the demands of modern life, Shift combines sound healing and mindfulness meditation to help you unplug and reconnect. Learn more.
ABOUT RITUALS: Whether it’s taking a nice long bath or creating a homey atmosphere with the rich scent of Asian incense, Rituals allows you to find happiness in the smallest of things. Learn more.
From an idea of: Samuel Taselaar & Ebony Tuasela
Behind the camera lens: Monika Rojūtė