Sound therapy in Singapore: What it is and where to do it
You’ll reap a whole lot more than just good, good, good, good vibrations to keep anxiety, depressions and burnout at bay.
Text: Hema G
Stress, anxiety, burnout, depression. Sadly, words and feelings all too familiar right now. The attention they are receiving may be new, but their presence and adverse impact on our lives is not. In 2019, I was going through a challenging and stressful period in my life. I explored many different practises and techniques but there was one standout experience for me: sound therapy.
My journey with sound began unexpectedly at the end of a yoga class. As I lay exhausted in Shavasana, I was slowly struck by the sound of a gong vibrating throughout the room and my body. Before I knew it, I was lulled into what can only be described as a deep, restful sleep. I had not felt so calm in a long time and was taken aback by the impact it had on me long after the class. I was immediately hooked. I learned everything I could about the practice and embraced it fully, even taking on gong and crystal bowl training to develop a deeper understanding of the benefits.
What is sound therapy?
We are surrounded by sound all day, every day — whether its birds singing at dawn, the hum of traffic, or the endless chirping of crickets. Sound has the ability to shift or intensify our emotional state at any given moment. It’s no coincidence that many of us spend so much time picking the perfect playlist on Spotify. We use music in so many different ways from celebrations to healing heartbreak (cue Adele!). There is something very powerful about sound and music that captivates us at a deep inner level which cannot be denied. It also truly connects us as humans whatever our background or culture. If sound and music have the ability to shift us, sound therapy takes it to the next level.
Healing with sound dates back thousands of years across cultures from Ancient Greece to Tibet. Sound sessions can involve a variety of vocal and instrumental sounds with participants simply closing their eyes and listening and/or participating in meditation, song or chanting. “There is often a release of emotional baggage, karmic patterns and behaviours from clients,” says Suraya Sam, co-creator of House of Ascend in Tiong Bahru, which aims to facilitate a different experience of therapy for the mind, body and spirit. I am a regular attendee at the House of Ascend and can attest to the positive impact.
The Science
When Albert Einstein said “everything is energy”, that included us humans, too. All that movement of atoms and particles causes vibrations. We all vibrate at different frequencies and when these vibrations are disrupted, they can cause a variety of symptoms. Sound therapy uses sound and music to balance our emotional and physical wellbeing, also leading to greater relaxation and better sleep.
Scientific studies and the experience of practitioners continue to suggest the use of sound as an effective way to treat anxiety and stress related disorders. Dr Masaru Emoto, author of The Hidden Messages from Water, conducted ground-breaking research on the effect of vibrational sound on water. He analysed the formation of frozen crystals in water as they were exposed to different sounds. After the experiment, beautiful crystals had formed in water samples where positive vibrational sounds were directed.
The sound and water connection continues: water is a great conductor of sound and makes up approximately 60% of our bodies. Sound vibrations can therefore have a profound impact on our mind and body, ultimately leading you into a theta state, one of deep relaxation, to enable healing and rejuvenation. In the same way composers use different instruments to evoke and create different feelings, trained practitioners can harness the benefits of sound for your wellbeing.
Sounds that particularly help to heal include nature, classical music, humming, singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks, chanting and mantras. You can reap the benefits in the comfort of your own home by listening to relaxing music, or the sounds of nature when out for a walk. To experience dedicated sound sessions for yourself head on over to one of our recommended studios:
· Space 2B
