What you hear can change how you feel

Last weekend, I attended my first Sound Meditation workshop at my local yoga studio.

For 90 minutes, we lay on our backs with a bolster under our knees, listening to a range of sounds originating from Himalayan and crystal bowls, gongs, rain sticks and chimes.

This workshop took the “woo” out of “woo woo”, and I was incredibly moved by this participatory experience. Here, in a place of stillness, one becomes open and aware of the surrounding sounds while feeling energy and vibrations moving through the meridians of our bodies.

Sound is a powerful tool for healing sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, stress, PTSD or pain.

It induces relaxation while releasing mental blocks, stagnations and emotions. It’s a helpful tool to access the body’s energy centers.

Most importantly, sound meditation is all about being present and whole, allowing yourself to feel the vibrations through your body, along with a range of emotions and experiences.

I discovered which sounds light me up and bring me joy, and which ones shut me down and bring me pain. It was a very effective mindfulness practice: I was able to be present and experience the sounds while noticing my emotional reactions to them.

Loud sounds such as gongs banging loudly elevate stress levels, create imbalances in our nervous system and lower immunity. I felt my body tense, like a turtle retracting its limbs inside the shell to protect itself from attack.

These aggressive sounds reminded me of past traumas I’ve experienced – heated arguments, screaming to be heard, extreme stress and health issues – all things I wanted to shut out of my life.

Sound meditation enabled me to move my energy through the blockage from those experiences and free myself from the emotions surrounding it.

Then, I heard the amplified sound of pebbles dropping into water. This sound opened me up; I stretched my legs and arms, creating open space to soak up the positive abundant energy that warmed my heart, brought a smile to my face. I found my joy.

I brought energy to the sounds I wanted to amplify in my life, and allowed my body and mind to accept this positive experience.

When you make time for self-care and focus on tuning out the aggressive noise that often surrounds us, your body and spirit are free to achieve balance. Sound can help us transition to this state of inner peace.

This concept can also be applied to our workplaces. Many of us experience stress at work, and we often carry the emotional baggage from our personal lives – financial worries, anxiety, depression -- with us to the office. The 'noise’ at work makes us less productive, sapping our energy.

In Loehr & Schwartz’s book, The Power of Full Engagement, the authors say, “It’s not how much time we spend; it’s how much energy you invest in the time you have.”

So how do you attract positive, abundant energy into your life?

How do you bring your best self to work and home?

How do you stay engaged and energized during your meeting days?

How do you manage and balance energy for optimum productivity?

How do you preserve energy and embrace calmness and stillness?

How do you create space to re-fuel and recharge?

Ghandi spoke of unwrapping the “gift” of presence to achieve harmony, when what we think, say and do are all aligned. And self-help author Eckhart Tolle encourages us to be in the Now.

We are exactly where we need to be. Right here, right now. Life coach and former Hindu monk Jay Shetty implores us to feel it in our hearts, believe it in our minds, be in our bodies.

Everyone wishes they had more time, but we should focus on energy management.

When people ask for your time, they really want your energy: Your focus, attention, presence and affection. They want you to bring the best of yourself to a situation.

I can help you get there! I created Byte-Size Wellness Academy to bring energy to meetings, workplaces and everyday lives with video mind-body breaks: Facial exercises, deskercises, stretch, yoga and mindfulness practices.

My video mini-courses and digital wellness resource center can help focus your team’s energy through the creation of positive healthy habits. Participants can learn how to tune out all the noise and allow the mind and body to soar.

I’m always happy to jump on a call to discuss how I can help you achieve your wellness goals. Book an appointment with me HERE.

And click HERE to get on my waiting list for my wellness/life coaching practice that I'm launching in 2022.

Be well,

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