Curious About Proven Healing Options for Your Body and Mind? I Was, Too.

Sound Baths and Reiki Healing Treat Physical and Mental Pain

Last Thursday, as the kids headed up to bed, I headed out – to a Sound Bath and Reiki Energy Healing session. The session was the largest I’ve been to yet, with a lot of first-timers. I could see it in their faces – the doubt, the nervousness. I remember my first time. I, too, was skeptical. At the time, my anxiety was unmanageable and I was depressed. I was so desperate for a healthy way to cope with the turmoil, I was willing to try anything. And I’m so glad I did.

Reiki Healing – Improving Lives With Universal Life Force Energy

When I first heard about Reiki healing, I brushed it off. I didn’t think it was for me. A few weeks later, it came up in a conversation with a friend. I listened while she shared what she knew. Desperate to feel happy again, I decided to give it a try – but not without first doing my research…

Reiki focuses on moving the energy within your body to promote balance and flow. It is based on the philosophy that energy imbalances create disease. Through Reiki, a person becomes more energetically balanced. Balanced energy promotes physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing.

Rooted in ancient cultures, Reiki has been improving lives for centuries. Modern studies show that Reiki provides pain relief and improves healing. Research also reveals that people who receive Reiki experience mood improvements and enhanced well-being.

Satisfied with the scientific proof I found, I booked my first appointment. My mental health was in ruins because of a recent assault. My physical health wasn’t great, either. I had a sprained wrist from the assault and chronic pain radiated from my thumb to my shoulder.

But that all began to change after just one session.

After one 60-minute session, I felt lighter. The throb of anxiety deep in my chest was gone. My arm pain drastically improved. I could feel the benefits for myself, and I couldn’t be more grateful. That’s why, when I heard about combining Reiki with a sound bath, I was willing to try it.

Sound Baths – Submerge Yourself in Science

I went into my first sound bath blind – I had no idea what to expect. It wasn’t until after my initial experience that I explored the science behind sound baths. I felt the positive effects but needed to know why and how.

A sound bath is an immersive experience that provides healing through sound energy. Different instruments produce the sounds. Gongs, singing bowls, tuning forks, and chimes are commonly used.

The theory behind sound baths is that certain frequencies align with energy centers in your body. When energy is unbalanced, physical and mental disease can occur. The frequencies provided by the sound bath can reset energy centers in the body. As energy flows, healing begins.

Studies show that sound baths improve mood and energy levels and decrease stress. Sound baths have also been shown to lower heart rates and reduce anxiety levels.

Based on my own experience, I wasn’t surprised by the research findings. 

Improved mood? Check.

Decreased stress and anxiety? Check.

Increased energy levels? Check. Though not immediately after. Waking up the morning after a sound bath is like waking up after a vacation nap – you know the feeling. That’s when my energy soars.

A sound bath and Reiki session can be an intense experience. While every experience differs, I’d like you to join me at a session…

What to Expect During a Sound Bath and Reiki Healing Session

I enter the dim room, my shoes already abandoned in the lobby. Locating a space, I roll out my yoga mat and arrange my pillow and blankets. Everyone speaks in hushed voices, so as not to disrupt the ambience.

Our practitioners welcome us. They share an overview of the experience and what to expect.

This is a safe place. You have permission to be your true self.

Energy movement can result in laughter, crying, coughing, or sneezing. Lean into the feelings. Don’t hold back.

Reiki does not have to involve touch. Let us know if you do not want to be touched.

I cozy up on my mat, pulling two blankets over me (I run cold). I fiddle with the eye mask they provided but decide not to use it. The room is dark enough.

It’s time to begin. 

We follow a guided meditation to relax our bodies and minds. These are the last words we hear. The room is now filled only with the sounds of the instruments.

For 45 minutes, the practitioners work. Each of us receives personalized Reiki healing. The instruments continue. My body is heavy, melting into the mat. Though still aware, my mind is free.

I try to stay mentally relaxed, but intrusive thoughts creep in. As if on cue, a tone pierces so deeply, ridding my mind of these mental intruders. I’m able to relax again.

A light chime signals the end of the session. Gentle voices guide us back to awareness. I stretch and raise my body to a seated position.

The session ends with an opportunity to share our experiences with the group. Sharing is completely optional. Even though many are strangers, the group is small, safe, and supportive.

Immediately after a session, I am very relaxed. In the days following, I often feel waves of emotions, some intense. Following the guidance of our practitioners, I lean into these feelings. They usually pass quickly, leaving me calm and light.

Let Sound Baths and Reiki Healing Improve Your Life

Reiki healing and sound bath meditation improve my life in ways I never thought possible.

Since exploring both forms of healing, my mental and physical health has improved. Anxiety no longer overwhelms me, and I can overcome sadness better than before. I have also become more peaceful and confident. I am becoming the best version of myself. 

Like so many others, I was skeptical at first. But then I did research…and tried it myself. There is no longer any doubt in my mind about the power of these alternative healing practices.

I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone. Slip on your cozy socks, pack up some blankets, and find a sound bath and Reiki healing session near you. Rebalance your energy and allow yourself to begin healing. You deserve to be healthy. You deserve to be happy. You deserve the best version of yourself.

Sources:

[1] Clayton, Victoria. “What Is Reiki and How Does It Work?” Forbes Health, 12 Jan. 2024, www.forbes.com/health/wellness/what-is-reiki/. Accessed 25 Jan. 2024.

[2] Cotoia, Antonella, et al. “Effects of Tibetan Music on Neuroendocrine and Autonomic Functions in Patients Waiting for Surgery: A Randomized, Controlled Study.” Anesthesiology Research and Practice, vol. 2018, 5 Mar. 2018, p. e9683780, www.hindawi.com/journals/arp/2018/9683780/, https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9683780. Accessed 12 Apr. 2022.

[3] Dyer, Natalie L., et al. “A Large-Scale Effectiveness Trial of Reiki for Physical and Psychological Health.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 25, no. 12, 22 Oct. 2019, www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2019.0022, https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.0022. Accessed 25 Jan. 2024.

[4] Panchal, Saharsh, et al. “Impact of Himalayan Singing Bowls Meditation Session on Mood and Heart Rate Variability – an Observational Study.” International Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research, vol. 1, no. 4, 16 Mar. 2020, pp. 20–30, https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2574-612x.ijpr-20-3213. Accessed 17 Mar. 2020.

[5] Villines, Zawn. “Sound Baths: What They Are, Benefits, and How to Try.” Www.medicalnewstoday.com, 29 Apr. 2022, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sound-baths#benefits. Accessed 25 Jan. 2024.

[6] “What Is a Sound Bath?” Cleveland Clinic, 28 Nov. 2022, health.clevelandclinic.org/sound-bath.

[7] “What Is Reiki, and Does It Really Work?” Cleveland Clinic, 29 Aug. 2021, health.clevelandclinic.org/reiki. Accessed 25 Jan. 2024.