Before your first session
What to expect
You lie down for an hour with your eyes closed while singing bowls are played around the room. There is nothing to learn, nothing to join in with, and nothing to get wrong. A place is £25.
What actually happens at a sound bath?
You lie on the floor on a mat, cover yourself with a blanket and close your eyes. For the next hour singing bowls and chimes are played around the room. You do not have to do anything at all.
There is a short guided settling at the start to slow your breathing down. Then the sound. Then a few quiet minutes to come back before anyone gets up. Most people lose track of time somewhere in the middle. Quite a few fall asleep, which is fine and very common.
Is a sound bath religious or spiritual?
No. Nothing is asked of you and nothing is preached at you. There is no chanting, no prayer, no ritual and no belief of any kind attached to it.
Singing bowls are instruments, in the same way a cello is an instrument. They are played, you listen, and the hour is yours to spend however you like. People of every faith and none come along. Plenty come for no reason more complicated than sleeping badly and wanting an hour where nothing is required of them.
If you have been put off by how sound baths are sometimes talked about online, that is fair enough. This is an hour of live music while you lie down.
I have never done anything like this. Will I feel out of place?
No. Most people in the room are there for the first or second time, and nobody can see you anyway once the lights are down and your eyes are shut.
There is nothing to learn beforehand and nothing to get right. You do not need to be fit, flexible, calm, or good at meditating. If you can lie on a floor for an hour, you can do this.
What should I wear, and what do I need to bring?
Wear whatever you would be comfortable lying still in for an hour. Soft layers are better than a tight waistband. Bring a yoga mat, a blanket, a cushion and some water.
Mats are not provided, so the mat is the one to remember. Your body cools down noticeably once you stop moving, so bring more warmth than feels necessary walking in. An eye mask helps some people, though the room is candlelit and already dim.
What does it actually feel like?
Different for everyone, and different each time. Most people describe it as heavy, warm and very slow, the way you feel in the last few minutes before sleep.
Some people see colours behind their eyes. Some get twitchy for the first ten minutes and then drop. Some cry, which nobody minds and nobody mentions. Some feel nothing much on the day and sleep unusually well that night. None of those is the right answer.
Worth checking first
When a sound bath is not the right idea
- Sessions are for ages 16 and over.
- A sound bath is not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Please get in touch before booking if you have sound sensitivity, epilepsy, or a health condition that may be affected by sound.
If you are not sure whether it is right for you, ask before you book rather than after. A sound bath supports rest and relaxation. It is not medical treatment, and it is not a substitute for care from your GP.
Ready when you are
The next session
£25 for the hour at The Falstaff Hotel, Ramsgate. Doors open ten minutes before we start, and there is no entry once the session has begun.
Still unsure? Send me a message first. I would rather answer a question than have you book something that is not right for you.
Next session
Booking is through Eventbrite, which opens in a new tab. Doors open at 10:50am. There is no entry once the session has started.