A sound healing session with Tibetan gongs and bowls helps to release the toxins and cleanse the aura

I am drifting between reality and relaxation, letting the tangle of thoughts untangle and flow away, controlling my stress of many months. The sound of singing bowls reverberates across the room. A chakra healing session is in progress. The calming fragrance of camphor mingles with the sound of the bowls, and the vibrations touch every corner of the room. There is no interruption here, except for the chirp of the birds and an occasional snore. Along with a group, I am experiencing a sound bath at the green Zorba, the Buddha retreat in Delhi’s plush Chattarpur. It is a special day, the new moon of Pitru Paksha, according to Hinduism. It is a day for new beginnings, manifestation and honouring your ancestors. It is the day I heal my heart chakra and stop punishing myself with guilt, grief and bygones.

According to the healers, Deepti Lalwani and Amandeep Chaudhary, deep sleep is a good sign. While consciousness is important, it is in the depth of sleep that the body rejuvenates and heals. Scientists are continuously researching the power of sleep, says the healer couple. Deepti is a trained sound healer and co-founder of Soul Setu Foundation.

What is sound healing therapy?

Sound healing is a practice that goes back thousands of years. The ancients used the sound to ward off evil energies and heal the body, mind and soul. Tibetan bowls and gongs have been used for centuries in the Buddhist monasteries, even in the remote Himalayas. In fact, the bowls have been called the singing bowls.

Over time, many researches have been done on this sound. Scientifically, everything in the universe vibrates to a certain frequency. Human beings have their own frequencies, which are popularly called as resonances. When the body goes off tune, or is imbalanced, it becomes unhealthy. This could be due to emotional or environmental factors.  

Gongs and bowls produce many frequencies. Human beings are made up of 70 per cent water and are conductors of sound. A sound bath has the potential to correct imbalances of dense energy stuck at the cellular level. “The healing takes place when we reach the root cause,” say Deepti and Aman. This could be one session or a series of sessions—when the chord strikes and the energy releases.

Scientifically speaking, the brain directs the body’s reactions. Anxiety, anger, depression and migraines are a few indicators that the body is imbalanced. The sound of bowls and gongs lower brainwaves rates from Beta waves (dominating the waking state) into Alpha waves (a resting state) and further to Theta waves (deep relaxation and state of meditation). At this stage, the individual might access and process subconscious memories or worries. Further healing leads to low frequency Delta waves, where healing occurs.

Benefits of Sound Healing

It is best to attend a session lying down in a comfortable position, shutting off phones and other distractions. A soothing fragrance helps. As you slow down, the brainwaves also slow down. It calms your nervous system and reduces anxiety. It improves sleep and thereby promotes inner healing or a resurgence of energy. It is particularly helpful in balancing the issues related to emotional and mental health. “The emphasis is on a sound body, sound mind and happy soul,” say the healers. For this, the duo advice a healthy lifestyle with exercise, good company and habits, blended with spirituality.

Sharing is an important aspect of healing. And liking the sound of your own voice also helps. Unconditional care and sound advice are welcomed by all, say the couple. And they encourage the people who come to them to share without boundaries, without fear of stigma or judgement. Singing in the bathroom relieves stress, shares Deepti.

The Practice

The couple turned practitioners seven years back. “Aman and I were introduced to the path of meditation at a very early age. Aman started reading about Osho, our master, when he was in school and began meditating during his college years. Then his friend, Apratym, helped him find himself and they have a strong bond till today,” says Deepti.

Talking about her journey, she says, “I was introduced to meditation by my father. He sent me to the Osho meditation commune in Pune when I was in school. I learnt Reiki in class XII and so began my healing journey. On this path I learnt modalities like past life regression, inner child healing, rebirthing breathwork, family constellation from Dr. Newton and Dr. Laxmi, sound healing from Satya Sir and Don Conreaux, and did Access consciousness and studied the heal your life work by Louise Hay. The learning continues.”

After healing herself, family and friends, she gradually began facilitating group meditations. Post their marriage, the couple went for a sound healing demonstration with “Satya Sir” and decided to pursue this healing path, as “sound is the root of our creation”.

The Healing Session

Each soul resonates with something unique. Yet, the journey is collective as a human species. Group sessions vary, she explains. “For this new moon day-long immersion sound bath, we kept it in three sections. There was relaxation with basic bowls, chakra healing in the second session, and then gong bath at the end. But, as you experienced, we included a Hawai’ian prayer, Tai chi exercises, gratitude meditation for our ancestors, Native American flutes and drumming, and ended with a celebration dance. As the flow of energy seeps into the sessions, the healing continues. And we keep on invigorating it with different modalities.”

While the spiritual journey is individual, “having a companion in your life who understands the ups and downs of this journey is always very supportive. Having a partner who will allow the growth is the best part of togetherness,” adds Deepti.

The couple hold regular retreats in nature, where healing is fun with sharing, sound therapy, trekking and more.

Healing is a daily practice. After all, the entire universe is but a mirror with sparkling reflections that keep going in and out of your life. And the sound of the universe just echoes within us and around us.

But had I healed completely? Yes and no, I found some answers to things that were blocking my thought process in the present moment, but I still need to immerse in happy sounds daily to keep inviting new thoughts that would be with me on this soulful journey called life.

Energy exchange or charges depend on the individual need. Basic session for general ailment is INR 2,500 per session, including counselling. Overall, the charges varies, depending upon the duration and intensity of session. Group sessions could range between INR 2,500-5,000.