Unlocking the healing power of sound healing - How to get the most of your session
Learn how to get the most out of your sound healing & continue to reap the benefits long after it has ended.
In this blog, we will delve into the captivating world of sound healing and uncover the secrets to maximizing its incredible therapeutic potential. Whether you are new to this ancient practice or have already experienced its wonders, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and techniques to get the most from the experience & help you enjoy the benefits long after it has finished.
Attending a sound healing can be a magic experience for many, but for those who suffer with anxiety going into a new environment can add to those anxieties & concerns.
Before your sound healing experience
Commit to the session
Switch off from work & stressful things before your session.
Eat a light meal
The heavier the meal the more likely you are to fall asleep. That’s ok is that is what you want, the sound healing will still work even if you are asleep. But to make the most of the session, follow along and be aware of the experience a light meal is best.
No drugs or alcohol
Sound Healing is a way to go inward & explore yourself & allow deep healing & transformation. Drugs & alcohol can interfere with this process. Many people describe sound healing experiences to be quite trippy and psychedelic anyway so adding substances to this can increase this feeling and be unsettling for both the user and other participants. Prescription drugs are the exception.
Dress for comfort & warmth
Your body temperature will drop once you are lying down. It is best if you dress in layers and if it isn’t provided in the session have something to cover you over like a blanket.
Have an intention for the session
Be that deep rest, to enjoy the experience or to gain clarity. Having an intention will help sculpt the experience & if the session includes crystal singing bowls the crystals help with manifesting amplification.
During the sound healing
Try not to compare your experience
Some people may fall asleep instantly or share their wonderful relaxing experience. You always get what you need from a sound healing, even if that means a busy monkey mind throughout. Try to approach the session with an open heart & mind. Setting an intention for the session can be a great way to help shape the experience but also know that if you want & expect to fall asleep & don’t, that it is ok, the sound vibrations are still working on you in so many other ways.
Accept all sounds as part of the sound scape
That could be someone snoring or a belly grumbling as they move into ‘rest & digest’ the calm state of the nervous system. Or a dog may be barking in the background. All sounds are exactly where they are supposed to be and if your mind if wandering during the session, use these sounds & noises to anchor you back into the moment. Bring your attention back to your breathing, back to your intention & back to the sounds.
After the sound healing
The effects can continue to work for 24-48 hours after the session
Which means you could feel a little ‘floaty’, lighter, more relaxed afterwards. Often clients will message me the next dy to tell me about the wonderful sleep they have had or the wild dreams. Some may feel more sensitive afterwards so go easy on yourself, take the rest of the day/evening to engage in peaceful relaxing activities and remember that the rest of the world hasn’t had a sound healing so give yourself space from triggering situations & places.
Stay off technology
This is helpful both before, during & after a sound healing. Technology is constantly sending signals that unbalance our nervous system and make our body feel it is in a stressed state, this in turn affects our sleep, mood, digestion & overall wellbeing.
Try grounding techniques
Often some of the more ethereal sounds like crystal singing bowls & chimes can take the energy upwards & almost out of our bodies. This can leave a person feeling floaty & ungrounded. A way to solve this problem is to practise grounding techniques such as:
Walking barefoot in nature
Giving the feet a massage
Taking some deep breaths
Eating whole some natural foods
Having a bath or shower
Going to sleep
Integrate your experience
Some things may not make sense or you may have downloads & creative ideas. A great way for you to gain a deeper understanding, bring your learnings into your everyday life and to benefit from these experiences are to journal, share & discuss and reflect. No sound healings are the same but if you want to explore your experience further, try to attend another sound healing experience soon after and set your intention to delve deeper and learn more.
Expand your practises
Wellbeing isn’t linear and it is about finding the practises that work well for you. Sound Healing compliments:
Breathwork
Meditation
Yoga Nidra
Tai chi
Qi Gong
Yoga
Massage
Regular practice of well-being makes it easier to drop into them. Not only will you have a better understanding of what to expect and can relax easier you’ll have less build up of stress and anxiety etc which can slow you down getting into the deeper relaxation states. Work with me regularly by attending my public sound healings. Book a private 121 session. Request a personal Sound Healing recording or purchase my sound healing recordings.
Effective Workplace Strategies for Enhancing Team Well-being: Small Changes with Big Impact
10 Must-Have Elements to Support Team Wellbeing in Business
In today's fast-paced and demanding work environment, prioritising employee wellbeing is crucial for businesses seeking to establish a positive and productive work culture. Here are the top 10 must-have elements that all businesses should implement to support the wellbeing of their teams.
Effective Workplace Strategies for Enhancing Team Well-being: Small Changes with Big Impact
Top 10 things you can start doing today to support your teams wellbeing
In today's fast-paced and demanding work environments, prioritising employee well-being is paramount to ensure a thriving and motivated workforce. While major overhauls may seem overwhelming, implementing small changes can have a significant positive impact on the overall well-being of your team. This blog will explore effective workplace strategies that can be easily incorporated to enhance team well-being, fostering a healthier and more productive work environment.
1 - Embrace Fresh Air in the Mornings
Boost vitality and alertness by opening windows to allow invigorating fresh air to permeate the workspace. Increased oxygen levels can enhance mental and physical well-being.
2 - Encourage Stand-Up Breaks
Normalize the practice of taking short breaks to stand up and stretch. By promoting these breaks, individuals benefit both physically and mentally, while reducing time spent idling near the coffee machine or photocopier.
3 - Incorporate Non-Allergenic Plants
Enhance the aesthetics and air quality of the workplace by selecting low-allergen plants. These not only beautify the environment but also cleanse the air, infusing it with oxygen.
4 - Harness the Benefits of Salt Lamps
Consider incorporating salt lamps, as they have been praised for their ability to draw out negative electric energy from the surroundings. Moreover, they are believed to support lung health.
5 - Mitigate Electromagnetic Frequencies
Given the omnipresence of technology in our lives, employ electromagnetic frequency blockers to provide reprieve from harmful blue light emissions, radiations, and vibrations emitted by digital devices. These measures help alleviate the stress imposed on the body.
6 - Mood-Enhancing Music
While not everyone may work effectively with music playing constantly, consider playing soothing tunes during specific times, such as lunch breaks or at the end of the day, to gently signal the passage of time. For instance, when implementing standing breaks, a soft song such as some sound healing could be played every hour as a reminder to take a break.
7 - Foster Group Activities for Wellness
Introduce activities like sound healing sessions, which can contribute to a sense of well-being and cohesion among team members.
8 - Engage in Well-being Challenges
Encourage participation in well-being challenges, such as walking to and from work, substituting coffee with non-caffeinated alternatives, quitting smoking, or adopting healthy habits. These challenges promote personal growth and a healthier lifestyle.
9 - Organise Group Exercises
Arrange group exercises like sponsored swims, fun runs or bike rides such as the London to Brighton. These activities foster team spirit while promoting physical fitness and boosting team morale.
10 - Provide Health Incentives
Motivate healthy choices by offering incentives, such as providing nutritious lunches or rewards for engaging in wellness-related behaviors. This cultivates a supportive environment for making positive health decisions.
By implementing these 10 essential strategies your workplace can create a formal and motivating environment where team wellbeing is prioritised and thrives, resulting in increased productivity & performance, higher job satisfaction, and decreased turnover rates.
Transform & support your teams mind and body with the power of sound – book your corporate sound healing session today and embark on a journey of deep relaxation and rejuvenation.
Quarantine Mental Health tips
During lockdown many of us have had to adapt the ways in which we work. There are pro’s and con’s to this. What is important, is to protect our mental health during these times. Read what mental health expert Sarah says about this.
Tips to look after your mental health whilst working from home during quarantine
For those working from home during the lockdown, we are faced with more challenges and distractions than ever before. Expert Sarah, from Balanced State, shares with us some tips to look after your mental health.
Many of us will be adapting to working from home, working together with colleagues but at a distance. This can be difficult to get our heads around. To help with the transition there are some simple steps to follow including treating your working day from home like any other, as best you can.
Routine
Try to keep to your usual routine where at all possible. Get up in good time to start work as you would usually. Have the time for a shower, to get dressed, have breakfast. Try to keep your ‘work routine’ as close to normal as possible. Make your workspace just for work. Clear your desk of ‘home’ distractions and clutter. It is helpful to have a clear distinction between your ‘work’ space and your ‘home’ space so your brain can recognise when you are ‘at work’ and when you are ‘at home’.
Don’t forget to take breaks during the day. Have a lunch break where you can eat a healthy meal. A change of scenery is essential if you’re having to live and work within the confines of the same four walls. If possible, get some fresh air, either in the garden or open a window. Vitamin D is vital to our health and is strongly connected to our moods. Those who spend more time indoors are more prone to being diagnosed with depression. Being outside boosts our oxygen levels. Oxygen in our lungs keeps our bodies moving and powers the brain through our blood.
Remember, being outside = increased oxygen = increased brainpower!
If you live in a shared house, it is important you discuss your boundaries with your housemates so that you all know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play and have fun.
When we are physically stuck this can translate to our brains too. Mix things up by going on a different route for your daily exercise or change the online exercise class you do. Play different music or change the radio station you’re listening to. You might discover something different that you rather like.
If you have young children at home you can explain that you need to work too so will need some time and space to do this so you may not be available to them all the time. This is a new experience for them to have you around all day every day so they may be confused and need their own boundaries. Remember, boundaries are healthy and a good thing.
Managing a team
If you manage a team you’ve some new responsibilities and likely must implement new ways of working for yourself and others. Try and keep in regular contact with your team, whether by Zoom or phone calls. It is important for you all to try and keep socially interacting. Maybe even a 20-minute virtual coffee break for you all to meet and chat. If you’ve not heard from a team member for a while, contact them to check-in and see how they are - do they need anything from you, even if it is just a chat or a vent about the situation.
You may have a reduced team if they are unwell or unable to work for whatever reason. Speak to your colleagues who are working and make sure they are managing their workload ok, especially if it has increased to cover the work of absent colleagues.
Encourage your team to keep you posted as to how the new working is going - do any changes need to be made? Take their feedback seriously as changes to the norm can be very stressful for people and you want them to be working safely and healthily. If things aren’t going well then explain how you will work with them to effect change if it is possible. If it isn’t, then be clear as to why you can’t do exactly what they want but will work with them to try and find a compromise.
Perks
There are some perks to working from home, it isn’t all bad. You may be able to get up a little later as you’re no longer having to commute. You may have more time for a lie-in and to catch up on some needed sleep.
Being at home you have access to a kitchen and a wider range of foods and drinks. Make the ost of this and make yourself healthier meals that you can take the time to enjoy, rather than grabbing a sandwich and a packet of crisps at your desk. A home-cooked meal is a lovely change and can be a well-deserved reward for a morning’s hard work.
You may have pets or children at home which we miss or feel guilty about leaving as we head out to work. During this temporary time in our lives, you have the opportunity to enjoy having the cat on your lap, giving your dog a cuddle or having your children wander in and out with provisions to keep you going! You may not think it right now but you’ll miss them when you’re back at work!
About Sarah:
Having experienced her own struggles in life, Sarah retrained and is a qualified integrative counsellor (MNCS) Acc based in South West London. She works with her clients face to face, via Zoom and/or over the telephone, to achieve their professional or personal goals in a collaborative, confidential, safe and empathetic space. Sarah creates a space where clients talk freely as she actively listens to what is concerning you in life. As an integrative counsellor, she draws on a variety of methods to bring awareness and understanding to your thoughts, feelings and emotions, working towards acceptance and a healthier sense of wellbeing.
Issues clients bring include but are not exclusive to, stress and anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship issues, goal achievement, anger, self-defeating behaviours, physical, domestic, psychological abuse and guilt and shame. Sessions can be a one-ff, short or long term. Whatever it takes to get you to the point you wish to be.
If you feel you may benefit from having an objective, non-judgemental ear to get clarify and make real-life progress, then please contact Sarah for further information here.
The fourth trimester - Nurturing and Supporting yourself through the first few months of Motherhood.
The fourth trimester, what is it and how can you support yourself through this time.
Now, we have all heard of the first, second and third trimesters during pregnancy, each trimester represents a different stage or phase of pregnancy. Throughout these (approximately) nine months, your body and mind go through a huge change as your baby grows and develops. The fourth trimester is an extension of the three trimesters and is a term used for the first few months of a baby’s life, and perhaps more importantly, the first few months of your motherhood journey with your baby. just as your baby is growing, developing, learning, changing and adapting to his/ her new life outside the womb, you too are growing, developing, learning, changing and adapting to new life as a mum. Your body and mind are once again going through a huge change and during this critical time it’s important to listen to your body and give yourself the rest it needs and truly deserves.
As mothers, we naturally want to ‘do’. We have a continuous list as long as our arms, we have daily chores, and we have a house to run and a family to look after. But during this fourth trimester, it is vital for our own mental health and wellbeing (and the health and well-being of our family) that we take care of ourselves and just ‘be’. Here are my six top tips to supporting yourself during the fourth trimester:
Rest
Whether you’ve had a natural birth or c section, a traumatic birth or an elated birth, your body is most likely exhausted, sore and uncomfortable. Letting your body rest and recharge is helping you to heal those scars and wounds, physically and mentally.
Pelvic floor
During pregnancy, your internal body endures a lot of weight. The muscles of your pelvic floor need exercising to ensure good health following childbirth. Booking an appointment with a women’s health physio is advised, but during the early days, at home exercises are a great way to looking after your needs.
Nutrition
Healthy nutrition helps to fuel us with energy and releases those feel good hormones. Nutrition is a simple way to support you during those sleepless nights and demanding days. Of course, it’s also important not to deprive yourself of your body’s cravings, so treating yourself every now and then with your favourite snack will also give you a little ‘pick me up’.
Water
Staying hydrated is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Water is good for our skin, our gut and our overall health. If you are a breastfeeding mother, you will find your body craves water. Having a glass of water close by to you during those feeds will help to keep you hydrated and looked after.
Ask for support
Please don’t be too shy or embarrassed to ask for support. Support could be from a family member, a friend or even a neighbour. And it could be as simple as asking someone to hold your baby whilst you take a shower, by asking for external support, you are supporting yourself.
Baby massage
The baby massage classes I offer can be started within the fourth trimester time frame from as early as 4 weeks old. Massage helps you and your baby to connect and bond in a nurturing and supportive environment with like-minded mums and it gives you the tools to support you and your baby through the early stages of his or her development. You can learn with me online or in person.
It is so important to support yourself during those early days of motherhood. Don’t forget to physically look after yourself, stay hydrated and well nourished, ask for help when you need it and start baby massage when you can with your baby. By supporting yourself, you are supporting your baby and your whole family.