Try sound bath meditation

A sound bath uses sustained resonant tones, usually from bowls or gongs, as the object of attention. To try sound bath meditation you simply lie down and listen, following each sound through to where it fades out. It suits people who find silent practice difficult, because there is always something to attend to.

Why try sound bath meditation is worth an hour

Sustained tones with long decay give attention a continuously changing target, which is easier to follow than the breath for many beginners. Being audibly guided also removes the question of whether you are doing it right. What it is not is a treatment: claims about specific frequencies healing conditions are not supported, and the practice does not need them.

How to try sound bath meditation step by step

1. 1

   Lie down and get warm

   On your back with a blanket. Sessions run thirty to sixty minutes and body temperature drops when still.

2. 2

   Follow each sound to its end

   Listen through the whole decay until it disappears. The fade-out is the most absorbing part.

3. 3

   Notice where you feel the sound

   Low tones are often felt in the chest as much as heard. Physical sensation is part of the experience.

4. 4

   Let your mind wander and return

   Same as any practice. Coming back to the sound is the repetition being trained.

5. 5

   Stay still for a minute afterwards

   The silence after the last tone is deliberately part of the session rather than the end of it.

Tips to get more out of it

• Recordings work reasonably, though live sessions carry a physical dimension recordings cannot reproduce.
• Use good headphones for recordings. Phone speakers cannot produce the low frequencies that matter.
• Treat sound healing claims skeptically. It is a pleasant absorbing practice; it is not a medical treatment.

Ways to mix it up

If bowls are not available, any long sustained sound works: a held note, ambient recordings, or rain. If you find lying down leads to sleep, sit upright against a wall instead and keep your eyes slightly open.

Try sound bath meditation: frequently asked questions