My journey begins

My journey with sound as a tool for wellness began in 2019. I joined a restorative yoga and gong bath event at my local yoga studio. Honestly, I had no idea what a gong bath was, but I was open to the experience.

As it turned out, the experience was transformative. The sound and vibrations swirled around the studio as we settled into stillness. The sensations were unlike anything I had experienced before. I couldn’t resist – I had to open my eyes, and see for myself… how could what is essentially a sheet of metal create such a deep, layered and powerful sound that seemed to speak to my soul?

I was hooked from that point. I signed up for Sunday Yin Yoga and sound baths whenever I could.

I noticed some interesting patterns. After my Sunday sound bath, I felt able to move through the week with more ease. I felt more centred. More balanced. Calmer. My sleep improved. And in the weeks where I couldn’t attend, it was the opposite.

Fast forward five years…

Two courses of sound healing study.
A constantly growing family of instruments (once you start it’s a slippery slope!).
My own energy-based wellness practice.
And here I am – sharing the wonder and awe of sound with newbies just like I was in 2019. Oh, the joy!

But what is actually happening beneath the surface?
What gives sound its power to soothe, regulate and transform?

What I felt intuitively back then, I now understand more deeply through both training and research.

The art, science and alchemy of sound

Sound healing is not new. Throughout human history and across cultures, sound has been intertwined with our daily practices, meditations, celebrations, rites of passage and sacred ceremonies. Our forebears understood intuitively the power of sound. Yet modern science is still in the early stages of understanding its full effects.

Research into sound, vibration and nervous system regulation is growing. We’re learning that when we’re exposed to soothing sounds—like those from singing bowls, chimes, or gentle music—the vibrations and frequencies are associated with activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. This “rest and digest” response helps slow the heart rate, reduce stress hormones, and foster a sense of calm and relaxation. Through this process, sound can help shift us out of a heightened, stressed state into one of greater balance and ease, supporting both mental and physical wellbeing.

However, much of what we experience in a sound bath — the subtle shifts, the emotional releases, the sense of expansion or clarity — is not yet fully measurable through conventional scientific tools.

The science is catching up. And in many ways, it is beginning to validate what traditional cultures have long understood: that sound has the capacity to shape our inner landscape in profound ways.

Integrating sound into daily life

Perhaps the most meaningful way to understand sound healing is to experience it directly.

You don’t need training or special knowledge to begin. Even five or ten minutes of listening to calming sound — whether through a guided sound bath, gentle instrumental music, or simply humming softly to yourself — can begin to shift your internal state.

Your voice, in fact, is one of the most accessible and powerful sound healing instruments you have. Simple humming creates vibration within the body and can support relaxation in surprisingly effective ways.

If you feel called to explore more deeply, there are many beautiful ways to do so. You might join a group sound bath in your local community, or book a one-on-one sound immersion for a more personalised experience.

From time to time, I also collaborate with yoga teachers to offer restorative yoga and sound events — a gentle blend of movement, stillness and immersive sound that allows the body and nervous system to truly unwind. These gatherings are some of my favourite spaces to hold.

However you choose to explore it, sound invites us into listening — not just with our ears, but with our whole being.