Today, a wide range of applications is grouped under the term “sound healing”: from sound meditations and sound baths to individual sessions and other forms of sound work.
In this article, you will learn what is usually meant by the term “sound healing” today, how it came about and which sound instruments are used. You will learn more about the methods it covers and also find out why we do not use the term “sound healing”.
What is sound healing?
When people talk about sound healing today, they usually mean participants bathing in the sounds and vibrations of instruments such as singing bowls or gongs, with the aim of promoting deep relaxation and strengthening body awareness. Even though the term contains the word “healing”, sound healing is usually not about curing illnesses or replacing medical treatment. Rather, it is meant to describe the conscious use of sounds to promote relaxation, mindfulness and general well-being. Many people experience sound sessions as a way to calm down, let go of everyday life more easily and reconnect with themselves.
Where does the term “sound healing” come from?
Working with sounds has accompanied humankind for thousands of years. In Asia, ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, instruments such as gongs, singing bowls, drums and cymbals were used in rituals, meditations and spiritual ceremonies.
In Nepal, India, Tibet and China in particular, there is a long tradition of working consciously with sound. There, vibrations have been used for thousands of years with the aim of bringing body and mind into harmony. Today, this traditional knowledge is complemented by modern insights from mindfulness, meditation and relaxation research and is often taught under the term “sound healing”. The term “sound healing” is relatively new and comes from the English-speaking world.
New ways of experiencing sound and consciously letting it work on you keep emerging: from guided sound meditations to sound journeys or sound baths.
Note: At Hess Sound, we deliberately do not speak of “sound healing”. We explain why we view this term critically later in this article.
Which methods are part of sound healing?
Today, different forms of sound work are grouped under “sound healing”. Sound meditations, sound baths, sound journeys, mantras, the conscious use of the voice or therapeutic tuning forks are just a few examples. While a sound meditation focuses on relaxation and consciously perceiving the sounds, sometimes accompanied by spoken words, participants in a sound bath immerse themselves in a multilayered soundscape of different instruments.
The different methods show how varied sound work is today. All these methods are often grouped under the term “sound healing”. At Hess Sound, however, we do not use the term in this way. We explain why further below.
What happens during sound healing?
Sound healing usually refers to sessions that work with sounds and vibrations. The tones of singing bowls and gongs are not only heard, but often also felt physically. The fine vibrations of a singing bowl or the deep frequencies of a gong in particular invite many people to turn their attention inward and arrive fully in the moment.
Many people report calmer breathing and a feeling of deep relaxation. There are now more and more scientific studies on the effects of sound. The results suggest that sound sessions can reduce stress and promote general well-being. How exactly sounds are experienced, however, is always individual and can vary from person to person.
Which instruments are used in sound healing?
Depending on the method and area of use, different instruments are used in sound meditations, sound baths and other sound sessions. There is no right or wrong: each instrument has its own sound character and can be experienced differently. While some sounds are perceived as gentle and calming, others feel powerful or activating. That is why it makes sense to choose the instruments you use consciously.
Sound instruments such as singing bowls and gongs are used most often in so-called sound healing sessions. Their intense vibrations can fill entire rooms and are suitable both for individual sessions and for larger groups.
Singing bowls
Singing bowls are among the best-known instruments in sound healing offerings. Even though we at Hess Sound deliberately do not use the term sound healing, singing bowls play a central role in sound meditations, sound baths and other forms of sound therapy. Depending on the application, individual singing bowls or entire singing bowl sets are used.
The quality of the singing bowls plays a decisive role in a harmonious sound experience. High-quality singing bowls made from a pure bronze alloy are characterized by particularly fine vibration behavior and are therefore ideal for sound meditations, sound baths or professional sound work.
At Hess Sound, you will find singing bowls for meditation and sound baths as well as the original Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls for professional sound massage.
We recommend these singing bowls for sound meditations, sound baths or sound massages:
Sound Bath Bowls
Our Sound Bath Bowls are ideal for sound baths, meditations or imagery journeys. You can use them individually or use our set of five harmoniously matched singing bowls. With their clear tones and rich overtone spectrum, they create an expansive soundscape.
Peter Hess® Sangha Singing Bowls
The Peter Hess® Sangha Singing Bowls were developed specifically for meditation. They have a clear, long-lasting sound and fine vibrations that can harmoniously fill even larger rooms.
Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls
The Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls were originally developed for sound massage and sound therapy. At the same time, they are excellent for meditations, imagery journeys and many other applications of professional sound work. They impress with their high quality, their harmonious sound behavior and their fine vibrations. The Peter Hess® Universal Bowl is particularly versatile: it is suitable for beginners as well as experienced users and combines wonderfully with Sangha Meditation Singing Bowls or other Therapy Singing Bowls.
On our blog, we introduce further singing bowls that are particularly well suited for sound meditations, sound journeys and sound baths.
Gongs
Gongs are often used in sound healing to create deep and multilayered spaces of sound. Their sounds fill even larger rooms and, depending on the playing technique and the mallet used, can feel gentle, flowing, powerful or clear. Gongs are used particularly often in sound baths, sound journeys or meditations.
Many people experience gong sounds as intense and relaxing at the same time. With this powerful instrument in particular, mindful and experienced use is especially important.
Other sound healing instruments
Depending on the area of use, needs and intention, many other sound instruments are used in so-called sound healing offerings:
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Koshi and Zaphir chimes
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Ocean drums
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Frame drums
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Monochords
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Chimes and wind chimes
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Handpans
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Therapeutic tuning forks
In sound meditations, sound baths or other forms of sound work, different instruments are often combined. This creates varied soundscapes with very different sound colors and vibration qualities.
Sound meditation with a singing bowl: a sound healing exercise
Many exercises known today under the term “sound healing” are based on mindful perception of sounds. This simple sound meditation with a singing bowl invites you to consciously perceive your body and open up to the vibrations of the singing bowl.
Theme:
Opening your own sound space
Instructions:
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Sit comfortably and place your singing bowl in front of you or on your hand
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Close your eyes and take three calm breaths.
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Gently strike the singing bowl and listen attentively to the tone until it has faded completely.
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Only then strike your singing bowl again.
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Ask yourself:
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Where did I perceive the sound most clearly?
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How is my breathing changing?
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Which thoughts have become calmer?
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Repeat this a few times, for as long as you like.
How much does sound healing cost?
The cost of a sound healing session can vary depending on the method, the provider and the length of the session. Sound baths or sound meditations are often offered both as group sessions and as individual sessions.
If you would like to get to know what is often grouped under the term “sound healing”, open sound meditations or sound baths in a group are often a particularly good way to start. If you would like to integrate sound into your everyday life regularly, you can also start with your own singing bowl and gain first experience at home.
Sound healing training: how do I learn professional sound work?
If you are interested in offering sound healing sessions yourself, thorough training in sound work can be the next step. There you will learn how to handle different sound instruments, how to structure a sound meditation or a sound bath, and the basics of professional sound work. There are now many different offerings that differ in content and quality.
When choosing a training course, make sure that theory and practice are combined meaningfully, that the focus matches your interests and that high-quality sound instruments are used. It is also advisable to look at the qualifications of the instructors. If you are looking for “sound healing training”, you will also find corresponding courses under terms such as sound massage training, sound therapy, sound education, sound meditation or professional sound work.
Why we do not speak of “sound healing”
At Hess Sound, we deliberately do not use the term “sound healing”. The reason is that the word “healing” can give the impression that sound itself can heal physical or psychological complaints. This corresponds neither to our understanding of sound work nor to the approach of the Peter Hess® Sound Methods.
We are convinced that high-quality singing bowls and gongs can support the body's natural processes of self-regulation and regeneration. Sound can promote a state of deep relaxation in which body and mind come to rest. In such moments, attention, breathing and body awareness can change, and the body's own self-healing powers can be stimulated. That is why we see sound as a companion and source of impulses, not as a remedy.
High-quality singing bowls such as Peter Hess® Singing Bowls produce a complex interplay of fundamental tone, overtones and fine vibrations. We perceive these sounds not only through our hearing: when singing bowls are played on or close to the body, as in the Peter Hess® Sound Massage, their vibrations can also be felt physically. Consciously hearing and feeling the sounds can help turn your focus inward, reduce stress and deepen body awareness.
For us, sound work therefore does not stand for curing illnesses, but for strengthening what is healthy, fostering resources and accompanying people on their way to more relaxation, mindfulness and well-being.
