As soon as I struck a large Tibetan singing bowl that was sitting on my chest, I thought, “I had died and gone to heaven.” It was so relaxing, strangely comforting, and magical. That was my initiation into sound healing with bronze bowls. I was hooked. From that moment on all I wanted to do was invite everyone I met to experience that feeling of a vibrating metal bowl on their chest. It’s why I do sound baths and teach anyone interested how to play the sound bowls.

My path to Tibetan/Himalayan singing bowls is a long and winding road.

It all started when my childhood bouts of eczema became worse in my adolescent years. I was given cortisone cream by my dermatologist when both my hands became very broken out. Miraculously that did the trick. The rashes were tamed as long as I used the cream regularly. Many years later, as I was battling persistent bronchitis, a friend said, “You have been getting worse and worse cases of bronchitis each year. I suspect the cortisone cream is having a harmful effect on your immune system.” I realized that since first using the cream I had become allergic to cats as well as tree and grass pollen. I felt like I was always on the verge of getting sick. I also began having breathing difficulties and was diagnosed with asthma. So the next day I totally stopped using cortisone cream. 

What happened next was a total surprise. My whole body broke out in rashes, from my head to my toes. Every morning when I awoke I had to take off my sheets, shake all the dry skin out of them, and wash them. I kept my entire body covered and wore hats so no one would see my rashes. I was a nervous wreck, itching and scratching constantly. My daily Iyengar yoga practice was the first thing that relieved my nervous system enough to allow me to get through the day. I gave up eating sugar and white flour products. I was introduced to energy medicine. Reiki helped calm my body. I continued on my healing path becoming a certified Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner, licensed massage therapist, craniosacral therapist, and auric field healer among many other things.

One day a fellow therapist said, “I’m going to study sound healing. Does anyone want to do it with me?’ I had no idea what sound healing was but I said, “I’ll do it.” And that’s how it all started. Sage Center’s first year-long sound healing class was created for our group of eight Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioners. During the class a fellow student said she was studying with a man from India who taught Tibetan singing bowls and thought I would like it. I signed up for his next certification class and, as I put that first metal bowl on my body and played it, I was smitten. I now play sound baths on a regular basis and have been certifying students as a teacher/trainer for the International Academy of Sound Healing since 2015.

Besides learning a variety of techniques and healing protocols, I learned that in order for the body to heal the subconscious mind has to be onboard with the healing to restore health. One is able to access the subconscious mind (delta and theta brainwaves) in deep meditation and deep sleep. Delta waves are linked to deep, dreamless sleep and restorative healing. Theta waves are related to deeper relaxation and inward focus. 

Playing my Tibetan singing bowls brings me to the most relaxed and healing place. This practice has calmed my nervous system and helped alleviate my eczema symptoms. These bowls were able to make sounds that restored healthy vibratory frequencies to my body, bringing body, mind, and spirit back into balance. This healing effect happens when our brain waves synchronize with the tones of the bowls. This is called entrainment. As this occurs, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. The heart slows down, blood pressure lowers, the eye’s pupil size decreases, blood vessels dilate, digestive juices increase, muscles in the gastrointestinal tract relax, and the whole body begins to go into deep relaxation. 

Michelle’s Sound Healing World workshop will introduce you to Sound Healing with Tibetan singing bowls. 

Learn more about Michelle at sonicbowls.com.