Dr. Maya Juricic uses a variety of crystal bowls to create healing sounds. Submitted.
The Relaxing Sounds of Door County
Betsy Leshy
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The sound of chiming crystal alchemy bowls echoed throughout the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship building on Ephraim’s north side, followed by the voice of presenter Dr. Maya Juricic, bringing a sense of calm to the heart and mind of Ephraim resident Susan Giles.
“It was very enlightening,” Giles said. “I just felt a sense of calm overall.”
The Midsummer Music Coffee Talk lecture featured Juricic as guest speaker on “The Healing Power of Sound,” introducing an audience of about 30 to a collection of instruments and songs that promote frequencies for medical and cognitive healing.
Allison Fleck, executive director of Midsummer Music, said she met Juricic at a reception for a Midsummer concert, where she learned of Juricic’s expertise in the medical field and his interest in sound therapy.
With a sizable elderly population in the county, Fleck said a talk about stimulating the brain and memory through music will resonate with audiences.
“We know that music has an effect on you,” Fleck says. “You might walk away saying, ‘That felt great,’ or you might find that it has some kind of profound effect on your health and wellness.”
Juricic first learned about holistic healing about 20 years ago when a woman at a spa showed her a collection of crystal bowls. She explained that Hepatitis C had a devastating effect on her liver. But after months of sound healing, her liver tests returned to normal. After this discovery, Juricic says she tried sound healing again during the pandemic and became hooked on holistic medicine.
“We know that our bodies communicate through vibrations,” Juricic says, “and health is really about energy moving through your body.”
Juricic used this expertise to lead the audience through a series of meditations called “Song Baths,” which included singing with Crystal Alchemy Singing Bowls, guided breathing exercises, humming to the frequency of the bowls, and a variety of instruments including tuning forks and kossi bells.
After the sound bath, one audience member commented that the burn he had suffered that morning didn’t seem as painful.
Gayle was also inspired and said he plans to go home and find a bowl similar to the one used in the lecture so he can practice with it.
“I loved the different techniques she taught me,” Gail said, “so I’m going to use them to focus more on my breathing.”
Despite his knowledge of sound therapy, Juricic said he doesn’t need it to understand the causes of the medical anomalies he encounters.
“It doesn’t really matter to me whether I understand exactly what’s going on,” Juricic said, “If it helps someone, that’s really why I want to continue doing this.”
Juricic hosts sessions at various yoga classes and local businesses throughout Door County, as well as private sessions.
Midsummer Music also plans to hold a similar event with Northwestern University musician Clara Takarabe in November.
