For beginners, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word meditation is the all-encompassing sound. But for city dwellers looking to relax after a mentally tumultuous week, sound meditation is the go-to solution, as many UAE residents and practitioners can attest. It is a measure.
“People here lead busy lives and are always looking for hacks to help them relax, and I think sound healing is that,” says Aseya Nassib, a resident of Dubai. Fascinated by her holistic practice, Nassib transitioned from her student to certified practitioner this year.
A quick search on the internet (or in a gym app) will yield ample results for sound meditation sessions in wellness centres, yoga studios and spiritual retreats across the UAE.
“The easiest way to meditate”
Sound practitioner Anishka Bagla explains the surge in popularity (global online searches have been steadily increasing since mid-2021) and says, “This is a passive meditation, and as a meditator, You don’t have to do much to experience the benefits.” In other words, it’s accessible in a world that values instant gratification.
After years of facilitating sessions, Bagla opened her own studio, Soul Side Wellness, in Dubai’s Jumeirah Lakes Towers in January. Since then, demand has increased rapidly.
“I use the sound bowl during my yoga sessions, but also as an added benefit during savasana. [a meditative posture that typically signals the end of a yoga class]” she explained, adding that since COVID-19, she has noticed even more curiosity about the practice. “More people have had more time to turn inward. During the lockdown phase, I heard people talking about energy healing and practicing yoga in their free time. And I started my own studio. Now that we are open, most of the inquiries we receive are related to sound healing.”
Zankana Mistry, founder of Essentia Wellbeing Center, also part of JLT, agrees: I think meditation is the simplest and easiest method, which is why it is so in demand. ”
Instrument Lessons
When you sign up for a healthy meditation class, you’ll often step into a quiet space for some candlelight to promote a relaxed state. Yoga mats, pillows, blankets, and sometimes even eye masks are provided for the comfort of Zen-seekers.
But it’s the musical instruments that catch the eye. Tibetan singing bowls and gongs are one of the most common products, but classes can also incorporate chimes, hand percussion, flutes, and rainstick vocals.
Sessions begin with breathing exercises, yoga stretches, or short guided meditations, but sometimes practitioners stop midway through before participants lie down and let the bowl sing.
So where does the meditation part come in? “There are many different ways to meditate, but the end goal is the same: to become still mentally, physically, and emotionally,” says Bagula. . “Sound is a form of meditation. It’s just because you need to do it. You’re in a state of complete stillness.”
“An easy way to slow down”
For first-timers or those who don’t know how to shut off the outside world in favor of a more calm state once the gong begins, Bagla offers simple tips to help center the mind, saying, “Breathing is a bridge.” Breathing techniques are recommended. between mind and body.” Choose a breathing technique that allows you to “exhale longer than you inhale, which already triggers a relaxation response in your body,” she advises.
For Nassib, who started using sound meditation several years ago to manage her OCD symptoms, the benefits were immediate. “When I first went to acoustics class, I was like, ‘What just happened?'” I loved it. It’s an easy way to slow down your body and nervous system. ”
For others, the experience may take some time to get used to. Another fan, Kate Lindley, said: national: “My body feels so heavy that I think I’m paralyzed. I’ve learned to engage my rational brain to understand that this is part of the process.” For her, it’s about frequency. is an “interesting and enjoyable experience” that helps you reset while functioning at a “cellular level”.
Nakul Meherish, a long-time resident of the United Arab Emirates who owns and operates Dubai’s Raju Omelette restaurant and runs a real estate business, recently converted to holistic practices. “Sound meditation has helped me cope and has had a positive impact,” he says, explaining that it makes him “much calmer with everyday stress.” Initially referred for pain, he says the sessions “also helped my back heal.”
Harness your healing powers
Anyone who has ventured into this field will realize that the sound prefix can be followed by meditation, as well as healing, bathing, and ritual. “For those who aren’t aware, it’s all the same,” Mistry explains.
“But if you look at each piece of equipment being used, they are selected to deliver specific frequencies, and every frequency resonates with specific body parts, moods, and emotions. The Problem You may need to use different bowls or utensils to address certain aspects of the process.
A holistic healer who also offers one-on-one sessions alongside group meditation, she credits various sound therapies with helping her mother reduce her pain and calm her as she battled a cancer diagnosis in the hospital. I started this art after witnessing this.
The effectiveness of a sound bath as a means of healing can be attributed to the frequencies produced by each instrument. It can generate vibrations that create movement in liquid shapes. Since the human body is made up of approximately 60% water, the theory is that sound waves not only remove energy blockages, but also promote healing from a cellular level.
Although not directly studied, some science supports this theory. An American study conducted at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 2017 showed that “airborne particles aggregate and synchronize in response to sound waves.” Another 2022 study by the University of Michigan demonstrated that “non-invasive acoustic technology destroys liver tumors in rats, killing cancer cells and stimulating the immune system to prevent further spread.” . More studies link sound waves to alleviating symptoms of dementia and healing brain injuries, and some even suggest a revolution in stem cell therapy.
For the masses, the therapeutic potential of sound serves as a secondary benefit, while for others, the meditative effects are an added bonus. Lindley, a longtime meditator, said: “Since COVID-19, people are seeking additional means of healing and are finding that these practices can help foster peace, calm, community and connection. “There is,” he theorizes.
“Every culture incorporates sound into their rituals.”
Mistry says a shared community is central to the origins of sound meditation, long before it became an upscale, trendy wellness activity.
“Sound is embedded in the rituals of every religion and every culture,” she explains. “Temples have bells, churches have hymns, and Islam has a unique way of chanting the Koran. Now it is moving from a religious space to a cultural space. I find a way to connect with my cultural space through sound without realizing that I am returning to it.”
Immersing yourself in sounds shared with a community has long been a form of meditation. She is equally cautious, adamant that everyone should try Sound Her Healing. “It offers great possibilities, but it’s not a magic wand.”
Even if you lean on the skeptical side when it comes to holistic healing, that’s okay too. You don’t have to have strong beliefs to feel the effects of meditation. Like many busy UAE residents, dragged along by a partner or reluctantly introduced by a friend, you too attend your first group sound meditation, lie down, breathe, and wonder what happens next. It’s enough to see, or even feel.
Updated: May 21, 2024, 11:10 a.m.
