The Power of Sound - My Sound Healing Experience
Written by Tarryn James
20 July 2020
As someone who constantly finds herself on the go - energy healing has always been something that I have been drawn to as a means to connect back to self. One modality in particular is Sound Healing and Chakra Balancing. When I saw that Janet Farquharson was offering a combination of the two in Cape Town, I jumped at the opportunity to book a private session.
It was a winter’s day as the sun peeked through the trees bringing just enough warmth as I walked into her treatment room. As I lay down onto the soft cushion laid out on the floor, the smell of Nag champa lingered in the room. My favourite. I glanced around me to see 7 Tibetan sound bowls of various sizes perfectly placed in a circle around me. Each bowl, with its unique sound and frequency related to a specific Chakra, Janet had told me. I had done a few of Janet’s Sound Journeys before, but never one on one. After a few weeks of feeling fatigued and anxious, I had been looking forward to this session.
I covered my eyes with my lavender scented eye pillow and began to settle into stillness. The 45 minute sessio included Janet playing the different sound bowls and listening intuitively to where my body needed more sound and vibration. Janet moved towards the bowl at my left foot. As the sound began to echo through the room, I felt a ripple through my left leg and reverberate within my hip. I had been struggling with stiffness and pain in that area for a while.
She moved toward my right side, tapping the sound bowl that resonated to my heart chakra. My breath deepened and I felt a sense of ease wash over my body. Janet continued to move around the room, from the crown of my head, along the spine, working through each Chakra. Some needed more attention than others. It was not long before I felt my entire body immersed in a bubble of vibration. Nurturing and Supportive.
The session ended with the soothing sounds o Janet’s voice singing Mantra’s to bring my awareness back into the present moment. I opened my eyes with a sense of rejuvenation I hadn’t felt in a while.
It was in that moment that I fully experienced the true power of sound.
Himalayan singing bowls have been used for centuries for healing and meditation purposes in Tibet, India and Nepal. They create a range of sounds to restore the normal vibratory frequencies within the body, mind and spirit. Sounds from the Himalayan singing bowls stimulate the brain to move into Theta wave frequencies that induce deep, meditative and peaceful states, clarity of mind, and heightened intuition. The sound vibrations impact our nervous system, producing deep relaxation and inhibiting the stress or pain response. Himalayan singing bowls’ sounds and vibrations synchronize brain waves and enhance awareness of the mind/body connection.
Janet picked up her first singing bowl on a visit to India in 2010. She had sat in the shop for a few hours while playing the different bowls and finally found the one that spoke to her. Since then, she has been mesmerised by the healing vibrations & resonance of these sacred bowls. As her deep passion for Sound healing grew, she began to study with the late Chris Tokalon in Cape Town, where she learnt how to combine various sacred instruments with her voice. Last year, Jant returned to Nepal to complete her sound healing therapist certification in 2019.
My session with Janet ended with a reflection and discussion. I find this one of the most important aspects of any experience as you start to understand how your body responded to the energetic work. Janet talked me through her observations; Heart Chakra, Solar Plexus and Sacral Chakra. The three energy centres which were out of balance at the start of the session (which I had a gut feeling about leading into the session) were once again back in balance at the end of the session. As I asked questions, Janet was eager to share and give insights into tips and recommendations for the rest of the day. From types of essential oils to recommended crystals, I left with a sense of curiosity as to how I could incorporate these into my daily life.
As I arrived home feeling extremely grounded, I began to wonder why it had taken me so long to do a private session? So often, we do not give ourselves enough opportunities for rest and rejuvenation. Sometimes, we only realize that we need these healing sessions when our body, mind and soul has already been pushed too far.
With that in mind, an intention was set to prioritize these sessions. Not only because of the healing properties or the calm that it instills, but because they truly are powerful.