Sound Journeys (also called Sound Healing or Sound Baths), and Nature-Connected activities (such as Forest Bathing and any other mindful, sensory, fun, educational or creative experience) are experiencing a growing trend worldwide for the past few years.
There are different reasons for this. Mainly the extensive amount of scientific research papers and surveys that have come up lately, showing the amount of benefits that they provide. And also because it's an easy - almost effortless, non invasive and holistic way of feeling better, in a pleasant environment that stimulate the senses and the feelings, when we are mostly used to work with the brain and the thoughts only.
There is also a strong willingness to CONNECT;
Connection with the Self or the Soul, which is being dimmed by the overwhelming flow of information and the focus on instant gratification;
Connection with the others, in a world where more and more people are lonely and depressed, and where mental health is globally very poor, especially in developed countries!
(Re)Connection with Nature; which was a given a few generations ago only. It is now gradually seen as a way to promote holistic well-being, restore a deeper sense of belonging, interconnectedness, balance and harmony. As environmental concerns are accelerating, there is a growing desire to reconnect with nature as a way to foster a sense of stewardship and responsibility.
Connection with the Source and the Truth, in a genuine way that is focusing on the heart and on a different form of 'knowing' (not to be confused with 'knowledge'). Many people find a sense of awe and wonder in nature, leading to feelings of spiritual connection or transcendence.
Both practices have a lot of elements and benefits in common. They provide:
Holistic non-invasive Wellbeing: Sound Baths and Nature-Connectedness are both valuable complementary therapies for improving ALL aspects of our health, wellness and overall quality of life; at physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. Scientific research has proven benefits on the immune system, blood pressure, mental health, etc. They are particularly efficient at lowering cortisol levels (the stress hormone), anxiety, and depression. They naturally induce a sense of calm and deeper connection to oneself and the world around us. Other benefits include pain relief, improved sleep, enhanced moods, better focus, concentration and memory, increased self-awareness, enhanced creativity, better emotional regulation and pain managment, and even healthier relationships.
Connection with the Present Moment: They both encourage individuals to be fully present in the moment, to disconnect from the brain/thoughts and focus on the heart/feelings instead.
Sensory Experience linking to Feelings and Emotions: Sound Healing and Nature Immersion all engage the senses in different ways, which reduces the activity of the 'monkey mind', while engaging with the heart sense rather than the logical/rational brain. This process balances the nervous system, calms the mind and brings the self to a neutral peaceful presence, where positive emotions are automatically boosted.
Promotion of Inner Harmony: They all promote inner harmony and balance by helping individuals reconnect with themselves and their surroundings; whether it's through the harmonizing effects of sound, the grounding experience of nature, or the inner peace cultivated through mindfulness.
What's the benefit of mixing them together..?!
Combining sound healing, mindfulness, and nature immersion can create a powerful holistic approach to improving mental and emotional health, because each practice can complement the other and offer exponential outcomes!
Another factor to take into consideration, and that I see everyday, in my practice is that we are ALL unique and we all respond differently to specific approaches. Combining the perspectives increase the chances of people 'clicking' into what they deeply resonate with, most times without having a clue as to what could 'work' for them or not. Part of the blame is to put on the habit of being spoon-fed information, which is telling us what is supposedly 'the' best options for us. However, there're mostly based on trends that change quickly and they sometimes even contradict each other! Thankfully, there is a growing movement of individuals willing to achieve a deeper level of being and self-awareness.
Next great benefit we get when blending them together is to offer a diverse variety of new and unique experiences, which can be customized into a 'signature package' for a resort brand, or a personalized session for a customers willing to improve a very specific part of their life - related to anything physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, social or spiritual. So, imagination is the limit in what's possible to offer, really!
This also helps keeping people engaged and interested, since our phone-generation is used to be entertained by a multitude of stuff and gets bored very easily (sadly though).
Now, if you're interested in digging deeper,
There are a few differences in what Sound and Nature promotes as well, but separately (at least from what the Science has to say)...
Sound Healing, and especially Gong Baths and Mantra Chanting (with your own voice), promote cellular healing: The vibrations of Sound waves penetrate the body at a cellular level, stimulating cellular regeneration and promoting healing processes.This is especially true for Gong Baths and mantra chanting (when using your own voice!). Extensive research has been done on Kirtan Kriya (a form of chanting meditation used in Kundalini yoga), which has been shown to increase your telomerase by 44% (that's what keeps your chromosomes healthy and aging well), on top of many more positive outcomes!
Sound baths help strengthen and balance energy centers: Specific frequencies and vibrations can resonate with and entrain the body's electromagnetic field and all energy centers - or chakras. They can also clear energy blockages stuck in the biofield, which is partially what creates illness and disease in our physcial bodies.
Nature-immersion provides a feeling of belonging to the web of life and to something greater, which fosters a sense of connectedness to Oneness and non-duality, promotes feelings of gratitude and awe, as well as being a part of something greater than the limited ego-self (whether it be the natural world, the universe, or a spiritual dimension). This feeling of interconnectedness contributes to overall life satisfaction and fulfillment.
Sound Baths, mind you, can also achieve a very similar outcome - sometimes even more, but it would happen only when the mind is entrained to specific brainwaves which are linked with natural altered states of consciousness. Those brainwaves have the power to induce very powerful spiritual visions and feelings.
So what are you waiting for, let's try it out together!! :)
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