Every Friday someone arrives at the sound bath, looks at the mats and blankets laid out in rows, and asks quietly whether they are supposed to do anything. The honest answer is no. That is the point, and it is also the hardest part.
The first ten minutes
You lie down, cover yourself with a blanket and put a small cushion under your knees. I talk for a few minutes about breathing and about letting the floor take your weight. Then the room goes dark except for a lamp by the bowls, and I start with one bowl, struck once, left to ring until you cannot hear it any more.
Most people spend these minutes listening hard, as if there will be a test. That is normal. The sound will keep going whether you follow it or not.
“You do not have to like every sound. You only have to let it pass.”
The middle
For about forty minutes I play eleven bowls, two gongs and a set of chimes, moving slowly around the room. Some passages are very quiet; a few are full enough that you feel them in your chest. Earplugs are by the door for anyone who wants them, and you can sit up whenever you like.
This is where people drift. Some think about their week, some fall asleep, some notice their hands for the first time in days. None of these is better than another.
Try it at home
Five minutes, one sound
1
Sit or lie somewhere you will not be interrupted.
2
Tap a glass or a mug gently with a spoon.
3
Listen until the sound disappears completely.
4
Wait for a breath, then tap again. Repeat for five minutes.
Coming back
The last sound fades and I leave a few minutes of silence before I speak. You roll onto your side, sit up slowly and drink the tea that is waiting in the corner. People often say the walk home is the best part: the street sounds louder, and somehow less of a problem.
If you have tinnitus or are pregnant, tell me before we start and I will set your mat away from the gongs. And if you would like to try it, the next Friday has a few mats left.
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