What is sound therapy? Several years ago, I began going to regular yoga classes. I found the Savasana (relaxation pose at the end of a yoga class) was often very hard and almost impossible for me to do. How could I lie still and relax when I had a whole list of things I need to get done after this class? I would think to myself. Then one day I heard about a Full Moon Gong concert. I went with a lot of curiosity, and fortunately, I was open-minded. The instructor lead us through a lot of Kundalini exercises which included “Breath of Fire” (I’ll explain this another time). After this, the participants were instructed to lie down for “deep relaxation.” This was when the sound vibrations began. There were at least six gongs melodiously playing, sometimes all at once and other times one at a time. The cosmic music went on for another 45 minutes. During this time, I felt my mind and body merge into a wave that figuratively moved with the vibrations. Within a few short minutes, I was completely relaxed and one with the sound.
What happened? I thought as I the music came to a conclusion and I sat up and drank a small cup of hot chai tea. I began studying this amazing form of healing and deep relaxation. You may wonder how this music and vibrational sound can be healing. Find out more about Sound Therapy.
To put it really simply, sound can be healing because the vibrations can put your mind and body into deep relaxation allowing the body and mind to heal itself.
Born in Mexico City, I moved to the United States when I was six. I was mostly raised by my grandmother Sarah Penn Harris who was one of Austin’s original organic gardeners. I was lucky to have grown up eating the whole wheat bread she baked and the organic vegetables she grew in her amazing garden. I also had a fantastic mother who was the most creative artist I have ever known.
When I was thirteen, I had a very intense and realistic dream that I was at the Taj Majal in India with a large group wearing all white and standing in poses. Something about the dream told me this is what I was meant to do. It was 1973, and I did not know anything about yoga, so I assumed I was meant to do karate. I took several classes, and it never resonated with me, and I went on with my life. On a trip to Mexico with my mother in 1975, I met someone who showed me some basic yoga breathing techniques which helped me some when I went on to college. I got my degree from Texas State in San Marcos, focusing on Interior Design.
In the late 80’s I worked as an Interior Designer in Austin and San Antonio for a few years. In 1988 I got my real estate license and became a Realtor. I left yoga on the back burner and began working 60-80 hours a week and raising a family. I had chronic pain in my back, knees, and shoulders and at the end of 2013, I crashed. I could hardly get out of bed. I couldn’t get through the day without pain pills and anti-anxiety medications.
Born in Mexico City, I moved to the United States when I was six. I was mostly raised by my grandmother Sarah Penn Harris who was one of Austin’s original organic gardeners. I was lucky to have grown up eating the whole wheat bread she baked and the organic vegetables she grew in her amazing garden. I also had a fantastic mother who was the most creative artist I have ever known.
When I was thirteen, I had a very intense and realistic dream that I was at the Taj Majal in India with a large group wearing all white and standing in poses. Something about the dream told me this is what I was meant to do. It was 1973, and I did not know anything about yoga, so I assumed I was meant to do karate.
I took several classes, and it never resonated with me, and I went on with my life. On a trip to Mexico with my mother in 1975, I met someone who showed me some basic yoga breathing techniques which helped me some when I went on to college. I got my degree from Texas State in San Marcos, focusing on Interior Design.
In the late 80’s I worked as an Interior Designer in Austin and San Antonio for a few years. In 1988 I got my real estate license and became a Realtor. I left yoga on the back burner and began working 60-80 hours a week and raising a family. I had chronic pain in my back, knees, and shoulders and at the end of 2013, I crashed. I could hardly get out of bed. I couldn’t get through the day without pain pills and anti-anxiety medications.
I knew something had to change. I cut my workload in half and then in half again. I started retaking yoga classes and meditating on a regular basis.
One day I was in a yoga class, and I got in touch with my heart; this was rare since I was so out of touch with myself at that time. My heart told me yoga was what I wanted to do. I signed up for teacher training the next day. When I started teacher training, I could not sit cross-legged on the floor for more than 15 minutes. I had stopped taking the pain pills and the anxiety meds, but I was in pain a lot of the time. After the nine-month teacher training, I could sit on the floor, and my pain was almost entirely gone most of the time. I felt renewed!
After a recent trip to Costa Rica, I have begun practicing Kundalini on a regular basis and can also incorporate the healing sounds of the gong when I teach.
One day I was in a yoga class, and I got in touch with my heart; this was rare since I was so out of touch with myself at that time. My heart told me yoga was what I wanted to do. I signed up for teacher training the next day. When I started teacher training, I could not sit cross-legged on the floor for more than 15 minutes. I had stopped taking the pain pills and the anxiety meds, but I was in pain a lot of the time.
After the nine-month teacher training, I could sit on the floor, and my pain was almost entirely gone most of the time. I felt renewed!
After a recent trip to Costa Rica, I have begun practicing Kundalini on a regular basis and can also incorporate the healing sounds of the gong when I teach.
Once I received my Hatha Certification, I began teaching yoga classes at Serasana in Bee Cave. In April of 2018 I went to a Kundalini/Gong retreat in Costa Rica and learned how to play the gong as well as incorporate Kundalini into my personal practice. I became certified in Kundalini and Restorative Yoga in early 2019. Recently I also got my Sound Therapy Certification and have been helping people in groups and in private session find deep relaxation and relief from stress. I hope to see you in one of my classes or in a private session soon!
Once I received my Hatha Certification, I began teaching yoga classes at Serasana in Bee Cave. In April of 2018 I went to a Kundalini/Gong retreat in Costa Rica and learned how to play the gong as well as incorporate Kundalini into my personal practice. I became certified in Kundalini and Restorative Yoga in early 2019. Recently I also got my Sound Therapy Certification and have been helping people in groups and in private session find deep relaxation and relief from stress. I hope to see you in one of my classes or in a private session soon!
Enjoy an afternoon of relaxation! We will begin with some simple Kundalini yoga exercises to prepare our body and mind for the experience of sound therapy. Then you will have the opportunity to sit or lie down in a comfortable position. The sounds of the singing bowls and gong will begin.
Enjoy an afternoon of relaxation! We will begin with some simple Kundalini yoga exercises to prepare our body and mind for the experience of sound therapy. Then you will have the opportunity to sit or lie down in a comfortable position. The sounds of the singing bowls and gong will begin.
Recently I attended a workshop to learn how to use Himalayan Singing Bowls for Sound Therapy. Everitt Allan with Sound Therapy of Austin led the
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