5 Sound Meditations to Create Good Vibrations

Sound has ancient roots in healing and meditation dating back over 40,000 years! Cultures around the world have used sound meditation in many different ways as a method of healing and spiritual awakening according to Psychology Today. 

Using sound to deepen spiritual practices seem to be universal and includes bells and choirs in churches, mantra chanting in Buddhist monasteries, and the Muslim call to prayer. Think of sound meditation as a go-to healing experience for your wellness toolkit.

Plus, harnessing the healing vibrations of sound doesn’t require fancy equipment or expensive treatments. In fact, sound meditations are actually easy to do. Try these different types of sound healing and find your moment of Zen.

Gongs and Bells

Buddhists use different instruments to enhance meditation. The light chime of bells or heavy ringing of a gong reverberates into the atmosphere, setting the tone for stillness and quiet reflection. To use this in your practice, bang the gong or bell one, two, or three times at the beginning of your meditation practice. Once you finish, repeat the sound as a way to close the session

Singing Bowls

The Tibetan culture of the Himalayas has a reputation for their deep spiritual practices, which have influenced people all over the world. Aside from their incredibly inspiring leader, Tibetans are also famous for their singing bowls to induce relaxation. A study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that singing bowl sound meditation may reduce stress, anger, and depression while promoting overall well-being.

To use a singing bowl, you create the sound by firmly pressing a mallet against the bowl’s outside rim. This creates a calming, bright sound that gently soothes during your meditation practice.

Saying Mantras

Mantra meditation, called Japa from the Sanskrit word for muttering, uses the repetition of sacred sound as a way to raise your vibrational energy in the mind and body. As Yoga International points out, spiritual practices all over the world use this type of meditation including in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, as well as outside of India, in Christianity and Islam.

Enjoy the calming sensation of this simple sound meditation. Set aside a few minutes, or longer, to devote to this practice. Choose a mantra that best suits you. Then sit quietly and repeat the mantra, either out loud or silently in your mind. If your mind wanders, simply bring your awareness back to the mantra.

Sound Baths

During a sound bath, you are “bathed” in healing sounds according to Very Well Mind. But it’s not about the music, it’s about how the sounds can help you balance energy.

“During a sound bath, you don’t want to hook into a melody. You don’t want to repeat things because you don’t want the brain to recognize a repeated beat. Instead, you want participants to release, and you want the brain to let go,” Tamalyn Miller, the lead sound practitioner at Naturopathica Chelsea in New York City told Very Well Mind.

You can create your own sound bath experience at home. Invite a friend or two to join. You can combine different healing sounds and instruments, like gongs, singing bowls, chimes, rattles, tuning forks, as well as your voice. Close your eyes and let the healing take over.

Sounds of Nature

Sometimes the key to healing is as simple as stepping outside of your front door. Nature has an abundance of natural healing sounds, from a trickling stream and the waves of the ocean, to the rustling of the wind in the leaves. 

When feeling distracted or in need of some calm, find a quiet place in nature for a meditation session. Close your eyes and bring awareness to the sounds. Begin by listening to the sounds furthest away for a few minutes. Then shift your focus to what you hear closest to you. Finally, open your ears to the entire sound experience that surrounds you. When you notice your thoughts wander, simply return your focus back to the sound meditation. This type of sound meditation can help your mind focus and calm anxious thoughts.