By Purvi Shah, RYT500

Sound is often the first sense we develop and the last to fade. It has the power to soothe, to awaken, and to transform. In sound healing, we return to this primal connection using vibration to move from the external to the internal, from noise to stillness, and from separation to wholeness.

This is the essence of Nada Yoga (Naad Yog), or Sound Yoga. Nada Yoga is divided into two aspects: Ahata (external sounds), which refers to the sounds we hear, like chanting, instruments, or music and Anahata (internal sounds), the subtler, silent vibrations of our own awareness.

To clarify further, Ahata, a struck or audible sound that is perceived through our external senses, specifically, our ears.

Anahata, unstruck or silent, internal vibrations of the self that are considered sacred and personal.

The sounds used in sound healing are examples of Ahata Nada – external, “struck” sounds such as playing Tibetan singing bowls, crystal bowls, chimes, or gongs. These audible sounds are a starting point to help you: refine focus, shift awareness inward, cultivate deep listening, and achieve calmness. They serve as a tool to eventually access our Anahata Nada, the deep, internal, sound cultivated in advance of meditative shifts.

Sound healing combined with Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep) creates a state of trance-like sleep where the body is in a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. Yoga Nidra takes us inward. When I lead sessions, I make everyone aware that they might end up snoring or hear someone around them snore. Just let go.

When we can let go, surrender to the sound, stillness, and breath, we can go inwards and slow down. A sound healing session combined with Yoga Nidra reduces anxiety, promotes better sleep, and enhances self-awareness, along with energizing and improving your mood.

Moving from external sounds to internal sound awareness is a journey. As humans, we hold our fears, worries, joys, and responsibilities close. We carry them on our shoulders, in our neck and jaw, and throughout the body, each of us in different ways, depending on our physiology. We also forget to breathe. Breath keeps us alive, yet the kind of breathing that carries us through the day is different from the intentional breathing that centers and grounds us. That kind of breath does not come as easily as we might hope.

1. The simple act of closing our eyes immediately disconnects us from the external.

2. Taking a few deep cleansing breaths brings awareness to our current state of being.

3. Lying down signals a shift from doing to surrendering.

When we combine all three of these actions in a sound healing session, we open ourselves to both the external sounds and the inner vibrations that help us slow down and attune to our internal rhythms.

Science is still catching up to understanding how sound heals, but the current research is promising. A review of 400 published scientific articles on music as medicine found strong evidence that music has mental and physical health benefits in improving mood and reducing stress. In fact, rhythm in particular (over melody) can provide physical pain relief. One study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine found that an hour-long sound meditation helped people reduce tension, anger, fatigue, anxiety, and depression while increasing a sense of spiritual well-being.

This research mirrors what I witness in my own practice. At the end of each sound healing session, when we sit quietly and reflect, participants share experiences that range from slowing down to falling into deep sleep, from seeing colors to sensing a presence, from becoming emotional to entering deep calm.

As a sound healer, to witness the resonance of my seven Tibetan singing bowls filling the room, to feel the reverberations softening hearts and bodies, is awe-inspiring. Each session is not only a reminder of sound’s profound healing power. It is also a humbling teaching experience.

See details for Purvi’s in-person September 12 workshop at IYISF – Sound Healing & Breathwork

For more about Purvi, visit https://www.playrx.life/

by Rukmini Ando

I fell in love with Hatha Yoga at first sight. The experience of being at ease, even for a few moments, for the first time in years, was so impactful that I unknowingly made a vow to practice it for the rest of my life. Years later, I discovered Integral Yoga and learned about its six branches: Hatha, Raja, Bhakti, Jnana, Japa, and Karma. Hatha Yoga, the most well-known branch, is a powerful tool for cultivating awareness—not just in physical postures, but in everyday life.

In an asana, when we focus our minds on the sensations in our bodies and the flow of our breath, time slows down. Our bodies may seem still, but our minds are often racing. As we practice, we notice the mind wandering: anticipating movements, comparing ourselves to others, wishing for more flexibility or strength, dealing with memories that for some reason come up. Despite the internal chaos, something magical happens when we show up and follow the teachers’ instructions. We become more able to relax, breathe, and maybe even find peace.

As we continue to practice, we start to accept and honor our bodies’ limitations, we can let go of comparing ourselves to others and even with our past self, we become more aware of our thoughts, our attention in our body and breath strengthens, and we finally feel more present, we finally feel ourselves, we finally feel our own presence, our True Self. Little by little, we become more able to notice spaces between thoughts, pauses between breaths, and stillness beneath the surface. The physical postures become a gateway to inner awareness, teaching us to approach our mental and emotional boundaries with curiosity and compassion. We learn to observe our thoughts and emotions without getting swept away every single time. 

This awareness can translate to our daily lives. We can become more able to notice triggers for stress and anxiety, to learn to respond rather than react. We can develop more acceptance and detachment, navigating challenges with more ease and clarity. Hatha yoga has the potential to help us listen to our inner wisdom, honor our limitations, and embrace the present moment.

Move With Ease: Hatha Yoga for Hip Mobility & Lower Body

Join Rukmini Saturday, April 25th – 11 AM – 1 PM PT