Discover the restorative power of sound meditation and how to practice it for inner peace.
While fulfilling your extensive list of daily commitments — working your nine-to-five job, picking up your kids, making dinner, powering through a workout — you may find yourself in search of solace, a moment to disconnect from the incessant noise of your surroundings and, often, your own thoughts.
Your solution: sound meditation, a practice that instills inner peace, mental clarity, and self-healing through the harmonious interplay of repetitive, soothing sounds.
The Healing Power of Sound Meditation
Though it has evolved over the years, sound meditation is deeply rooted in ancient customs and rituals, says Franck Raharinosy, a sound meditation facilitator and former Equinox Artist in Residence. “The tradition started thousands of years ago when people were dancing, they were singing, they were making sounds, using instruments,” he says. “They didn't have Netflix at the time, right?” Back then, it was often used during ceremonies for social bonding, experimentation, and healing.
Today, sound meditation provides a comfortable space for people to reconnect with themselves and disconnect from their surroundings. “The sound, for me, is the easiest form of meditation because all I have to do is really focus on the sound,” explains Raharinosy.
The SPIN ping-pong social club co-founder first experienced the power of the meditation style about a decade ago, when he tried a deep-sound healing session. “I was completely intrigued and very curious about the sound, the vibration of the gong,” he recalls. “There was something about the gong that was very healing for me and very beautiful.” The entrancing experience inspired Raharinosy to buy his first gong just a week later. Soon enough, he started playing for friends and family, experimenting and developing his own practice. And in 2016, he began hosting guided sound meditations for anyone in need.
And most people can benefit from the soothing nature of the practice: “We have on average around 60,000 thoughts a day, and most of the thoughts are repetitive,” says Raharinosy. “When we focus on the sound — the deeper we listen and follow the vibration of the instrument — the deeper we go into a meditation state because we are washing off all the thoughts in our mind.”
The Art of Facilitating Sound Meditation
Participants in a sound meditation session typically lie comfortably on a yoga mat with their eyes covered to remove external distractions. The facilitator then guides them through deep breathing exercises to help start the relaxation process. Then, the sound gradually begins. In his practice, Raharinosy uses a combination of recorded tracks and live instruments to send listeners on a transcendent journey, helping them to reach deep states of meditation, relaxation, and self-healing. “I really love the gong, Tibetan singing balls, chimes, rain sticks, ocean drum bells, shruti box — a lot of instruments,” says Raharinosy.
To be clear, the sounds he generates aren’t music. “It's not a performance, not a concert,” Raharinosy adds. “I like to use similar patterns when I play, it’s my personal approach. As a facilitator, you have to read the room, and it's very intuitive. It's really about your own energy, your vibration, observing, feeling. And I found that it gets people into a deep state of meditation because the brain is getting used to that pattern.”
During a typical 60-minute session, sound meditation leads listeners into a state akin to dreaming, in which the body has the remarkable capacity to heal itself, says Raharinosy. “The benefits of sound meditation [are] to slow down, be more calm, let go of whatever doesn't serve you, and for the body to regenerate,” he notes.
How to Practice Sound Meditation
Raharinosy encourages people to practice sound meditation regularly. The good news: “There's no right or wrong for how to practice,” he says. It doesn’t always need to be done with live sounds; recorded versions can be just as powerful. And it can be incorporated into your daily life, even on the go; whether you’re traveling by plane, train, or automobile, simply put in your headphones, close your eyes, and let the sound wash over you, he adds. It’ll make a significant difference in your mental state, he notes. “For me, when I start spinning and don't feel calm, get anxious, or overwhelmed, I like to lie down for 10 minutes, focus on my breath, and listen to a track of sound,” says Raharinosy.
You can also experience sound meditation in your local Club on September 21, in celebration of the autumnal equinox, and through the Equinox+ app, where you’ll find meditations featuring Raharinosy. Regardless of how you practice, your body and mind will feel not only relaxed but also rejuvenated, allowing you to excel in your workouts and in life itself.