Sound Healing: How It Changes Consciousness and the Power of Gong
I have always been fascinated by the power of sound to heal and transform. My first experience of it was as a young girl going to church once a week to sing my heart out with devotional songs. I don’t think I really listened to the words — I never identified as a Christian. It was more about the energy of the experience, the love, the devotion to something higher, and the sense of community as we all sang in unison.
Now, when I want that same quality of experience — that elevated state of connection and expanded consciousness — I play my shamanic drums, gongs, and other sound healing instruments. They shift my consciousness into the most blissful states and offer a pure sense of union with the light, with source energy, without the dogma of religion.
What Is Sound Healing?
Sound is a fundamental aspect of the universe. It is, quite simply, vibration — and it is present in all things, from the smallest atom to the largest star. When we consciously connect with sound, we can tap into its power to heal our bodies, minds, and spirits.
Sound healing is an age-old practice that harnesses this power to promote healing and well-being. It is rooted in the understanding that sound can profoundly influence our physical, emotional, and mental states. Intriguing research is currently exploring the potential of sound to interact with our DNA — some studies suggest that specific frequencies can positively impact gene expression, potentially influencing cellular function and repair. While these findings are still preliminary, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the potential of sound to affect our biology directly.
Sound healing has demonstrated effectiveness in addressing a wide range of conditions, including stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and insomnia. Different modalities — singing bowls, tuning forks, gongs, chanting — use specific frequencies and vibrations to induce relaxation, reduce tension, and restore a sense of balance. The underlying mechanisms likely involve the entrainment of brainwaves to specific frequencies, the release of endorphins, and the stimulation of the vagus nerve, all of which contribute to a profound sense of calm and wellbeing.
The Power of Gong
In my experience, good quality gongs are among the most powerful tools available in sound healing. They produce a remarkably wide range of frequencies — far broader than most instruments — that penetrate deep into the body to promote healing at a cellular level. Gongs also have an extraordinary capacity to enhance meditative states, quietening the monkey mind and allowing a deeper awareness of self to naturally arise.
In my sound healing sessions, I often play the gong very gently — more like a singing bowl in volume — creating ripples of healing sound waves that are particularly effective at helping people to relax and release stress. Gongs can also clear negative energy and shift stuck emotional states, helping participants realign and return to themselves. The healing vibrations shake things loose and guide us into more blissful, connected states of consciousness.
It never ceases to move me what people experience in a gong session. My clients and the participants at my cacao and gong ceremonies regularly describe magical, transcendental states — sensing their ancestors nearby, meeting a spirit animal, or feeling the presence of an angelic being. A deep sensation of love, connection, and divine protection flows through them. This is the gong doing what it has always done.
Plant Medicine and Sound: A Powerful Combination
In addition to gongs, I work with a range of other instruments in my sound healing sessions: singing bowls, native American flutes, percussion, and shamanic drums. And in my one-to-one sessions, I love to weave in plant medicines too.
The plant medicines I most often work with are cacao, blue lotus, and mugwort. Cacao is a heart-opening medicine that helps us connect with our emotions and empowers us to live from the heart. Blue lotus is a calming, deeply relaxing medicine — a wonderful sleep aid and support for stress. Mugwort is a visionary medicine that helps us connect with our intuition and clear the thought patterns that are holding us back.
In my group cacao and sound healing work, I find that flower essences also want to be incorporated, helping to shift participants in subtle ways depending on the collective intentions for healing, which I align with astrological interpretations of the moon cycles.
When sound and plant medicine are combined, the effect is something greater than the sum of its parts. Together, they infuse into every cell of the body, every corner of the mind, cleansing and healing on every level simultaneously. It is some of the most profound healing work I know.
Benefits of Sound Healing
Regular sound healing practice can support a wide range of physical, emotional, and spiritual shifts, including:
Reduces stress and anxiety
Improves sleep quality
Reduces physical pain
Boosts mood and emotional resilience
Increases energy levels
Promotes deep relaxation
Enhances creativity
Connects you with your intuition, sometimes activating the third eye
Finding a Qualified Sound Healer
If you are interested in experiencing sound healing, I recommend finding a qualified practitioner. The rise in popularity of this healing modality in recent years is a wonderful thing — but sound healing is currently unregulated, which means anyone can set up as a sound healer without any training at all. I therefore encourage you to be careful who you let shake you up, and to look for a practitioner with a recognised qualification in sound healing.
If you can attend a live event, that will always be the richest experience. The physical presence of the instruments, the collective energy of other participants, and the responsiveness of a live practitioner all contribute to something that a recording simply cannot replicate — though recordings absolutely have their place and can be deeply beneficial too.
Tips for Working with Sound Healing Recordings
If you are working with a sound healing recording rather than attending a live session, here are a few suggestions to help you get the most from the experience:
Find a quiet place where you can fully relax and give your attention to the sound
Use your best headphones or speakers to ensure you are receiving the full range of frequencies
Approach the experience with an open mind and an open heart — allow the sound to wash over you without trying to analyse it
Imagine the vibrations gently cleansing your mind and the healing energies penetrating every cell of your body
Focus on your breath and allow yourself to soften and release
You may notice sensations such as tingling, warmth, or coolness — these are normal and a sign that the sound is moving through you
After the session, consider journaling about whatever arose — images, feelings, messages, or simply the quality of the experience. This helps with integration
If you ever feel discomfort during a live session, trust that the energy is moving through and will release — a skilled practitioner will guide you through. With a recording, you can simply pause and rest
Experience Sound Healing with Me
I offer sound healing in several ways — whether you are looking for a deeply personal one-to-one experience, the collective magic of a group ceremony, or a free introduction from the comfort of your own home.
→ Explore gong healing sessions
→ Join a cacao and sound healing ceremony
→ Free guided meditations and sound healing recordings on YouTube
“Sound healing is a journey, not a destination. Every session is different, and the medicine meets you exactly where you are. I hope to share its gifts with you soon.”
