SOUND YOGA
"The science of sound is used to calm human passions and to put the faculties of the soul in their rightful place. When this experience is achieved, we are able to be ourselves and from there, to acquire know-how in a sort of human tuning that aims to let the universal resonance of wisdom express itself."
Pythagoras
Sound yoga and sonotherapy, or sound healing, are practices that use sound to create states of well-being by exploring the effects of resonance, vibration, rhythm and breathing in the body and mind. The aim is to re-harmonise and regenerate the different levels of our being (physical, energetic, emotional, mental, relational, intuitive, spiritual...). It's a way of connecting our cellular music with the harmony of the Universe, and accessing a very deep form of meditation.
Pythagoras had already observed that the Universe is governed by harmonious numerical relationships and obeys laws similar to those of acoustics. Whether in Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Taoist, Shinto, Shamanic, pre-Columbian, Greco-Roman, Jewish, Sufi or Christian traditions, the idea of a song of the Universe (Nada Brahma) and more specifically the original creative sound (om) and the breath of life (chi, ki, prana, spiritus) transcend cultures.
Science has shown that sound vibrations have an impact on the brain (binaural beats, altered states of consciousness), emotions (stress, anxiety) and even certain bodily functions (modification of cell structure and bone healing using ultrasound, pain reduction). More and more research in neuroscience, music therapy and cymatics is exploring the use of sound as a complementary therapeutic tool.
Even as a musicology student, I was fascinated by the doctrine of affects in ancient Greece. Since the pandemic, I have sensed a growing insecurity in my singers, particularly teenagers, and an increasingly pressing need for inner harmony. I'm not a therapist, my approach is a transformational pedagogy. I have trained in a variety of sound practices:
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Freeing of the voice
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Mantras, chanting of the vowels
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Pranayama, breathing
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Overtone singing
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Nada yoga
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Singing bowl relaxation
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Sound meditation and sound bath
See below for the different formats I offer, and click here for further information:
SINGING BOWL
RELAXATION
Individual, 45-60 minutes
You lie under a blanket and let yourself be enchanted by the harmonious tones of the singing bowls in the room and on your body.
Bronze or crystal bowls and other therapeutic instruments are a great accelerator for meditation, letting go and trust. Their vibrations have a positive effect on tension, sleep, digestion, stress, anxiety and pain, and support mental clarity, concentration and the immune system.
VOCAL YOGA
WORKSHOP
In a group of 5 to 20 people, we explore vibration and sound in their various facets:
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Pranayama breathing exercises
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Resonance of the vowels in the body
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Mantras, simple and inspiring chants, accompanied by the Indian harmonium
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Sound bath with singing bowls, drums, shakers, flute and chimes
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Optional yin yoga, in tandem with a wonderful yoga teacher
No previous knowledge of singing or yoga is required.
SOUND BATH
A meditative experience of exploring the body and mind through sound, practised for thousands of years in the Himalayas
Just as in a singing bowl relaxation, the sound of different instruments can modify brain waves and induce a altered state of consciousness. This has an effect on the nervous system, sleep quality and tension of all kinds.
Practised in groups or individually, the sound bath may be combined with movement, breathing and/or vocal exercises. It lasts between 20 and 90 minutes.