On Monday, September 18, sound wellness practitioner Marilyn Sommer treated Lakeland College students and staff to a sound bath in a classroom in the Mead building on campus.
Sommer invited participants to sit or lay down comfortably on a cushion or yoga mat, close their eyes, and breathe slowly and deeply. She used crystal and Tibetan “singing” bowls, zephyr chimes, and a shaker-like instrument called a “song pod” to “bathe” participants in various resonances. These vibrations are said to encourage a state of relaxation that can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and promote the parasympathetic—or “rest and digest”—response, which can support the body in healing. By focusing on the sounds and sensations in a sound bath, individuals can develop greater mindfulness and awareness of the present moment.
The 45-minute session is part of a series of student wellness events put on by the college. Two additional sound baths have been scheduled for Lakeland College students this semester and cost $10 per session. The next will be October 30, scheduled to provide stress support around midterms, and the final sound bath of the semester is scheduled for December 4, around finals. Lakeland College students interested in attending the next session can register by emailing Sarah Popil at sarah.popil@lakelandcollege.ca.
Sommer offers sound baths to the general public out of her home on a weekly basis. She has also had the privilege of working with The Nest Project locally by providing some sound bath sessions and hopes to do so again in the future. She dreams of one day partnering with yoga classes or holistic retreats. For more information, visit her website at www.thehealingrealm.ca