On a Monday night in March, more than two dozen people bought tickets and spread yoga mats across the floor of the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. No concert, no performance — they were there to listen to soothing sounds and vibration.
Sound baths, a type of meditative experience, have moved beyond yoga studios and wellness centers. They’re showing up in corporate conference rooms, wellness retreats, churches and places like performing arts centers across the country.
So what exactly is happening during these sessions, and why does it help? The Atlanta Journal-Constitution talked to two practitioners who are building the sound bath scene across the state.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
What is a sound bath?
Malinie Feeney, a master sound teacher and yoga instructor who led a sold-out sound bath series this winter at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, describes it as a curated sonic journey with a simple pitch:
“A sound bath is a lazy form of meditation,” she said.
No water or swimsuit required, the “bath” part refers to sound washing over you. Participants typically lay on a mat or blanket while being immersed in instrumental sounds: crystal singing bowls, gongs, Koshi chimes, ocean drums and tuning forks. Unlike music with a melody or lyrics, the sounds are layered and rich in vibration.
Mary Lane, a yoga teacher and sound practitioner based in Chattanooga who leads sessions at Cloudland at McLemore Resort in Rising Fawn, says it’s as much a physical experience as a mental one.
“It’s more than just lying down and listening to something. There is a physical experience that you’re having while you’re in a sound bath,” Lane told the AJC.
Who it’s for
There is no wrong way to experience a sound bath, and that inclusivity is part of what’s driving its popularity beyond traditional wellness spaces. In the South, especially, where some people approach practices like sound baths with skepticism — or write them off as too “new age” for their taste — a venue like a performing arts center can make all the difference.
Feeney says the Sandy Springs crowd looked nothing like a typical yoga class, and that was the point. People felt comfortable enough to show up and actually embrace the experience. No membership, no prior experience and no spiritual affiliation required.
However, while sound therapy is generally considered low-risk, people with epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia or implanted devices should check with a doctor before attending, according to UCLA Health.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
How sound affects the brain
The core mechanism behind sound baths is called brainwave entrainment, the brain’s tendency to sync its electrical activity to the frequency of an external sound.
During waking hours, your brain runs in a beta state: alert and busy. Sound bath frequencies can bring it to an alpha (calm and focused), theta (dreamy, creative) or even delta (the state associated with deep sleep).
The research is beginning to catch up to what practitioners have been saying for years. A 2020 study published in the National Library of Medicine found Tibetan Singing Bowl sessions left participants feeling less tense, angry and depressed. A 2022 study found similar mood improvements. And in a 2023 randomized controlled trial, singing bowls were pitted head-to-head against one of the most established clinical relaxation methods and came out on top, with stronger results measured not just by how people said they felt, but by what was actually happening in their bodies and brains. Not bad for lying on the floor for an hour.
What to expect your first time
No two sessions are the same, but both practitioners ease first-timers in gradually. Lane opens with gentle movement and a guided meditation before the bowls even start. Feeney works through a deliberate range of instruments, moving from low grounding tones up through binaural beats and back down again to hold attention for a full hour.
Expect to feel relaxed, though everyone experiences it differently. Some people notice temperature shifts, others drift close to sleep, while some feel brief discomfort that passes. All of it is normal, Lane says, because each bowl resonates at a different frequency and lands differently in the body.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Come prepared to get comfortable. Feeney keeps a dedicated sound bath bag in her trunk: comfy socks, a pillow and a fuzzy blanket.
“Usually by seven or eight minutes, with all the things that make me feel comfortable, I’m probably in theta or delta brainwaves already,” she said.
After a sold-out winter run, Feeney hopes to bring more sessions back to Sandy Springs and continues to teach across the metro area. For anyone on the fence, she puts it simply: consistency is the point.
“Having more sound baths, regular sessions, you’ll notice more peace, stress levels regulated, better sleep and just overall improved well-being.”
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