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Here is the first of this week’s sound breaks, and today I send this out there with the intention of ‘wellness’.

Having an intention can be helpful for you, as you will have that word with you throughout the sound break, and hopefully into the day. You might even like to say a little affirmation – “I am well and my health is my priority.”

The recording is quite basic. I’m not yet set up for recordings, however felt the need to share whatever I can in the current situation.

I hope you enjoy,

Lauren.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you’ll be aware there’s a whole lot going on that’s out of our control at the moment, leaving society with an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty. (I’m not going to name the ‘thing’ that we all know has the World on tenterhooks, so let’s just call it “it” to try to reduce its’ power.) So I want to help you find a little calm at this difficult time.

First we need to find some control over what’s going on.

Feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, fear and panic are to be expected when we are confronted with constant daily images, videos, articles, press conferences, memes, etc. with “it” as the focus, yet so many unanswered questions remain because “it” is so new to the World.  Whilst scientists and governments are grappling to find solutions, we are often getting varied information and the rumour-mill is going wild.  With all this uncertainty, our brains are detecting a threat and releasing adrenaline to put us into survival mode, which leads to us reacting instead of being able to respond calmly.

The important thing to remember is that we are not powerless, and we have control over whether we are purely reacting or acting with purpose at this time. This not only helps ourselves, but has a direct impact on how others feel when they interact with us.

We can be the calm in the storm, but we need to do some work in order to keep our own energies in check.

The only way to calm our brain’s response to danger is to remind ourselves of what we can control whilst “it” is on our doorstep.

What can we do to stay healthy?

We can increase our hygiene practices – wash our hands properly, use hand sanitiser, limit our physical contact with others.  And this message is out there loud and clear.  Yet we’re still anxious and fearful.  So what else is in our control that might ease the brain’s sense of imminent danger? 

We can take some time to ‘fill our cup’ so that when the threat increases we are in a calmer state to deal with it. I’m sure for many of you this isn’t the first time you’re hearing about the ‘fill your cup’ analogy.

We all have energy reserves, and each time we encounter stress our energetic cup empties a little.

Currently we’re bombarded with news of increasing numbers of people infected, we’re shopping in almost empty supermarkets, and our social media feeds and conversations are monopolised by “it”.  It’s easy to see that our cups are tipping over at an alarming rate and unless we make a conscious effort to fill them back up we will fall into the pattern of stress, fear and panic taking over our entire lives.  

We don’t want our bodies to get fatigued and rundown, as this will heighten our susceptibility to illness. Let’s be pro-active to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Nourishing Harmony is here to help.

Nourishing Harmony is offering a week of free mini sound breaks for you to tune into your bodies, and take a break from the doom and gloom.

In these sound breaks your mind, body and soul can re-connect with your inner truth. If nothing else, it’s an opportunity to slow down and step back from “it”. Take a little time for yourself to reconnect with your emotions, how your body is feeling, and maybe even get a bit of insight into hidden energies that have been suppressed because the focus has all been on “it” lately.

We can’t serve from an empty cup. Now more than ever we need to prioritise self-care, and I hope that my week of mini sound baths will help you do just that.

How can you access Nourishing Harmony’s free mini sound breaks?

For 7 days, starting Monday 23^rd March, there will be a new 5-10minute video released, with the link posted on Nourishing Harmony’s facebook page at 7am each day. These sound breaks are available free of charge, and I encourage you to share them widely to share the gift of vibration. Let’s respond to “it” with consciousness and calm.

I look forward to sharing my sound breaks with you all, and hope that they bring you calm and hope in these challenging times.

Lauren

I was always drawn to sound as a child and met my first singing bowl at a young age, but I had no idea where sound would fit into my adult life until much later. 

When I was 30 I started volunteering at elephant projects across South East Asia, and this was a huge part of my life for over 10 years.  I was fortunate enough to be around elephants on a regular basis and discover the multitude of sounds that they produce in order to communicate with each other. 

From trumpets to squeaks and so many other sounds in between, the sound that always made the hairs stick up on the back of my neck was the rumble they use to communicate across long distances.  Did you know that elephants can communicate with each other across distances of up to 10km???  They make an incredibly low vibration by pushing air through their vocal chords (which they are clever enough to be able to stretch and contract to control the vast frequencies of sound they produce).  This vibration is picked up by elephants far away because the base of their feet are mostly soft, cartilaginous fatty pads (hence why they are almost silent when they move – trust me, I’ve had them sneak up on me several times!) and these soft pads sense the vibrations travelling through the ground. 

I was always in awe of this intense vibration.  Whether I experienced it through the ground as I walked beside them, or if I heard it before I could even see the elephant standing in the nearby trees, or if I felt it as I was sitting on one of their legs as I filed down their toe nails (that’s a story for another day or this post will get seriously off-topic, sorry!) it always commanded my full attention. 

Vibration is so powerful, and the fact that elephants have mastered its’ use for communication across vast distances impresses me to no end. 

So when I was volunteering with elephants in Nepal and came across singing bowls in the streets of Kathmandu, it was no great stretch for me to pick one up and try to create some vibrations of my own.  And, as many of you may have already experienced for yourselves, there’s not a lot that is more satisfying than the first time you successfully rim a bowl and make it ‘sing’.  The look of pure joy on people’s faces after the vibration has built up to an audible level is magical.  I became obsessed with stopping at every market stall and playing the bowls, because I was craving that feeling over and over again. 

I learnt that there was a big difference between tourist keepsake bowls and the real deal.  I learnt that there are several different ways to play the bowls, and create various frequencies with each.  I found a beautiful little antique shop owned by the knowledgeable Deepak, and he shared his wisdom of the bowls with me each time I was in Nepal.  He told me all about the elderly man from Mustang who hand-made most of the bowls in his shop using techniques passed down for generations.  He also steered me away from the bowls that were best for “holding your popcorn” which were usually placed in the front of the shop to lure tourists in with their pretty paintings or carvings around the centre of the bowl.  He began to hold specific bowls for me to peruse on my next trip, and we would drink tea whilst talking about the power of sound and vibration. 

I have been very fortunate to have spent so much time with elephants and also people who have so much knowledge and respect for the true power of vibration.  My gratitude for having had these experiences is flowing freely every time I use my bowls for treatments with clients, and when I facilitate sound baths for groups. 

I like to think of my sound offerings as using vibrations with the intention of sharing peace and calm that can then strengthen connections between the earth, mind and body.  Just like the elephants do.

If you would like to experience the vibrations at next week’s sound bath, click here to secure your ticket.

When we feel helpless it quickly leads to hopelessness.  Unfortunately this has been the case for so many (including myself) as we watch the bushfire crisis unfold around the country.  

I’m an extremely empathetic person, and to see the horror stories of what the people, animals and environment have been enduring hit me hard.  And then came the guilt that it’s pure chance where the fires were hitting hardest, and growing up on the Mornington Peninsula we have been lucky to have avoided being in a similar situation.  Every conversation I have had with people over the last two weeks has involved how heartbreaking the situation is, and the negativity that has been flowing through the atmosphere is quite overwhelming. 

It’s been a roller coaster of emotions in my body, and my mind has been saddened to the point that I have been extremely low on energy, my body has been aching all over, I was struggling to get moving in the mornings, and I have spent way too much time in front of screens as the need for news updates all the time consumed me.  

My lightbulb moment came when news stories of hope began to trickle through, and my mood lifted a little.  Having donated money as quickly as possible, I thought there wasn’t much more I could do.  I then heard about a local community group who had a truck ready for specific items to be driven to Bairnsdale and when I turned up with a couple of shopping bags full of toiletries my heart was warmed to see that the amount of donated items was so enormous that they had to eventually move the operation into a factory and get more trucks!  I felt so grateful to be part of such an incredibly caring and kind community that I struggled to hold back the tears.

Then came the shout-out from animal rescue groups for wildlife pouches, koala mittens and animal beds to be made.  Suddenly I had a skill that could be used!  I began sewing with more focus and determination than ever before. 

I ransacked my closet and pulled out flannelette sheets, old pyjamas and t-shirts and anything else that might be of use.  I put the call out via facebook and had others gift me their materials that were no longer in use around the home.  With each pouch that I stitched, I felt a little more hope that I was able to help in some small way.  I had joined a community of sewers from around the World which gave me even more hope, knowing that our country was receiving such generous global support. 

And then my mind started thinking about other ways I could help raise funds and resources for places where the fires are still raging, and will be for weeks to come. 

Nourishing Harmony sound baths are due to begin on January 16, but I felt strange about going on as per usual whilst so much of our Country is still in disarray. 

I spoke to a friend who said it’s important to keep these self-care opportunities available, as some people may be seeking a way to raise their vibration after feeling the same as me – helpless and hopeless.  With a higher vibration people might feel better equipped emotionally to deal with the current situation and find a renewed  energy to contribute (let’s face it – this will last a while).  

And then the penny dropped – I will donate all profits from January’s sound bath to the bushfire relief efforts!  That way more money can be raised for the appeal and I can provide an opportunity for people to sit together with intentions of hope for recovery of effected areas alongside a sense of comfort and reassurance that we are a caring community who pull together in times of crisis.   

So if you have been looking for a way to allow your body to absorb whatever is going on in response to the fires, and raise a little extra money for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, then maybe it’s time to try a sound bath.

We’ll be at Baxter Community Hall next Thursday, 16^th January at 7.30pm.  Tickets available here.

As previously mentioned, ALL PROFITS will be donated, so this isn’t about my business profiting from the situation, but it is a chance to do something good in a time where we’re all struggling with the reality of it in some way. 

Thanks for reading. I hope that my story from helplessness to action has been helpful in some way.

Lauren.

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When we’re in the womb sound is the first of the senses to develop, so we are connected to vibration through our mother’s heartbeat. 

This connection stays with us throughout life and we constantly pick up vibrations from our environment.   Our bodies made up of around 70% water, and sound moves up to 4 times faster through water than air, so we are impacted greatly by vibrations of all sorts. 

Frequencies from nature are able to raise our vibration and bring feelings of calm, happiness and peace.  On the flip-side however, we can get overwhelmed when exposed to unnatural frequencies such as those emitted through technology and electrical products.  This can lower our inner vibration and in-turn lead to stress, fatigue and depression.  (You can read more about this in my previous post.)

When we feel these negative impacts from vibration it usually shows up in every aspect of our lives and we end up irritable, grumpy and our tolerance levels are low.  We argue with loved ones over the little things, feel overwhelmed by the lengthy to-do list and are generally not much fun to be around.  When we reflect upon what’s happening we become aware and therefore empowered to take action and raise our vibration, therefore lifting our mood.  

Switching off auto-pilot mode and using sounds from nature and those that resonate with natural frequencies gives our body the opportunity to relax on all levels – physically, mentally and emotionally. 

A sound bath is the perfect space to be immersed in sounds from singing bowls, gong, drums and chimes and we can go into a trance-like state which gives our brain a break from the consistent thoughts that ruminate daily.  Our muscles are given time to loosen and unwind.  Our emotions are given free reign and are able to communicate with us as necessary.  This can be freeing for some and confronting for others, especially if you have never given your body this type of time-out.  It’s important to remember that the more awareness we have, the more we will be equipped to deal with past and current life events. 

“Music without words means leaving behind the mind. And leaving behind the mind is meditation. Meditation returns you to the source. And the source is sound.” Kabir.

After a Nourishing Harmony sound bath, participants have said –

“Fantastic – I love the waves of feeling that wash over me” – Sarah

“Every single session has been a different experience throughout, but the end result is always the same – relaxation and calm.” – Teresa

“Love it, relaxing, insight-provoking” – Jeannine

“Ready for a good night’s sleep – nothing could phase me” – Nicole

“Wonderful time to learn and relax” – Dianne

 “Ready for a good night sleep” – Tamara

If you would like to come and experience the benefits sound vibrations for yourself, we have monthly sound baths you can book into.  Check the home page for current ticket links.