I recently had the opportunity to take an online Sound as Medicine workshop with Phylicia Victoria through the Omega Institute and what a beautiful experience it was.
As you may know from my previous emails, I have been going through the hardest time of my adult life for the last eighteen months.
I have traveled across the country time and time again to support my father through his brain cancer treatment. All the while, I’ve been homeschooling my oldest son, adjusting to changes in my industry, and, in recent months, dealing with separation from one of the closest people in my life.
Life felt heavy, overwhelming, and relentless, and I relied on my self-care routines like nature walks and soaking in the tub to maintain balance.
After taking this workshop, I now feel confident that sound baths should be a regular part of that routine.
First, about Phylicia—an artist, yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner and sound healer. I read on her website that she grew up feeling broken, lonely and unworthy with trust issues and I instantly felt a sense of connection because I could relate.
He began to facilitate sound baths because he felt how the sound helped to settle his thoughts and calm some of the chatter in his head.
This workshop was just what it was for me. The combination of Phylicia’s soothing voice, her uplifting vocals and resonant, hypnotic sounds created a truly extraordinary experience.
After the practice, she led us through some gentle movements and stretches and then invited us to journal about what came up in the meditation.
I started by writing some words that came to mind:
- release
- the peace
- Amplitude
- comfort
- transparency
- Tranquility
- Gratitude
And then I wrote the following:
I felt a deep sense of relief from the stressful thoughts that had previously gripped me. The word transported me in a way that the word alone could not. I felt the vibrations deep in my body, and it felt like they were clearing me of the noise in my own mind and making room to be okay without judgment.
When I heard other sounds—which I think came partly from his environment and partly within my own, like my father walking around and turning on the faucet in the kitchen—my mind thought, “No judgment—just new sounds.”
I was reminding myself to listen to them, her singing mixed with the quieter sounds of bowls and chimes, and then let them “not” be part of the experience.
And I thought to myself, what a wonderful practice for life. Often, we hear more contrast than harmony in our day, but sometimes it’s the other way around. It is a wonderful gift to be able to train the mind to listen to the discord without getting lost in its story, so we can return our focus to the beautiful and the healing.
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The journaling exercise ended after that, and I decided not to listen to the Q&A at the end of the workshop so that I could be in the space I had created for some time within myself.
I’ve read that sound baths can not only calm the nervous system and reduce stress, but they can also help relieve tension and physical pain. And I can see why. I finished my session feeling deeply relaxed physically and mentally and honestly equipped to handle whatever the day might bring.
I am grateful for my recent partnership with Omega because I really love what they offer.
I also appreciate that they have put together a page of free resources specifically for the Little Buddha community, which You can access here.
If you’re interested in attending a workshop at their campus in New York this summer, here are a few that caught my eye:
And in case you missed my previous email, I wanted to re-share some of the programs I recommended last month, including:
This is a picture above from their campus. If I could take a private workshop at this time in my life, I would be there in a heartbeat, because I know it is a true sanctuary and place of meaningful connection and deep healing.
If you’ve been feeling the way I’ve been lately, I encourage you to explore Free resourcesAnd if you decide to take a workshop, I’d love to know how your experience was!
