Sound Bath for Calm Sleeping
Please do some breathing exercises before laying down for the meditation. At least 5 slow and deep belly breaths. In through the nose for a count of 4, hold for 1 second and exhale for count of 6, if possible. Humming the exhale is also fun substitution. That is what my son does. This is a Sound Bath specifically for falling asleep as there is no "waking up" sequence at the end (FYI).
The Metta Meditation
(The Metta Meditation
The heart of this practice is generating four positive wishes for all beings:
● May you be safe
● May you be healthy
● May you be happy
● May you be at ease
We include beings we care for, those we don’t care for, and those we don’t care about.
We even include ourselves!
Practicing loving-kindness is simple and direct. Just take a comfortable seat in a quiet
place and close your eyes. First think of somebody you love. Send them the four
wishes. You can either repeat each for a time with that person in mind or just think about
how those wishes might manifest and affect that situation. You can be creative about it.
Then move on successively to yourself, a “neutral person” (somebody you don’t know
well or already have strong feelings about), and then finally take the plunge and send
the wishes to an “enemy”. You may even notice that the choice of who the enemy is
moves around and that’s fine. As mentioned already, yesterday’s enemy could be
tomorrow’s ally. Also, it’s fine just to notice what comes up for you while you are trying to
do this practice and simply allow space for that as well.
Naturally, it’s easier to generate these positive wishes for our parents (in most cases),
our children, our pets, our teachers, or our friends. In these instances, loving-kindness
flows unimpeded.
It is challenging to generate that kind of attitude toward people to whom we are
indifferent and it is very challenging indeed to generate it toward people we don’t like or
even hate. For some of us it can be most challenging to generate this attitude toward
Ourselves.
At the end, conclude by simply radiating out your loving kindness, your kind, sweet,
loving open heart to all beings and send your good wishes to all of them (friends,
ourselves, neutrals, enemies, humans, animals, ghosts – anybody you can think of).
Then simply dissolve the meditation and sit quietly for a moment or two.
Loving-Kindness is an ancient practice dating all the way back to the Buddha and it can
be surprisingly powerful.(Dharma Moon 2022)
The heart of this practice is generating four positive wishes for all beings:
● May you be safe
● May you be healthy
● May you be happy
● May you be at ease
We include beings we care for, those we don’t care for, and those we don’t care about.
We even include ourselves!
Practicing loving-kindness is simple and direct. Just take a comfortable seat in a quiet
place and close your eyes. First think of somebody you love. Send them the four
wishes. You can either repeat each for a time with that person in mind or just think about
how those wishes might manifest and affect that situation. You can be creative about it.
Then move on successively to yourself, a “neutral person” (somebody you don’t know
well or already have strong feelings about), and then finally take the plunge and send
the wishes to an “enemy”. You may even notice that the choice of who the enemy is
moves around and that’s fine. As mentioned already, yesterday’s enemy could be
tomorrow’s ally. Also, it’s fine just to notice what comes up for you while you are trying to
do this practice and simply allow space for that as well.
Naturally, it’s easier to generate these positive wishes for our parents (in most cases),
our children, our pets, our teachers, or our friends. In these instances, loving-kindness
flows unimpeded.
It is challenging to generate that kind of attitude toward people to whom we are
indifferent and it is very challenging indeed to generate it toward people we don’t like or
even hate. For some of us it can be most challenging to generate this attitude toward
Ourselves.
At the end, conclude by simply radiating out your loving kindness, your kind, sweet,
loving open heart to all beings and send your good wishes to all of them (friends,
ourselves, neutrals, enemies, humans, animals, ghosts – anybody you can think of).
Then simply dissolve the meditation and sit quietly for a moment or two.
Loving-Kindness is an ancient practice dating all the way back to the Buddha and it can
be surprisingly powerful.(Dharma Moon 2022)
Sound Bath Live Recording from Wainwright House
Sound Baths are a combination of restorative yoga, meditation and a sacred sound concert. They have been shown to reduce stress, enable deep relaxation, enhance creativity, possibly uplift the spirit and help with insomnia. Sound Meditations slow down your brainwaves and guide you into a deep meditative state or altered state of consciousness. Participants lay down comfortably and then are “immersed” in the sounds, vibrations and harmonics of the instruments. Gongs, Himalayan bowls, crystal singing bowls, tuning forks and shamanic percussion instruments are played in a clinically tested, therapeutic sequence to maximize benefits. No previous knowledge or experience is required. Sound is a very accessible form of meditation where benefits are usually experienced right after the first session. As my teacher likes to say, “simply lay down and bathe in the sound.”
Sa Ta Na Ma Chant
I wanted to share a quick video and track of the Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation. I have recently started using it with my clients challenged with Alzheimer’s Disease. Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation is becoming scientifically recognized as a powerful tool for preventing or stopping Alzheimer’s disease, increasing all aspects of cognitive function, (perception, thinking, reasoning and remembering) and reducing stress levels while improving short term memory.
There are three separate studies that have been published that prove the Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation benefits. Two of the studies were done at the University of Pennsylvania and one continuing studying is being done at UCLA University of California. The University of Pennsylvania study was published in 2010 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Their second study was published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine in 2010. The Canadian Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation is recommending the meditation as a daily practice to slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s.
Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation is a Kundalini Kirtan Kriya, brought to North America by Yogi Bhajan. Kirtan Kriya is Sanskrit, a classical language of India. Kirtan means “song” or “praise” and Kriya means “to do” or “action.” The meditation is a combination of chanting a mantra while moving the hands through mudra’s. Sat Nam, which is one of the oldest Sanskrit Chants means “my true essence.” When using the mantra in the meditation there are three “voices”. The singing voice, which represents the voice of action. The whispered voice, which represents the voice of the inner mind or the voice of your romantic nature. Finally the silence where you repeat the mantra mentally to yourself, representing your spiritual voice.
I will share a 6 minute version here 1 minute out loud 1 minute whisper 2 minutes silently 1 minute whisper 1 minute out loud Hand Mudra SA – index to thumb, TA – middle to thumb, NA – ring finger to thumb, MA – pinky finger to thumb. Feel the pressures on the palate as you enunciate each word along with the pressure on the pads of the fingers. When your body feels ready, start singing the mantra. 🙏
There are three separate studies that have been published that prove the Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation benefits. Two of the studies were done at the University of Pennsylvania and one continuing studying is being done at UCLA University of California. The University of Pennsylvania study was published in 2010 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Their second study was published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine in 2010. The Canadian Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation is recommending the meditation as a daily practice to slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s.
Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation is a Kundalini Kirtan Kriya, brought to North America by Yogi Bhajan. Kirtan Kriya is Sanskrit, a classical language of India. Kirtan means “song” or “praise” and Kriya means “to do” or “action.” The meditation is a combination of chanting a mantra while moving the hands through mudra’s. Sat Nam, which is one of the oldest Sanskrit Chants means “my true essence.” When using the mantra in the meditation there are three “voices”. The singing voice, which represents the voice of action. The whispered voice, which represents the voice of the inner mind or the voice of your romantic nature. Finally the silence where you repeat the mantra mentally to yourself, representing your spiritual voice.
I will share a 6 minute version here 1 minute out loud 1 minute whisper 2 minutes silently 1 minute whisper 1 minute out loud Hand Mudra SA – index to thumb, TA – middle to thumb, NA – ring finger to thumb, MA – pinky finger to thumb. Feel the pressures on the palate as you enunciate each word along with the pressure on the pads of the fingers. When your body feels ready, start singing the mantra. 🙏
Bija Mantra - The Ending Mantra of the Sound Bath
*Note: Third Eye Bija Syllable is Sham*
In yoga there are 7 specific Bija Mantras that vibrationally align our energy centers or chakras through sound energy:
1. Root Chakra – Bija mantra: LAM (Pronouncd as lum in alum )
2. Sacral Chakra – VAM (vum as in thumb)
3. Solar Plexus Chakra – RAM (rum)
4. Heart Chakra – YAM (yum as in yummy)
5. Throat Chakra – HAM (hum as in humming)
6. Third Eye Chakra – SHAM ( SHUM )
7. Crown Chakra – Om (aum)
You can chant each mantra while lying down or by sitting in a cross legged meditation pose. You can focus on a particular chakra and chant its specific seed mantra repetitively in one sitting or do all seven in succession one after the other. Remember that positive mantras are very powerful even when they are chanted silently.
1. Root Chakra – Bija mantra: LAM (Pronouncd as lum in alum )
2. Sacral Chakra – VAM (vum as in thumb)
3. Solar Plexus Chakra – RAM (rum)
4. Heart Chakra – YAM (yum as in yummy)
5. Throat Chakra – HAM (hum as in humming)
6. Third Eye Chakra – SHAM ( SHUM )
7. Crown Chakra – Om (aum)
You can chant each mantra while lying down or by sitting in a cross legged meditation pose. You can focus on a particular chakra and chant its specific seed mantra repetitively in one sitting or do all seven in succession one after the other. Remember that positive mantras are very powerful even when they are chanted silently.
About Sound Therapist Gary Posner
Gary Posner is an award-winning composer, musician, educator and Certified Sound Therapist, earning his degree from The British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST). For the last three years, he has been facilitating weekly Immersive Sound Bath Meditation for the students, teachers and staff at The American School in London as well as regular Immersive Sound Bath Meditations at Rosslyn Hill Chapel — a 400 year old Unitarian chapel in London, England. Most recently he started facilitating BAST style Sound Bath Meditations in the Westchester/Southern Connecticut area.
Gary taught, studied and played music all over the world. He composed music for HBO, Cinemax, ESPN, Court TV, Tru TV, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and History Channel. In addition, he toured and recorded with Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, The Grateful Dead, Ziggy Marley, Keith Richards, Debbie Harry, The Ramones, Television, The Fine Young Cannibals, The Gypsy Kings, Robert Palmer and Roberta Flack.
Gary Posner is an award-winning composer, musician, educator and Certified Sound Therapist, earning his degree from The British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST). For the last three years, he has been facilitating weekly Immersive Sound Bath Meditation for the students, teachers and staff at The American School in London as well as regular Immersive Sound Bath Meditations at Rosslyn Hill Chapel — a 400 year old Unitarian chapel in London, England. Most recently he started facilitating BAST style Sound Bath Meditations in the Westchester/Southern Connecticut area.
Gary taught, studied and played music all over the world. He composed music for HBO, Cinemax, ESPN, Court TV, Tru TV, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and History Channel. In addition, he toured and recorded with Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, The Grateful Dead, Ziggy Marley, Keith Richards, Debbie Harry, The Ramones, Television, The Fine Young Cannibals, The Gypsy Kings, Robert Palmer and Roberta Flack.
