The question I am asked most frequently by new students is “How do I start?” or some version of that. The answer- start by listening. Learn to listen deeply. And still more deeply. Soon this will become a habit and your most important skill as a sound healing practitioner. Ultimately the practice of sound healing is all about the art of listening. We listen with our ears, we listen with our body, we listen with our heart, we listen with our gut, we listen with our hands.
This sound healing retreat is an experiential immersion into sound and frequency. All sounds have an effect on us on some level. Some sounds help us to connect with our heart and feeling centers, certain sounds shift our consciousness, others ground us, still others seem to take us out of this world completely, while some sounds cause us to feel that we are Home in but an instant. What sounds do you resonate with? What sounds bring up discomfort? And what happens if you relax and breathe into those sounds?
We will start off our weekend on Friday evening with Thomas Riedelsheimer’s beautiful film Touch the Sound about the Scottish virtuoso percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie- who is “profoundly deaf” and has an extraordinary sensitivity to sound.
Throughout the remainder of the weekend we will explore the subtle frequencies of various instruments often used for healing- including gongs, singing bowls and tuning forks. Together we will explore overtones, or harmonics, made with both acoustic instruments and with your own voice. We will do a walking meditation and observe the effects of natural sounds on our nervous system. You will learn an ancient meditation technique designed to draw the senses inward in order to tune into the inner “nadam” or sound current.
Over the course of the weekend you will learn to listen in new ways, honing your listening skills- and deepening your understanding of why, as a sound healing practitioner, this is so important. There will be periods of silence woven into the weekend, which will be opportunities to listen to what is going on on the inside.
On Monday I will offer an all-day clinic in which I will give short sound healing sessions demonstrating the application of some of the sound healing tools we will be exploring throughout the weekend.
Weekend Schedule (This is a loose schedule subject to change depending on weather, group energy or other unforeseen possibilities!)
Friday
3-6 pm: Check in, free time for journaling and expressive arts
6:30 pm Gathering circle
7 pm: Film- Touch the Sound
Saturday
7:30- 8:30 Breakfast served
9 a.m- 12 noon. Gathering Circle, Sharing
Morning Session: Vocal Sound, Toning and Overtones
12- 1:30 pm Lunch break
1:30- 4:30 pm Afternoon session: Precious metals- gongs and singing bowls
4:30- 7 pm Free time for Journaling, Walking, Expressive Art, Meditation, Dinner
7:30 pm Sound Journey
Sunday
8- 9 am Breakfast served
9:30- 12:30 Gathering Circle, Sharing
Morning Session: Acoustic drone instruments and subtle harmonics
12:30- 2 pm Lunch break
2- 5 pm Afternoon Session- Tuning forks and binaural beats
5 pm Closing Circle
Monday (for those who are staying for Clinic)
7:30- 8:30 Breakfast
9 am- 1 pm Clinic
The workshop/retreat will “officially” end at 1 pm Monday- however I will be available Monday afternoon for anyone who would like a private sound healing session. Please contact me directly if you would like to book a session. 727.479.9916 or email soundbodycenter@gmail.com
Accomodations
The retreat will be held at my home and sound healing space, Wholistic Sound, in Tiverton, RI. There is space for 6 people to stay here. There is one true guest room with a full-sized bed, good for one person or a couple. There is also a small room which serves as a guest room with a queen-sized very comfortable air mattress. The master bedroom upstairs will be used as a “dorm room”. It has a queen-sized bed and can also accommodate another queen-sized air mattress or two twin air mattresses.
Cost
Friday- Sunday: $275, $255 if paid in full prior to Friday, October 11.
$75 Deposit, must be paid no later than than October 4 to reserve space.
Monday: $60- Sound Healing Clinic
Saturday only: $150
Sunday only: $150
Light breakfast and light lunch (soups and/or salad) are included. Beverages such as sparkling water, tea and coffee will also be available throughout the day as well as fruit and or other light snacks. As far as dinner, the kitchen is available for anyone who wishes to cook and there are a couple of good nearby restaurant options.
These prices do not include accommodations. Please see below for those wishing to stay on the premises. If you would like to stay on the premises please contact me directly at 727.479.9916 or email soundbodycenter@gmail.com.
Room fees
Guest Room (with full mattress): $75 per night
Guest Room with Air mattress: $50 per night
Dorm Room (sleeps up to four): $40 per night
