“ We ’ ve been doing it for five years , and it ’ s just growing in demand . If you ’ re thinking about it , I would absolutely hop in right away . Guests are seeking it out ; if you ’ re on the fence , I wouldn ’ t be anymore .”
— Marci Howard-May
Riding the Waves Though sound therapies may not be entirely new to the spa world , the last few years have seen them grow more popular . At Sagestone Spa at Red Mountain Resort , Director of Spa and Wellness Marci Howard-May first integrated Tibetan singing bowls in 2017 . Working with the maker of a line of bowls , her team created a full , 75-minute protocol using three bowls — two of which rest on the body while the third is used as a massage tool .“ The benefit of that ,” Howard- May says ,“ is you ’ re getting the pressure of a sound wave pushing in through the tissue , vibrating through skin , muscle and bone . You ’ re also getting the meditative effect in the brain , so it ’ s sending you into deep relaxation really quickly . It ’ s nice because for guests who may not want other types of bodywork , it ’ s really a great option .”
Tibetan singing bowls are incorporated into massage at Sagestone Spa .
Gaye Steinke , director of club and spa for Spa Anjali in Avon , Colorado , echoes Howard-May ’ s claims about singing bowls ’ relaxing effects , which she notes can be felt even in a group setting .“ This is one of the treatments [ club members ] will do that ’ s a little more calming , a little more grounding ,” Steinke says .“ In that group setting , we set it up so it ’ s really cushy and comfortable for them . We do some words of meditation and then the instructor plays the sound bowls — the sound starts and it just moves around the room and resonates . It puts the user into a meditative state — it ’ s not uncommon to hear snoring during the meditation !”
Spa Anjali ’ s Himalayan Journey — one of three categories under which the spa organizes many of its special treatments — includes multiple services where singing bowls are involved in one-on-one settings .“ The private service is done in the spa — that one-on-one , it ’ s just very personal and very intense . I would say it ’ s a different state of consciousness . It helps people who can ’ t sleep , and it certainly helps people with high levels of anxiety . For the person who believes in the energetic state and cleansing the chakras and not having any blockages — all these sound treatments are very good for that ,” says Steinke .
At a time when sleep issues and stress are among the most common threats to well-being , Steinke adds that guests are increasingly drawn to the benefits of these services .“ It caught on quickly . I think people understand the value of downtime and recovery and self-healing . That ’ s why they gravitated to it ,” she says .
Relaxing Vibes While historical estimates place the invention of singing bowls around 6,000 years ago in Tibet , there are a number of more recent developments in the sound therapy space that spas can use to provide similar benefits to their guests . At VIBE Health Lounge , a recently opened day spa in San Luis Obispo , California , owner Christina Webster utilizes multiple such tools , one of which is a vibro-acoustic sound bed that sends waves of vibration through the user ’ s body
MAY / JUNE 2022 • PULSE 53