Sound that will bowl you over

A Tibetan Bowl Sound Healing workshop in Dubai will throw light on the relaxation technique


Gurgling water, chirping birds and splashing ocean waves - all sounds of nature that are pleasant and soothing. Similarly, certain sounds we create are more than just notes on a musical scale. They have a positive effect on our mind and body.

"Just as a well-tuned instrument gives us listening pleasure, a sound massage creates balance in the body, mind and spirit. It is an acoustic and vibratory experience, where one is touched by sound in an agreeable way. You do not have to 'believe' to experience the effect of a sound massage," explains Hans de Back, a leading authority on sound therapy in Europe.

Since 1983 he has been actively involved in studying holistic and complementary practices and is the founder of the Guild for the Reform of the Way of Thinking and The Health Angels.

Visiting Dubai from native Holland this week, De Back will conduct a two-day Tibetan Bowl Sound Healing workshop starting tomorrow. It will be held at the Business Centre of CNN building, Dubai Media City, from 10.00am to 5.00pm. He will also make a 90-minute presentation at the House of Chi and Serenity Natural Therapy Centre today.

Based on an age-old practice originating from the Himalayas, De Back carries out a sound massage by using Tibetan singing bowls. These bowls are composed of seven metals, including gold, silver and copper. When struck with a mallet, powerful vibrations emanate.

According to him, the sound massage he usually performs include using a 115-cm diameter Chinese gong, 16 large singing bowls and a pair of tingshaws (small meditation bell cymbals). He completes the session with a manual neck massage.

"The sound of these bowls offer deep relaxation. The acoustic vibrations help the body to rediscover its own natural harmony," says De Back. "The body can be likened to a musical instrument. If it has not been tuned properly the skills you have learned will not produce the desired sound, and as a consequence will harvest irritation instead of success."

"Tibetan bowl sound meditation is wonderful for people who want to learn an easy technique of relaxation," says Vinay Nasta of Conscious Creations.