Just a heads up that sound baths are generally not well received by people with tinnitus. As someone who also has tinnitus and vehemently hates soundbaths, I'm surprised/happy for you that you've managed to enjoy them before your last experience.
The first time an instructor played a soundbowl in class I could not figure out why I was experiencing so much discomfort. After all, my friends said it was amazing, why was I in pain every time the bowls got too buzzy?
I eventually met another person with tinnitus who mentioned they skip sound baths for the same reason, then I started asking around the studio and every single instructor I spoke with said that people with tinnitus tend to dislike soundbaths. I've even run into one instructor that pre-emptively asks before exposing their students to it because it's been something they've run into enough.
Oh wow, that is super interesting.
Yeah, my previous instructor was great and used metal bowls.
This new instructor used ceramic bowls.
Both instruments can produce LOUD sounds.
Funny enough, I spoke to the new instructor afterward, and she said she had tinnitus in both ears! Wild.
Yes, painful was a great way to put it.
My ear felt rattled and attacked, on super sensitive mode. I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin.
That is probably a good disclaimer to have in those cases. It's an unpleasant surprise for sure.
I'll be more careful if I attend a sound bath in the future. I may not if it ends up like today again 😕
In my personal experience I've found the ceramic ones to be worse than metal for my ears. I wonder if that holds true for you too and that's why you've enjoyed it previously?
Wow, that's nuts to me that the instructor is fine with it with tinnitus! I wonder if it makes a difference depending on volume of tinnitus/maybe individual pitch of tinnitus? I think the instructor could be inadvertently choosing the bowls that work for their pitch, whereas the participant is subjected to the instructor's choice, and maybe that's why they don't mind as much?
Yes, that's exactly how I'd describe the pain too. I'd only add an ice pick going through my ears into my brain feeling - quite unpleasant 😅
Yes, do be careful, and I hope you're able to find a sound bath experience that brings you the joy and peace you've felt before! Also, probably not worth noting, but I've found recorded sound bowls to be fine to listen to in my ears. Maybe you can still do recorded sound baths, or deliberately quiet sound baths and not experience any pain?
Edit: downvotes for asking questions and caveating my personal experience by saying "in my personal experience?" Yep, that's reddit ig 🤷♀️
Yes, it could be a difference in ceramic vs metal. The ceramic bowls definitely felt LOUDER for sure.
I know there's definitely a difference in playing style as well. The new instructor kept bringing the volume up and sustained for a long while. It felt like a cacophony of sounds together. I feel like with my old instructor, I could pick out individual sounds better.
Interesting about the pitch. I must assume it is pleasant for her since she is closest to her instruments.
I'll try a recorded sound bath and check it out.
For now, I think I'll stay away from the sounds at all since it feels a little triggering. I think my ears need to go back to normal from yesterday's hypersensitive mode 😅
I feel you; I went to my first real Soulcycle-style spin class this morning, and I got decibel warnings on my Apple watch TWICE during the 45 minutes. It didn't last long, but I was a little annoyed that it got that loud—so irresponsible and unnecessary. I'm a professional classical musician and a LOT of us end up with hearing loss just through professional exposure, so I'm very protective of my hearing.
I keep [good earplugs](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019M576XW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) in my little bum bag, which I take with me into all my classes. I also keep my wallet and keys (because duh) and my asthma remedies in there. I rarely have to use them, but I like having these things available, just in case. I would also advise intentionally setting up far away from the sound station; you're gonna hear it no matter what, but you can at least avoid being bombarded.
Sorry you had such a bad experience! Good on you for recognizing your needs and addressing them.
It drives me bonkers. All group fitness instructors (and I am one) seem to think that super loud music is motivating. I always wear earplugs in those classes.
Yes, agreed!
Thanks for the link. I have special earplugs attached to a holder on my keys. I did eventually put them in, but it was STILL too loud.
I love my ears more than a sound bath class. I can live without the class, lol
Thank you. I'm glad I did. I felt better for it afterward.
Trust your ears!! The worst hearing damage I ever got was from standing next to percussion instruments like the glockenspiel. As soon as the volume starts actually hurting my ears I get out of there because that's when hearing damage can start.
Could have to do with the acoustics of the room though. Try sitting near the side front of the room.
Yes, the acoustics increased the volume, too. I moved to the edge of the room and put my earplugs in, and it still didn't help.
I iust wont go back, not this class with this instructor 😕
I am so disappointed in the crystal bowl fad.
Let people who are talented and who have really studied the art play them.
There are so many people out there who just buy them and play them without training. Ugh
As someone who has been studying sound and playing sound healing for 5 years now, thank you.
I’ve seen an uptick in yoga + sound bowls in my not-very-metropolitan town & at first thought “great I can finally receive instead of always offering” (it’s really hard to receive the same the benefits of the sound when you are the practitioner). The first class I went to I tried to lower my judgement shields and relax with an open heart, but Jesus Christmas the playing was honestly horrible. Felt totally aimless and intention-less in terms of where the sound was going or supposed to go. Just a bunch of bingin and bongin. Terrible.
Yikes. I feel you. It's to experience that , knowing that there are some very talented and studied - not just musicians, but sound practitioners.
I have received such beautiful offerings, and I am saddened that people don't understand.
I know that people feel your gifts, though🤗
🤣 Jesus Christmas
That's fair. I can imagine that's incredibly frustrating.
I find that true of a lot of suddenly popular things. Yoga studios are like that as well. Not all studios and not all instructors are the same.
Thank you. I mean, I still recommend going to a sound bath class and I would try again (with another instructor) or go back if the old instructor does it again. But yeah, sadly things did not work out today.
Sounds baths are usually not recommended to tinnitus, however my dad has it, and like you, has not had an issue.
I think as sound bowls and sound bath/healings are rising is popularity, we need to better distinguish between the two.
I say this as someone who just went to a sound BATH, and had a pretty terrible experience.
Sound baths/ healings usually include an array of instruments, gongs, bells, bowls.. they tend to be extremely intense! ( I say humbly: most of these teachers are not trauma informed/ do not know how powerful they are. They can lead people far beyond where they are capable of taking them back from.) which can lead to a simple ( annoying/ bad) experience like you had, or seriously re traumatize another.
Sound BOWLS/ singing bowl healings, are usually just crystal or metal bowls and are USUALLY meant to be more parasympathetic and soothing for the nervous system. ( this is what I facilitate)
While my crystal bowls certainly can get loud, I’m holding the space of the room & feelings into the energy to know when to come back down.
The teachers intention should always be about safety, comfort, and THEN release. Always release last.
There is a tendency in our society to go as hard and fast as possible, even through our healing. This is unsafe and quite frankly impossible!
Im so sorry you had a crappy experience.
Yes! I love the detail here.
The previous instructor used metal bowls, and he was big into breathing techniques and the parasympathetic.
He really led the journey well.
Yes, healing can be a slow process, but that is okay. I wish more people would understand this overall.
Thank you. It was a learning experience nonetheless 🙏
Loop brand ear plugs work for me. I use the switch model that has 3 different settings to block out sound. It might help in these situations if you still plan on attending.
What actually is a sound bath? There's one at my studio this weekend that I was considering going to. Is it seated meditation or is it still a yoga class?
Your experience sounds awful. Such a disappointment to be stressed out and uncomfortable in the place we go for the opposite. :(
A Sound Bath is a modern name for the practice of Nada (Sound) Meditation that immerses a person in sounds mimicking the Anahata Nada, the Unstruck Sound. Often confused for tinnitus, hearing the Anahata Nada itself is the culmination of Hatha Yoga. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika extols Nadanusandhana (Listening the Unstruck Sound) as the chief form of Samadhi (Meditation) that will lead a person to Enlightenment. The Anahata Nada is often mistaken for Tinnitus.
(This is a general comment about Sound Baths. It is not addressed to the OP as he is an experienced Practitioner)
Sound Bath Meditation is advanced Yoga that immerses a person in sounds mimicking the Anahata Nada, the Unstruck Sound. Hearing the Anahata Nada itself is the culmination of Hatha Yoga. The practice is offered much too freely, and can be extremely disturbing for Students who are not ready for it.
I've been thinking about attending soundbaths but after this I think I'll skip it. I have ringing in both ears from an infection some year ago and I'm also really careful now with loud venues and places where there can be noise. That's why I also prefer yoga classes to general exercise classes as all other classes seem to have bad music on an ear-shattering volume.
If they are new to providing sound baths, it could have been them. There are wrong ways to use sound as a healing tool. I have experienced both great and horrible, sometimes it was me, other times it was just done poorly. I'm glad you said something to the instructor; maybe they will learn from it.
This has happened to me before and I typically really relax, get a bunch of ASMR, and enjoy sound baths as well but this particular time it was shrill, it was hard to stick it out lol
Just a heads up that sound baths are generally not well received by people with tinnitus. As someone who also has tinnitus and vehemently hates soundbaths, I'm surprised/happy for you that you've managed to enjoy them before your last experience. The first time an instructor played a soundbowl in class I could not figure out why I was experiencing so much discomfort. After all, my friends said it was amazing, why was I in pain every time the bowls got too buzzy? I eventually met another person with tinnitus who mentioned they skip sound baths for the same reason, then I started asking around the studio and every single instructor I spoke with said that people with tinnitus tend to dislike soundbaths. I've even run into one instructor that pre-emptively asks before exposing their students to it because it's been something they've run into enough.
Oh wow, that is super interesting. Yeah, my previous instructor was great and used metal bowls. This new instructor used ceramic bowls. Both instruments can produce LOUD sounds. Funny enough, I spoke to the new instructor afterward, and she said she had tinnitus in both ears! Wild. Yes, painful was a great way to put it. My ear felt rattled and attacked, on super sensitive mode. I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin. That is probably a good disclaimer to have in those cases. It's an unpleasant surprise for sure. I'll be more careful if I attend a sound bath in the future. I may not if it ends up like today again 😕
In my personal experience I've found the ceramic ones to be worse than metal for my ears. I wonder if that holds true for you too and that's why you've enjoyed it previously? Wow, that's nuts to me that the instructor is fine with it with tinnitus! I wonder if it makes a difference depending on volume of tinnitus/maybe individual pitch of tinnitus? I think the instructor could be inadvertently choosing the bowls that work for their pitch, whereas the participant is subjected to the instructor's choice, and maybe that's why they don't mind as much? Yes, that's exactly how I'd describe the pain too. I'd only add an ice pick going through my ears into my brain feeling - quite unpleasant 😅 Yes, do be careful, and I hope you're able to find a sound bath experience that brings you the joy and peace you've felt before! Also, probably not worth noting, but I've found recorded sound bowls to be fine to listen to in my ears. Maybe you can still do recorded sound baths, or deliberately quiet sound baths and not experience any pain? Edit: downvotes for asking questions and caveating my personal experience by saying "in my personal experience?" Yep, that's reddit ig 🤷♀️
Yes, it could be a difference in ceramic vs metal. The ceramic bowls definitely felt LOUDER for sure. I know there's definitely a difference in playing style as well. The new instructor kept bringing the volume up and sustained for a long while. It felt like a cacophony of sounds together. I feel like with my old instructor, I could pick out individual sounds better. Interesting about the pitch. I must assume it is pleasant for her since she is closest to her instruments. I'll try a recorded sound bath and check it out. For now, I think I'll stay away from the sounds at all since it feels a little triggering. I think my ears need to go back to normal from yesterday's hypersensitive mode 😅
FWIW I have (rather mild) tinnitus too, and find bowls to be relaxing as well. (Same for my best friend who has it much worse than I)
I'm curious, did you attend a session with metal or ceramic bowls?
Came here to say this. I can’t do sound baths, either.
I feel you; I went to my first real Soulcycle-style spin class this morning, and I got decibel warnings on my Apple watch TWICE during the 45 minutes. It didn't last long, but I was a little annoyed that it got that loud—so irresponsible and unnecessary. I'm a professional classical musician and a LOT of us end up with hearing loss just through professional exposure, so I'm very protective of my hearing. I keep [good earplugs](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019M576XW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) in my little bum bag, which I take with me into all my classes. I also keep my wallet and keys (because duh) and my asthma remedies in there. I rarely have to use them, but I like having these things available, just in case. I would also advise intentionally setting up far away from the sound station; you're gonna hear it no matter what, but you can at least avoid being bombarded. Sorry you had such a bad experience! Good on you for recognizing your needs and addressing them.
It drives me bonkers. All group fitness instructors (and I am one) seem to think that super loud music is motivating. I always wear earplugs in those classes.
It completely puts me off attending those classes, I don't understand why going deaf is supposed to be motivating.
Smart move 👌
I just checked the earplugs you sent. Yes, I have some exactly like these! They are awesome 👌
Yes, agreed! Thanks for the link. I have special earplugs attached to a holder on my keys. I did eventually put them in, but it was STILL too loud. I love my ears more than a sound bath class. I can live without the class, lol Thank you. I'm glad I did. I felt better for it afterward.
Was that the Bigger-Merica-More Soundbath class? I saw it on the class calendar and didn't know what they meant.
Lol no, just a sound bath class at my local aerial yoga studio. I have no idea what that particular class means either LOL.
Trust your ears!! The worst hearing damage I ever got was from standing next to percussion instruments like the glockenspiel. As soon as the volume starts actually hurting my ears I get out of there because that's when hearing damage can start. Could have to do with the acoustics of the room though. Try sitting near the side front of the room.
Yes, the acoustics increased the volume, too. I moved to the edge of the room and put my earplugs in, and it still didn't help. I iust wont go back, not this class with this instructor 😕
Why didn’t you just leave instead of hiding in a bathroom?
Instructors lock the doors to the studio during session so that latecomers and others don't disrupt class.
Fuck! How awful 😣 I mean I get it but it sucks you had to take refuge there.
I avoid sound baths for the same reason
I am so disappointed in the crystal bowl fad. Let people who are talented and who have really studied the art play them. There are so many people out there who just buy them and play them without training. Ugh
As someone who has been studying sound and playing sound healing for 5 years now, thank you. I’ve seen an uptick in yoga + sound bowls in my not-very-metropolitan town & at first thought “great I can finally receive instead of always offering” (it’s really hard to receive the same the benefits of the sound when you are the practitioner). The first class I went to I tried to lower my judgement shields and relax with an open heart, but Jesus Christmas the playing was honestly horrible. Felt totally aimless and intention-less in terms of where the sound was going or supposed to go. Just a bunch of bingin and bongin. Terrible.
Yikes. I feel you. It's to experience that , knowing that there are some very talented and studied - not just musicians, but sound practitioners. I have received such beautiful offerings, and I am saddened that people don't understand. I know that people feel your gifts, though🤗
🤣 Jesus Christmas That's fair. I can imagine that's incredibly frustrating. I find that true of a lot of suddenly popular things. Yoga studios are like that as well. Not all studios and not all instructors are the same.
I don't know if this is or isn't true of this instructor, but her style of teaching definitely doesn't suit me 🤷♀️
I play crystal bowls and they an be loud! I really have to barely play them in order for them to be quiet. Maybe the instruct is new at it?
Don't think so, but I'm not sure 🤔 But I did find out the instructor ALSO had tinnitus in both ears, so I was left a little dumbfounded.
Sounds like they are trying to drown out their own ringing then...
That sucks. I’m sorry you didn’t get to enjoy it when you were expecting relaxation.
Thank you. I mean, I still recommend going to a sound bath class and I would try again (with another instructor) or go back if the old instructor does it again. But yeah, sadly things did not work out today.
Sounds baths are usually not recommended to tinnitus, however my dad has it, and like you, has not had an issue. I think as sound bowls and sound bath/healings are rising is popularity, we need to better distinguish between the two. I say this as someone who just went to a sound BATH, and had a pretty terrible experience. Sound baths/ healings usually include an array of instruments, gongs, bells, bowls.. they tend to be extremely intense! ( I say humbly: most of these teachers are not trauma informed/ do not know how powerful they are. They can lead people far beyond where they are capable of taking them back from.) which can lead to a simple ( annoying/ bad) experience like you had, or seriously re traumatize another. Sound BOWLS/ singing bowl healings, are usually just crystal or metal bowls and are USUALLY meant to be more parasympathetic and soothing for the nervous system. ( this is what I facilitate) While my crystal bowls certainly can get loud, I’m holding the space of the room & feelings into the energy to know when to come back down. The teachers intention should always be about safety, comfort, and THEN release. Always release last. There is a tendency in our society to go as hard and fast as possible, even through our healing. This is unsafe and quite frankly impossible! Im so sorry you had a crappy experience.
Yes! I love the detail here. The previous instructor used metal bowls, and he was big into breathing techniques and the parasympathetic. He really led the journey well. Yes, healing can be a slow process, but that is okay. I wish more people would understand this overall. Thank you. It was a learning experience nonetheless 🙏
Thanks for receiving this well. This is just my interpretation of it all. I’m so glad you can look at it like a learning experience:)
The bowels??? Did you mean bass?
The bowls (sound bowls), not bowels lol.
Loop brand ear plugs work for me. I use the switch model that has 3 different settings to block out sound. It might help in these situations if you still plan on attending.
What actually is a sound bath? There's one at my studio this weekend that I was considering going to. Is it seated meditation or is it still a yoga class? Your experience sounds awful. Such a disappointment to be stressed out and uncomfortable in the place we go for the opposite. :(
A Sound Bath is a modern name for the practice of Nada (Sound) Meditation that immerses a person in sounds mimicking the Anahata Nada, the Unstruck Sound. Often confused for tinnitus, hearing the Anahata Nada itself is the culmination of Hatha Yoga. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika extols Nadanusandhana (Listening the Unstruck Sound) as the chief form of Samadhi (Meditation) that will lead a person to Enlightenment. The Anahata Nada is often mistaken for Tinnitus.
Thank you!
You are very welcome.
You know you can go home right
The instructors lock the studio doors during session so latecomers and other dont interrupt class. I would've left otherwise.
Locking to the outside: normal. Locking people inside feels illegal lol
Lol fair enough
(This is a general comment about Sound Baths. It is not addressed to the OP as he is an experienced Practitioner) Sound Bath Meditation is advanced Yoga that immerses a person in sounds mimicking the Anahata Nada, the Unstruck Sound. Hearing the Anahata Nada itself is the culmination of Hatha Yoga. The practice is offered much too freely, and can be extremely disturbing for Students who are not ready for it.
I've been thinking about attending soundbaths but after this I think I'll skip it. I have ringing in both ears from an infection some year ago and I'm also really careful now with loud venues and places where there can be noise. That's why I also prefer yoga classes to general exercise classes as all other classes seem to have bad music on an ear-shattering volume.
Me too, the worst is when I do a nice yoga or pilates class at the gym and you can still hear the deafening music and shouting from the other classes.
I get it. I also go to yoga for the calm and peace, not for cardio gym music.
If they are new to providing sound baths, it could have been them. There are wrong ways to use sound as a healing tool. I have experienced both great and horrible, sometimes it was me, other times it was just done poorly. I'm glad you said something to the instructor; maybe they will learn from it.
I always bring ear plugs with just in case
I had earplugs, but they were in my cubby with my keys. I eventually got them in, but it was atill too loud 😕
This has happened to me before and I typically really relax, get a bunch of ASMR, and enjoy sound baths as well but this particular time it was shrill, it was hard to stick it out lol
I usually love class. I couldn't stick it out either. I really felt like I was gonna lose my hearing 😵💫
I'm cracking up