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June 2020

Sound Meditation with Cynthia Bernard

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Ubuntu is grateful to have an ambassador in Cynthia Bernard (AKA @atxyogagirl). 

She is a teacher, guide and facilitator in yoga, meditation, mindfulness and sound healing, sharing her teachings with us on living a more conscious life. Cynthia has been an Ubuntu ambassador and advocate for years, connecting through the Austin Tribe community. We love her ability to intertwine storytelling and music to provide a playful and creative approach to yoga and meditation. Her journey originated from loss and has bloomed into blending these modalities of healing that helped her during her own anxiety and change. We hope to bring her thoughtful, nurturing presence into the lives of our greater Tribe community through one of her locally famous sound bowl classes.

What is Sound Meditation?

Sound meditation is a form of focused awareness type of meditation. One kind that has become more popular is called “sound baths,” which uses Tibetan singing bowls, quartz bowls, and bells to guide the listener. These practices highlight themes of how the experience of sound manifests not only through hearing but through tactile physical vibrations and frequencies.

What are its benefits?

Sound can help release stress and deepen the mind, body, & spirit connection.

When did you find sound bowl and how did you bring it into your yoga practice?

I experienced my first “Sound Bath” six years ago, shortly after I discovered how much meditation and my yoga practice were helping my anxiety. I was looking for ways to deepen my meditation practice even beyond just sitting still which was sometimes hard for me. I realized after my very profound experience of feeling calmer, less tension in my chest, and more present, that this healing modality would be a beautiful way to close the yoga sessions I was sharing and started with short sound bites at the end of class during savasana. In the last two years, I began offering 30-60 min Sound Bath meditations as a stand-alone offering. The longer sound baths give you more time to allow the body and mind to drop in deeper and have a greater awareness of what’s happening within. This turned into several monthly gatherings that are accessible for ALL ages, ALL abilities. Now, besides yoga and meditation, sound baths are a permanent addition to the (whole) wellness approach I offer. I still love pairing it with yoga because the pre-movement helps release stagnant energy in the body, thus allowing you to receive even more benefits.

Any tips for 1st timers interested in experience sound bowl meditation?

My first tip is to drop any expectations and have compassion & kindness for yourself with any sensations that arise for you. If you feel extremely stressed, try moving around a bit before your experience and anchor in some deep breathing practices. Lastly, get comfortable (blanket, pillow, eye pillow, comfy clothes,) and maybe start with a short one first like 30 mins.

Are there are any resources for those who want to start their own sound bowl practice? do you need to be certified?

Before deciding to share this beautiful practice, experience several for yourself, and start with one bowl to add to the beginning and end of your meditation or yoga practice. I would look for someone to work with that teaches group or 1:1 classes and is a trained practitioner that has worked closely with Quartz, Crystal, or Tibetan bowls. Buy bowls from an authorized dealer making sure they are tuned correctly. Take their classes and see if you connect energetically. To be a practitioner, you don’t need a certification but there are many available offering full courses such as at:

https://sound-bath.com/soundbath-practitioner-trainings-2/

There are also several articles and apps to find out more about the benefits:

https://chopra.com/articles/healing-with-sound-tune-up-to-find-inner-harmony

With gratitude and #LIVEUBUNTU,

Cynthia Bernard / @atxyogagirl

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1 COMMENT

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Aruna Fjastad

July 29, 2020

Hi Cynthia,
Are you in Kenya? I’ve been in lockdown here & had to leave all my bowls in Costa Rica!! We’re having an informal sound/ movement session this coming sun ..in Watamu. At my house😇 .
Do you know where I can borrow/ buy a couple of bowls? So wonderful reading about your journey! I was born in Kenya, spent my adult life roaming..and back here for a bit.
Asante…Aruna

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