Sharon Collins (Crystal Bowl Sound Baths & Sound Healing)

Sharon Collins works with crystal singing bowls, and if you have never lain down in a room full of them, it is worth trying at least once. Her sessions are sound baths: you settle somewhere comfortable, close your eyes, and let the tones wash over you while she plays.

You can drop in and see how it feels for yourself rather than take anyone’s word for it.

What a crystal bowl sound bath actually is

A sound bath is not a performance you watch, and it is not music in the usual sense. Crystal bowls are tuned to sustained notes, and when they are played the sound builds slowly and holds. You are not asked to do anything except lie back and listen. There is no skill to it and nothing to get wrong.

What taking part tends to feel like

Most people describe the experience as deeply relaxing. The long, steady tones give your attention something simple to rest on, which is often enough for a busy mind to slow down for a while. Some people drift close to sleep. Others simply feel calmer and less wound up when they sit back up. Everyone responds a little differently, and that is normal.

Who it suits

Sound baths tend to suit anyone who finds it hard to switch off, or who is curious about a gentle way to relax that asks nothing of them. You do not need any experience, and you do not need to believe anything in particular for it to feel pleasant. If you would rather stay seated than lie down, that is usually fine too.

Chakra-framed sessions

Alongside the general sound bath, Sharon also runs sessions structured around the chakra system, the traditional set of energy centres the sound sequence is named after. The instruments and format stay the same — crystal bowls and other resonant instruments, played while you rest — the chakra framing just gives the running order its structure.

Something to try this week

You do not need bowls to get a small taste of this. Once a day, sit somewhere quiet and hum a single steady note for a few slow breaths, letting the sound go on as long as the out-breath lasts. Notice the faint buzz of it in your chest and face. It is a small thing, but it is a simple way to give your attention one calm thing to settle on.

Sharon’s sound sessions are booked and paid for with her on the day. Find her on Instagram at @sharonlouise_healinglounge.