It had been a long night. My infant daughter would fall asleep briefly, then wake irritable and demanding. Shaking with fatigue, trembling with exhausted emotions, I watched her soft breathing and closed eyes, filled with love so profound, so intense, that I didn’t feel I could contain it.
But I was desperate for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep, or I wasn’t sure I could survive long enough to send her off to elementary school (yes, I was a little dramatic back then, only back then, of course).
With blurry eyes and blubbering tears, I prayed for guidance. The house was quiet, outside was quiet, and we were alone in our cozy bed listening to the white noise machine. I was drifting off when I jolted awake again by the expected wail. Angry tears from accusing eyes, she was up again. As I picked up her precious, solid, warm body against me, we both sobbed.
I picked up my new iPhone and searched for “sleep music,” “peace music,” and “healing music.” Up came a beautiful picture of a white swan on a calm lake, an album by Ashana. Pushing play, I turned up the volume, and we lay down. A deep, resonant sound began to fill the room, vibrating tones with overtones of crystal bowls, occasional gentle chimes, and the most angelic voice filled the room – singing long tones over the droning bowls.
I took a deep breath, and after I nursed her, her breathing deepened, eyes closed, and peace descended. I put the crystal bowl album on repeat. Hours later, as the dusk of dawn lightened the windows, I woke feeling refreshed and peaceful. The baby stirred and opened her great, wise eyes, softly gurgling. We had done it! We slept for more than 45 minutes—sound healing!
Jewels of Silence album became my life preserver. I would also play nonvocal pieces of the crystal bowls, filling our sleep hours with beautiful frequencies, helping our nervous systems relax and release, and calming our hearts.
It felt magical, but it was anything but, as it is scientifically proven that sound waves carry frequencies that, if harmonious and beautiful, can bring coherence/wholeness and harmony and entrain/connect our biology to the same – in other words, help us to feel calm and peaceful.
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