(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Close your eyes and dwell deeper in the acoustic vibrations of a Tibetan Himalayan singing bowl or Gong - an East and Southeast Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat, circular metal disc which is hit with a mallet descending into deep, silent savasana with a supersonic state of mindfulness.
It promises to heal the mind, body and soul as young Natalie Kelly, sound therapist, guides her students towards how sound helps them relax and realign their energy.
Community recently spoke with Natalie, British national of Jamaican origin, about her love for music and her journey to the music therapy.
Introducing herself, she said, 'I was born and brought up in the UK. My parents hail from Jamaica. I have passion for music since my childhood. I started playing violin when I was about seven or eight years old. My parents supported me for every bit of it. They hired a music teacher for me. When I grew up, I started taking interest in viola.
'I started playing viola for a community orchestra. While being the part of the orchestra, I got inspired from the orchestra conductor and I started improving. I was in the school when I used to play for the orchestra as an extra-curricular activity. Later, I went on to have my university degree with majors in music.
Sharing her journey from love for music to interest in sound therapy, the young trainer said, 'After finishing my university education, I went to India in 2009 with a group of young people to carry out some social welfare works in the Himalayas. The experience of working in far off areas of India attracted me towards the life and the people in general. I was involved in providing education to the schoolchildren and raising awareness among the women. This helped me in learning how to guide and teach others. I also learnt some basics of meditation and yoga in India.
'Later on same year, I went to China as a music teacher. I was still not sure about what I wanted to do in my life. I stayed in Beijing for about four years. One of my of colleagues advised me to read Power of Now, a book on meditation and focusing on being present. The book really inspired me. I stared moving towards meditation and then towards sound therapy. I returned to UK in 2013 and worked in Abu Dhabi as the music teacher for two years from 2015 to 2017. There I used to attend a programme called Weekend Retreat where a Buddhist monk used to teach how to meditate. The experience catapulted me into a state of simultaneous healing and spiritual awarenes far greater than what I had experienced before.I had to experience some darkness before transitioning into light.
'The real inspiration came when I contacted a teacher on Internet in Goa, India. Maria Karpasitis helped me to transcend limiting beliefs, push beyond the habitual fears and tendencies and come to terms with the fact that I am not my mind nor the inner workings of it. She taught me how to do away with different perceptions that the society has for me and how I can get it all for myself.
When asked that how she started helping others through the sound therapy, Natalie said, 'I have always been fond of music and been teaching music. I have regularly been playing cello and viola. From Abu Dhabi, I went back to UK and joined British Academy of Sound Therapy. I got proper training and leant how to use Gong for therapy. In 2017 I moved to Qatar and since then I have been helping others through the therapy.
Giving her own definition of sound therapy, the trainer said, 'Sound therapy for me is a chance for us to achieve a great state of health and vibration. An opportunity to heal, become empowered, fulfilled and aligned into the depth of our deepest truth.
'There is an ever growing body of research in support of the Gong, Himalayan bowls, Crystle Bowls and the therapeutic voice which produces harmonics, overtones, intervals, frequencies and vibrations which can repair and enhance our inner most molecular structure. Whilst the brainwave is slowed down generally to theta state, this is an opportune time for our cellular, emotional and spiritual bodies to find a balance.
'Sound Therapy assists relaxation, relieves stress, restores harmony on a cellular level and transcends us into peace, joy, bliss and fulfilment. And all we have to do is lie down and receive in a state of allowance. My advice to you is to try it on a consistent basis and see how your life changes for the better.
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