When Lisa Kristine Arlt took her 10 Tibetan interplanetary singing bowls to Pine River Institute in Mulmur last month, she had no idea what kind of effect they would have on the kids there.
Pine River is a residential treatment centre for youth struggling with addictive behaviours.
Tibetan singing bowls are used as a method of sound healing that produce vibrations related to different planets and release different energy centres (or chakras) in the body.
It was the first time Lisa Kristine had worked with youth since opening her practice for business in January. “I jumped at the opportunity to bring this ancient healing technique to a group of teenagers,” she said.
Ayrlie MacEachern, who runs a weekly “Mind, Body and Spirit” group at the school, initiated the visit by Lisa Kristine. She said it was amazing to see the dramatic reaction a group of eight boys had to the session.
“The group came in rowdy and they all fell asleep. There were times when that bowl was at the crown of their head being bonged with a vibrating sound… and they were out. Lots of these kids struggle with anxiety and I’m really happy to share with them that there are possibilities out there to help them.”
Lisa Kristine added that the group told her the therapy made them feel more energized, peaceful and alive.
Tibetan singing bowls are antique vessels that are found in the Himalayas (Lisa Kristine’s come from Nepal and India), although they are now made new, too. They are tested for sound vibrations that correspond with the planets.
After striking the bowl with a mallet, the bowls are moved along the body and placed at different areas on and around the body.
“Sound is the oldest healing tool; it has a huge effect on our bodies,” explained Lisa Kristine. “Every cell in our bodies is a sound resonator. The various systems in the body respond to sound vibrations, as well as various emotional, mental and spiritual states of consciousness. Our energy, our well-being, can be altered, strengthened and balanced through the use of sacred sound.”
She pointed out the calming effect that music can have on minds and our bodies. “Sacred sound – whether as prayer, music, song, incantations or chants – is a vital force which permeates every aspect of creation. Sound has always been considered a direct link between humanity and the divine.”
The vibrations and sounds the singing bowls make help clients relax into a deep state of meditation – or even sleep. Since she says most of our healing is done in our sleep, Lisa Kristine thinks this is a good thing.
“When you’re in that kind of meditative state, the brain function has moved into the deeper brain wave frequencies, the brain wave activity has been reduced and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems become synchronized. This is the perfect condition for releasing blocked energy and bringing the body back into realignment,” she said.
Last spring, Lisa Kristine began studying the bowls with Lisa Wilvert, a teacher who learned the technique from monks in Tibet.
Trained as a spiritual psychotherapist, Lisa Kristine left that discipline because she felt it placed too much emphasis on analysis. She believes the Tibetan bowls offer clients “a more direct and quicker way to heal on a cellular level, thereby being able to move through and heal wounds without having to wade in them.”
Lisa Kristine is available for individual therapy sessions with the Tibetan interplanetary healing bowls. Later this month, she will run a group class on Tuesdays from 1:45 to 3 pm and on Wednesdays from 7 to 8:15 pm. Email lisakristine.om@gmail.com for more information.