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Natural Awakenings Westchester / Putnam / Dutchess New York

Sound Healing and the Hudson Valley

Jun 29, 2018 01:31AM ● By Susan Kaplan

Susan Kaplan

During my years growing up in Yonkers, and as an adult living in Connecticut and Massachusetts, I spent many blissful days in the Hudson River Valley. I sank into the comfortable Victorian splendor of Mohonk Mountain House and hiked its rustic, winding network of trails. I walked the casual Main Street of New Paltz, enjoying the coffeehouses and funky vintage shops that a college town brings. I indulged a lifelong love of historic homes, touring the mansions of Vanderbilts and Roosevelts and taking in the eclectic design of Frederic Church’s Olana, astonished by its majestic views from high on the hill. Impressive architecture and landscaping is matched—maybe surpassed—by idyllic perches and panoramic views of the mighty Hudson River. The region always has exerted a strong pull on my spirit.

Still today, I remain in awe of the waterways, wildlife, history and rural beauty of the Hudson River Valley. It is an exciting place to set down roots—and a perfect place to practice vibrational sound therapy. Beneath the first impressions of quaint downtown streets, farms, fruit stands and a thriving artistic community, the Hudson River Valley is a place where new age and spiritual beliefs continue to merge with centuries of Eastern traditional medicine and Western health systems. This evolving symbiosis, blending science and holistic awareness, is exemplified in the growing use of Himalayan singing bowls for mind-body-spirit healing.

The use of Himalayan singing bowls is not new. They’ve been around for centuries as part of religious or spiritual practices and shamanic healing ceremonies. Vibrational Sound Therapy (VST) is just the most modern incarnation of an old holistic entity, signaling new appreciation for the sayings “The whole is more than the sum of its parts” and “Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it can’t have benefits.”

The physics of sound and other scientific principles give new credibility to practices once thought of as meritless, and have been incorporated into the custom, hand-hammered engineering of the therapeutic-grade bowls used in VST. At a minimum, these bowls invoke a deep state of relaxation; most clients fall asleep at some point during a session. As the Vibrational Sound Association methodically trains more certified practitioners, who use these techniques in established body or energy work or in standalone practices, there is increasing evidence that VST decreases anxiety and depression, improves sleep, and decreases or eliminates chronic and acute pain.

As a sound therapist, I’ve started fresh in a region known for natural beauty, community pride and history. I encourage you to try something new too: Himalka Holistic Healing, the place for vibrational sound therapy.

Susan Kaplan is a certified vibrational sound therapy practitioner and the founder of Himalka Holistic Healing. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact her at 706-4431. To learn more about VST, visit VibrationalSoundAssociation.com.