Brazil sounds that helped calm my mind

The writer recently participated in an online “Sound as Medicine” workshop led by Phyllicia Victoria through the Omega Institute. The workshop offered a calming experience during a difficult period in the participant’s life.

For the past eighteen months, the writer has faced what they described as the hardest time in their adult life. They traveled back and forth across the country multiple times to support their father through brain cancer treatment. At the same time, they homeschooled their oldest son, adjusted to changes in their industry, and recently dealt with estrangement from a close person. Life felt heavy and overwhelming, and the writer relied on self-care routines such as walking in nature and reading in the bath to stay balanced.

After the workshop, the writer concluded that sound baths should become a regular part of their routine. Phyllicia Victoria is an artist, yoga teacher, reiki practitioner, and sound healer. On her website, she described growing up feeling broken, lonely, and unworthy, with trust issues. The writer felt a connection to that story. Victoria began facilitating sound baths after noticing how sound helped settle her thoughts and quiet mental chatter.

The workshop had a similar effect on the writer. The combination of Victoria’s soothing voice, uplifting words, and the resonant, hypnotic sounds created a transcendent experience. After the practice, Victoria led gentle movements and stretches, then asked participants to journal about what came up during the meditation.

The writer started by writing a list of words: Release, Peace, Spaciousness, Ease, Clarity, Calmness, Gratitude. Then they wrote a longer reflection. They felt a deep sense of relief from stressful thoughts. The sound transported them in a way words alone could not. The vibrations felt cleansing, removing mental noise and creating space to simply be without judgment.

When the writer heard other sounds, some from Victoria’s environment and some from their own home, such as their father moving and turning on a faucet, their mind responded with, “No judgment—just new sounds.” The writer reminded themselves to hear those sounds mixed with the calming sounds of singing bowls and chimes, then release them without thinking they should not have been part of the experience.

The writer reflected that this is a useful approach for life. Often people hear more dissonance than harmony, but sometimes the opposite occurs. Training the mind to hear dissonance without getting lost in its story is a gift, allowing focus to shift back to what is beautiful and healing.

After the journaling practice, the writer chose not to listen to the workshop’s Q&A session so they could remain in the space they had created. They have read that sound baths can calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and relieve tension and physical pain. Their session ended with deep physical and mental relaxation, leaving them better equipped to handle the day ahead.

The writer expressed gratitude for their recent partnership with Omega and noted that the institute has a page of free resources for the Tiny Buddha community. They also listed several workshops of interest: “Get Healthy with Sound: Tuning Forks & Voice for Vibrant Health,” “The Journey Inward: Frequency, Neuroscience & Longevity,” and “Holotropic Breathwork: Sacred Geometry & the Healing Nature of Mandalas.” The writer shared previous recommendations for Omega’s emotional resilience workshops and nervous system regulation workshops. They noted that if they could attend an in-person workshop at the campus in New York, they would do so immediately, describing it as a sanctuary for meaningful connection and deep healing.