Sound Alchemy : Online Course on the Art & Science of Sound Therapy & Nada Yoga
In this immersive six part online course, we invite you to embark on a comprehensive exploration of sound as a therapeutic tool by integrating scientific knowledge, psycho-acoustics, and the ancient wisdom of Nada Yoga, offering a distinctive and all-encompassing perspective.
Commencing on October 19th, 2023, this online course will be led by Arjun Arora, Sowmya Aiyyar, and Priyanjali, all of whom are seasoned sound therapists and yoga practitioners with extensive experience and expertise in the realms of music and well-being.
The course is designed to guide you through both the theoretical foundations and practical exercises of sound therapy techniques and Nada Yoga, catering to both group and individual healing. This journey will enable you to forge a profound connection with the profound potential of sound.
Whether you identify as a yoga enthusiast, a wellness practitioner, or someone merely intrigued by the transformative capabilities of sound, this course has been meticulously crafted to furnish you with valuable tools and insights that will enrich your personal and professional path.
Courses Dates
| Course Date | Mode | Location | Timings | Total Duration | Fees |
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Topics:
Session 1 :
Essentials of Sound Healing
- Exploring the physics of sound, sound sources, harmony, and dissonance.
- Uncovering sound healing’s origins and its connection to vibration in science and mythology.
- Delving into the question: Does Sound Healing truly heal?
Sound’s Impact on Body and Mind
- Overview of contemporary sound therapy practices and their integration into modern healthcare.
- Examination of scientific studies and research on the effects of sound on various health conditions.
- Exploring how sound affects the nervous system, brainwaves, and stress reduction.
- Learning how sound contributes to relaxation, emotional release, and overall well-being.
- Discovering Entrancement and resonance
- Exploring cymatics and how the human body responds to vibrations.
- Diving into acoustic vs electronic music and discussing binaural beats and how they work.
Session 2:
Creating Sound Healing Sessions:
- How to design and structure effective sound healing sessions for individuals and groups.
- Panchamahabhuta
- Various fields of sound
- Integral approach for individual vs group
- Planning the progression of sounds and frequencies for optimal outcomes & importance of integration and self reflection tools
- Preparing the space, client and yourself for sound sessions
This can be covered in 3 topics of pre-session, during session & post session- Preparing the space
- Preparing yourself
- Preparing the client
Setting up ambience
- Instrument upkeep & relationship with our tools
- Upkeep of the space
- Position of the client/ people
Practical Skills:
- Techniques for creating harmonious and balanced sounds.
- Using sounds to help brain enter ‘idling’ mode
- Use of harmony & tuned sound
- Volume Dynamics
Session 3:
Integration with Other Therapies & ethical consideration
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- Exploring how sound healing can complement other therapeutic approaches, such as meditation, yoga, massage, etc.
- Addressing ethical and cultural considerations when working with sound in a healing context.
- Respecting clients’ boundaries and preferences – trauma informed approach
- Guiding students in using sound for relaxation and inner exploration.
- Customising sound healing practices to individual needs and preferences.
- Safety & precautions – recognizing any potential contraindications or risks associated with specific sound therapies.
Practical Skills:
- Hands-on training in playing various sound healing instruments.
- Instruments & dynamics
- Pulse tubes (7 chakras)
- Shamanic drum & rattles & shakers
- Swinging chimes (elements)
- Storm drum
Session 4:
Sound Healing Tools and Techniques
- Understanding instrument selection for specific purposes.
- Discover the history of singing bowls in healing.
- Exploring different kinds of singing bowls
- Which ones to choose
- Examining different musical scales, including the modern A-G scale and the Indian scale, with a focus on the debate between 432 Hz and 440 Hz.
Learning to Play Instruments & Dynamics:
- Singing bowls (7 chakras)
- Handpans
- Percussion instruments
- Rattles
- Tongue Drums
Practical Skills:
- Preparing the space, yourself and the client
- Hands-on training in playing various sound healing instruments.
- Techniques for creating harmonious and balanced sounds.
- What kind of bowls to use
- Positioning bowls corresponding to chakras
Session 5:
Nada Yoga & Indian classical music
- Nada Brahma
- Science of Nada Yoga
- Sound and origin of the universe, AUM
- Ragas : Time and music, season and music
- Some powerful chants
Ragas, Chakras, Mantras and Meditation
- Exploring connection of Ragas with emotions, times of day and seasons of year
- What mantras can be used in chakra sound healing
- Understanding how different frequencies affect various parts of the body and chakras
- How are specific sounds and intonations related to chakras and used in healing?
- Practical chakra meditation with instrumental sounds
- Visuals and audio of instruments as related to each chakra.
Session 6:
- Exploring Drum circles and rhythmic patterns
- Overview of the course
- Practical sound healing sessions with participants
- Q&A
About the Teachers
Arjun Arora
Driven by his endless curiosity for a better understanding of the Self, Arjun has been on journeys across India and the world, learning from philosophies, meditation, yoga, psychology, music and various holistic wellness modalities. Arjun founded Sarveda as an earnest attempt to align his passion for creativity and well-being with making a positive impact and changing the world for the better.
He is a percussionist, guitarist, sound producer and a sound therapist with a keen interest to use music as a force to help people connect with themselves and others. His other interests lie in integrating the broad vision of the philosophies of the East with the pragmatic psychology of the West. Arjun is an engineering graduate from IIT Madras.
Sowmya Aiyyar
Sowmya Ayyar is a trained Carnatic musician, a yoga therapist, and the founder of Prafull Oorja, an NGO dedicated to training yoga therapists to serve under-resourced communities. Since 2013, her organization, known as the Sangha, has positively impacted the lives of over 500 individuals in Bangalore every week.
Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in Yoga and Peace at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India. Sowmya’s name, meaning “sweet and gentle” in Sanskrit, reflects her personal qualities and aspirations. She firmly believes in her dharma to serve the universe through love and empathy.
Before establishing Prafull Oorja, Sowmya gained experience by working and volunteering in NGOs both in the United States and India. Her roles included project management, people management, training, and teaching. She holds an MA in Environmental Security from the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica (2011), with a focus on Yoga, the Environment, and Domestic Violence. She also completed an MA in Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation from the University of Innsbruck in Austria (2011), emphasizing Yoga and Peacebuilding. Her academic background includes a BS in Sociology and Gerontology from Santa Clara University in California (2000).
Furthermore, Sowmya holds a Yoga Teacher Training Certification from the Southwest Institute for Healing Arts in Arizona (2009), specializing in Restorative and Yin Yoga. However, her most profound understanding of yoga has evolved through a lifetime of personal practice, study with spiritual guides, and immersion in ashrams and monastic settings.
Priyanjali
Priyanjali is a multi-dimensional explorer – a movement, psyche & sonic researcher who believes in quantum thinking. Her initiation into creative arts started at the age of 4, when she started learning Kathak. Having completed her senior diploma in Kathak in her teenage years, she graduated as a psychologist and specialized in Behavioural psychology. She later pursed her passion for movement, sound & breath by becoming a certified yoga & sound therapist after many years of study, training and self-practice.
She has been holding space, facilitating yoga therapy & meditation for 9 years now. The last 5 years have also kept her busy in the space of sound therapy where she is combining her intuitive guidance towards creative arts with her study & research of the exploration of human consciousness through a sound collective called Farasha. She lives in Auroville and works with SVARAM as a sound facilitator, space holder & researcher.
Her current studies and research have taken her into an exploration of approaching sound therapy from an integral perspective – combining the understanding of nada yoga with psychoacoustics. In the core of combining integral knowledge, lies her the firm belief that sound is accessible to everyone if approached with sensitivity, authenticity & receptivity.
Course Schedule:
The course comprises of 6 sessions each roughly 1.5 hours in duration spread over 6 weeks to be offered online on Zoom every Thursday evening at 5:30 PM IST tentatively (timing subject to the availability of prospective students).
The online course is scheduled to start on the 19th of October 2023 and finish on 23rd November 2023. To learn more or register, please write to us at care@sarveda.com or Whatsapp at +91 8861568960
FAQs:
- In the event that I cannot attend a live online session, will I still be able to access the recorded session?
- Absolutely, recorded sessions will be accessible to participants who are unable to attend the online sessions.
- Is this course appropriate for beginners?
- Yes, this course is open to individuals of all skill levels. The only prerequisites are an interest in music and a willingness to learn 🙂
- Will there be an offline practical session included?
- This course is entirely conducted online; however, we will incorporate interactive sessions. Towards the conclusion of the course, there will be a demonstration session for all participants, during which they will present their creative setups, including a brief online sound bath. Additionally, we will provide guidance on selecting instruments.
- How long will I have access to the recorded sessions?
- Participants will have access to the course materials and recordings for a period of 1 month after the course, allowing for flexibility in your learning schedule.
- Are there any specific technical requirements for joining the online sessions?
- To participate in the online sessions, you will need a stable internet connection, a computer or mobile device, and any software or applications specified in the course materials. Detailed technical requirements will be provided upon enrolment.
- Can I interact with the instructor and other participants during the online sessions?
- Yes, our online sessions are designed to be interactive. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, engage in discussions as instructed by the instructor. The typical format involves the instructor teaching in the first part of the session and dedicating the later part for Q&A.
What else is included for participants?
- All participants can avail a 15% off on sound healing instruments(this does not include handpans, tongue drums, and chakra set) purchased from the Sarveda Store.
- A pdf handout with all essential aspects of sound healing covered during the course.
- Access to recorded sessions for upto 1 month after the course
