GILPIN COUNTY – Have you ever felt like your soul needs a cleanse? A rain stick’s soothing sounds seemed to do just that, at a recent sound bathing experience held at the Gilpin County Community Center. Think of it like a shampoo for the spirit.

Bathing in the luxurious sounds of gongs and singing bowls, I realized why celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. are supporters of sound healing. The scents of copal and sage drifted through the air, lifting anxiety, tension, and stress.

Sound healing is not just a modern trend, but a practice rooted in ancient cultures worldwide. 

For millennia, Australian aboriginal tribes have used the didgeridoo for sound healing, while Tibetan and Himalayan spiritual ceremonies embraced singing bowls. 

This meditative art form, known as sound meditation or sound baths, creates a focused awareness that engages not only the ears but also the body through tactile vibrations and frequencies.

On Saturday, December 28, 2024, over 15 participants gathered at the Gilpin County Community Center for a sound bath journey led by local mountain residents Carissa (Reesa) Harris and Cody Wales. 

Armed with yoga mats, blankets, and eye pillows, attendees settled in for a sensory immersion that promised relaxation, reflection, and rejuvenation.

Harris, a massage therapist with over 15 years of experience, described her journey to sound healing, saying, “[It] lit a fire inside of me and turned my massage into a more holistic, healing experience.” 

Wales, drummer for the funk band the Magic Beans, shared how his sobriety mission led him to the transformative practice. 

“We both received Reiki training at the same time and we felt called to sound healing,” he explained.

The pair, who live across the street from one another in Gilpin County, have collaborated with community members like AJ Koziel and Salvator Vitale to bring sound bathing to the Peak to Peak region. 

They emphasized the deeply personal nature of the practice, noting, “We are the conduits. We are not really healing you; you are healing yourself.”

Participants in the session basked in the harmonics of singing bowls, gongs, and other percussion instruments. A sacred turtle rattle, buffalo drum, and goats’ toes lit up the auditory senses while burning sage and copal treated the olfactory to a complementary experience. 

As Harris played the crystal singing bowl, it seemed to resonate 360 degrees around my brain, cleansing it like a virtual bath bomb. 

She encouraged the group to “unwind, relax, let go of the year, reflect on accomplishments, and set an intention for 2025.”

At the end of the session, several participants shared their experiences, speaking giddily of the lightness felt in their bodies and the visions seen in the mind’s eye. 

What began as a light foray into sound healing in the fall of 2024 may soon evolve into a thriving business, hinted Wales. 

Their next event, a Sound Bath Journey, is set for noon on February 8, 2025, at the Nederland Community Center, 750 Peak to Peak Highway in Nederland. 

Tickets can be purchased through https://www.hopp.bio/soundbathjourney. Recommended for ages 10 and up, participants are encouraged to bring yoga mats, blankets, and eye pillows for maximum comfort during the session.

For those seeking tranquility, balance, and a bit of soul-cleansing, this immersive experience promises to resonate long after the final note fades.