BACK in the game.. With some Sound Therapy!

I have been to see the Osteopath again this morning and she has signed me off seeing her for two weeks, on the proviso that I don't run and then in two weeks I will decide I either need to see her again, or I can attempt a run.. My facet joint is currently, for lack of a better word, in 'remission' and well on its way to recovery. The scary thing is that I don't know what will set it off again, or how to avoid doing it, so I am taking one day at a time and being grateful. Ok, fine, fine, I am always honest with you, I am learning to be grateful!

I have mentioned Lucy has been helping me with massage, and last night I was delighted to receive some Sound Therapy from Dave Tipper, Lucy's husband (whilst having a massage, I do love a good combo! Seriously you two, you just need to open a retreat thingamajig - if you build it, they will come - and make everyone feel better!)

So, I have to be honest, when Dave first mentioned that he was training to become a Sound Therapist, I was a bit like 'a what?'. You should know Clanettes, that Dave can play music like he was born to do nothing else. You haven't lived until you have sat beside him, shakey egg in hand, around a camp fire, and listened to him play the Didgeridoo or welcomed in the dawn, on a freezing hill at Yule, whilst he plays the Djembe (drum!). I have scoured the internet trying to find an article to describe what Sound Therapy is, and I think this is the best one - I am sorry Dave if you think otherwise, send me a link and I will amend! Anyway, see here for now.

What I really love about the Tippers, is that if they are going to do something, they do it. Even though it was just little old me last night, just Sarah who is always over and always scrounging for some sort of pain relief, they always treat me like a paying client and give me the works. I arrived at their house last night, in from the freezing cold, and I was welcomed into a calm and quiet retreat of warm bliss. They had transformed their lounge, Lucy was all set up to massage me and Dave had laid out all of his instruments and was set to play me some music, bathe me in sound.

I had no clue what to expect, but the tone was set right and I was eager to experience it. I can't really talk about what he played - I don't actually know - but there was a gong, singing bowls were involved, rain sticks and other items. What I can do, is describe what it felt like.

The music was very soothing, lulling even and was a good accompaniment to the massage - which Lucy altered to allow me to stay fully clothed - Dave played a variety of sounds and it was so smooth and full of flow, it really could have been a CD (this is a compliment!).

As I have mentioned previously, I am reading 'Anatomy of the spirit' at the moment, and I think because of this I thought of all the sounds as parts of the body, or ailments, or states of being. For example, the gong made me think of a baby in uetro, where it could hear all of the sounds of the outside world but they were muffled. The singing bowls felt very cleansing, one of which is so big I can only describe it as beautiful bucket. When Dave played that particular bowl, I could feel the sound through the floor and had I not known differently I would have thought my ear was right above it and the sound was coming in through me.

A more challenging sound for me, was made by a 'thunder stick' and this sound just grated on me, it made me hugely uncomfortable and I immediately tensed as I heard it. Strangely I likened that noise to my facet joint. Scrunchy, lumpy, out of place and unpleasant. Precisely how my facet joint feels. As we talked afterwards, I also noticed that the sound had made me feel angry - just like my facet joint! Dave didn't know I felt like this about the thunder sticks until afterwards, but fortunately he didn't play those for long.

The music changed how Lucy massaged me too. Normally we chat and the event is quite social, but obviously last night we listened to Dave and therefore didn't talk. Lucy noticed that normal problem areas for me were easier for her to massage - maybe because I was more relaxed, but equally, once the thunder sticks started, I was then very tense. As the thunder sticks ended and Dave lightened the atmosphere with bells, I was very relieved and felt 'clear'.

Thank you both, for making me feel worthy of your time. Thank you for treating me, thank you for making me feel welcome. I really enjoyed my session and came away with lots of food for thought, or is that music for my soul?

Before you go Clanettes, have a read of this and take a look at this - what blows my mind, is if the sand can respond like that, what are the cells of my own body doing? Maybe they are being encouraged to repair my facet joint? Maybe they are gearing up for some deep sleep so I can heal on my own? Maybe my true and ancient self is being awoken to listen to the music? Either way, I prefer my healing alternative, loud, and I like it with my friends x x