This Body Treatment Blends Sound Healing & Massage Therapy

When Burke Williams announced its new Tranquility Massage, I was thrilled to visit the Sherman Oaks, California, location to experience it myself. The service combines massage therapy with sound healing for a full mind-body treatment. I have only done sound therapy in a meditation context, and combining it with a massage seems like, well, heaven!

Related: The Healing Power of Sound Therapy

Of course, I arrived early so that I had time to enjoy the hot tub and eucalyptus steam room (a personal favorite). So, I was fully prepped and pretty relaxed when my therapist Chantida found me and led me to the treatment room. 

After an initial consult about both sound therapy and my physical concerns, Chantida began the 80-minute Tranquility Massage by having me lie face down and take deep breaths of lavender essential oil. She then placed two singing bowls on my body, a smaller bowl between my shoulder blades and a larger one on my sacrum. The bowls are hand-crafted by Nepalese artisans and tuned to harmonize with one another, so as Chantida alternated striking the two bowls, the sound combined and reverberated together throughout my body. 

Next, she moved the smaller bowl from my shoulder and down the outside of my body to my foot, striking it all the while and allowing the vibrations to act as a gentle massage. She did this on both sides before removing the singing bowls and setting them aside.

I remained lying face down and Chantida performed a relaxing massage using a sweet-smelling cream and rhythmic Swedish techniques. The entire time, a singing bowl soundtrack was playing; even though the actual bowls weren't in use, I still had that healing ambience to keep me in a totally tranquil state. 

By the time she asked me to turn over, I had basically turned into jelly. 

Related: 7 Massage Modalities That Will Set Your Spa Apart

I managed to roll onto my back, and Chantida placed the singing bowls on my body again, repeating the sound therapy ritual on my front side. I have to say I was surprised at how much I loved the portion where she struck one of the bowls and moved it down the outer sides of my body; not only were the tones further relaxing my mind, but the physical vibrations displaced all remaining tension out of my muscles. 

Chantida completed the massage by focusing on my arms, hands, legs and feet. At this point, I was floating; as I dozed in and out, Chantida performed the final step, applying light cranial holds that had me officially drifting away completely. 

She gently woke me, took my robe and sandals—which had been in a warmer the entire time—and placed them within reach before exiting to wait for me with a cup of water. I levitated serenely back to my car and headed home, completely and utterly blissed out.