Christine Hays is a spa and wellness director, and the CEO of Eastern Vibration, an international organization with a passion for healing with vibrations – or healing with sound.
In recent years sound healing rituals have been incorporated into some of the most famous, spas around the globe, including Miraval, Kohler Waters, and Six Senses.
We spoke with Christine about how she got into sound healing, how spas can incorporate this ancient practice into their service offerings, and why they should.
How did you get into what you’re doing today?
Working in India for seven years as a corporate spa director, I came across these special hand hammered Tibetan bowls and was intrigued by the way the sounds made me feel. I decided to create a treatment with the bowls and add it to the spa menus. At the time I was using my intuition as I wasn’t trained. Later I started learning how and why the Tibetan Monks used these bowls for meditation and found Sadhus (Hindu holy men) who were also using them. As I dug deeper in the small villages and found shamans using them for medicine I knew I was on to something very profound. I continue to grow and study sound healing while doing case studies. It is a never ending topic!
How does sound or vibrational healing work?
The bowls are placed on and around the body. The sounds entrain the brain and bring the receivers brainwaves into Theta (a state believed to activate the body’s regenerative pathways and heal on a cellular level) within minutes. The vibrations travel through the body on a deep molecular level delivering a “cellular” massage.” Something that cannot be done with the hands alone.
What can you tell us about the benefits of sound?
There are numerous benefits, to name a few: Improves sleep, increases vital energy flow, removes blockages and toxins, stimulates circulation, strengthens the immune system and many more!
How might it be used in a spa or wellness setting?
Spas can begin the spa journey with a welcome ritual. They can add sound to any treatment. There is a full body sound massage that we create for spas and it can also be used in the yoga studio for group sound meditation sessions.
How can spas benefit from this practice?
Since spas are moving more into Wellness, this is a great enhancement to the spa menu. Spa Directors and guests are seeking new therapies. Sound therapy enhances the spa menu and makes the spa stand out by offering sound therapy to a traditional spa menu.
Have you seen spas and wellness businesses using sound in amazing ways? If so, what are you seeing that you like?
Yes, I see spas, wellness centers and yoga studios using this. We have partnered with many luxury hotel spas; the therapists love performing this therapy and the guest response is amazing. I like that after being trained and comfortable they start incorporating their own ideas which is ultimately what they need to do to make every experience special.
Can you tell me anything about what sort of music spas should be using? A lot of guests hate the usual new age stuff.
I am also one of those…the new age spa music is old and boring! I believe that the spa should have several genres on playlists and let the guest choose what music they want to listen to. For Sound Therapy, the only music is from the Tibetan Singing bowls.
What do you like most about what you do?
I love sharing this profound modality with as many people as possible from all age groups and all walks of life! I enjoy the educational part of my work along with creating protocols.
What do you hate?
Negativity! Being energy sensitive I feel a vibrational energy both positive and negative and try to avoid being around negative energy.
What’s your favorite song?
Rastaman Vibration by Bob Marley
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