Meditation + Kettlebells + Jiu Jitsu + Sound Baths

I see a lot of fitness modalities every single day. Between everyday life and the media, I see a lot. While various fitness modalities focus solely on physical or mental well-being, yoga brings the two together in a harmonious combination that is hard to find elsewhere. And this is where I think other modalities are failing. Yes, you can do strength and add in some meditation, or some cardio and end with some breath work, but there is currently no match for what yoga has going for it as a whole.

Here’s my issue…

I don’t “do” yoga. Yet.

Every now and then I try to get on board with it. I have purchased programs, bought DVDs, watched youtube videos, bought yoga mats and straps and blocks, etc. And, nope. Recently I even took an aerial yoga class. Surely, I would like that! Swing through the air, freebird! Nope. I disliked every minute of it lol. The space was stunningly beautiful. The instructor was amazing. I however could not get into the right headspace for it and with my current knee injury, I couldn’t do half of the cool shit that was demonstrated. (That part is 100% on me, and does not reflect the overall experience in any way.) What I could do, I didn’t enjoy. My joints felt unstable. There is no tap out of an aerial swing… you deal with it until the pose is over. Annnd, there is where my no lies, so many no’s 😂.

So, the only reason I signed up for that yoga class was for the Healing Sound Bath that was the second part of the class/event. Now THAT was absolutely fucking amazing! All I could think about afterwards was how do I get more of that in my life?, and how do I share this with my non-yoga friends, especially my jiu jitsu buddies? They are an entire group of MFers that need to experience some Healing Sound Bathing more than any other group of people I have ever known, whether they know it or not. (And really whether they want to or not 👀😂).

Trust me, they alllll need it.

Here a sample of a sound bath meditation found on youtube: Sound Bath Meditation

Yep, it is super fucking woo.

But it might also be my new mission in life to get people who are training BJJ to experience it.

Regularly if at all possible.

It was life changing for me.

Healing Sound Bath Meditations

The Essence of Sound Baths
Ok, you might be thinking “Ok weirdo, what is a sound bath?
A sound bath, also referred to as sound healing or a sound meditation, is a therapeutic practice that utilizes sound and vibration to promote relaxation and harmony within the mind, body, and spirit. During a sound bath, participants lay in a comfortable position, while being bathed in a symphony of melodic tones and resonant frequencies produced by crystal singing bowls. Each bowl emits different frequencies, resulting in a mesmerizing soundscape that envelops participants in a harmonious embrace.

Have I lost you yet? 👀
seriously, just bear with me…

The Science Behind the Magic
Yes, science! The effects of sound baths extend far beyond the ephemeral. The practice is rooted in the belief that everything in the universe, including our bodies, is in a constant state of vibration. When exposed to specific frequencies during a sound bath, these vibrations can gently coax the mind and body into a state of deep relaxation and self-healing. It is believed that the harmonious resonance of the instruments helps recalibrate our internal frequencies, bringing about a sense of balance and restoration. See, its science. Look into Nikola Tesla’s studies on energy, its real, universal energy is really real! Universal vibrational energy is real.

The Journey Begins: Into the Depths of Sound
As participants settle into a comfortable position, a sound bath practitioner initiates the session. They guide the participants through a meditative process, encouraging them to surrender to the sound vibrations. As the sound frequencies begin, each bowls unique cadence and harmonic resonance transport participants on an inner journey, carrying them away from the outside world.

The Experience: A Symphony of Sensations

If that sounds dramatic, it is. During a sound bath, participants may encounter a range of sensations. Some may perceive gentle physical vibrations, while others may experience a profound sense of peace and tranquility. Many report vivid imagery, emotional release, and a deep sense of connection with the universal vibrations and energy around them. The vibrations of these sounds have a profound effect on our bodies and energy systems. The tones and frequencies emitted by the instruments penetrate deep into our cells, tissues, and organs, creating an internal resonance. I literally felt the vibrational energy in my bones. It was incredibly powerful. The sound vibrations act as an anchor, guiding individuals into a deeply relaxed state where they can access their inner wisdom and tap into their innate healing abilities. As the sound waves wash over them, participants often report experiencing a profound sense of calm, increased clarity, and a release of tension both physically and mentally.

For me, it was like chucks or blocks of vibrational sound coming at me that was somehow visible with my eyes closed, that I could see and feel coming at me in waves of color, and then washed into me (not over me, into me) and vibrated between both of my ears blocking out all other sound. It was so “loud” i could feel it vibrating throughout my body, into my bones, into my blood cells, into the core of my soul. Fucking weird. I know.

And I know, it sounds wildly insane.

But it was real. I felt it at a cellular level.

Possibly the BEST part:

The transformative power of sound bath meditation is its ability to initiate a meditative state without requiring any prior experience or knowledge. Maybe more importantly, absolutely no dogma is needed. More simply, you do not need to believe in it for it to work. It just works. I went in as a total skeptic. I just thought it was going to be relaxing meditation in a hammock.

I had no idea weeks later I would still be completely obsessed with how life changing it was for me. And now having the deep desire to share it outside the realm of which it is usually found.

So this brings us back to the title of the blog post… meditation and kettlebells and some other stuff

They honestly have nothing to do with each other.

But they should.

We are very sadly missing the mark on what health and fitness really means in our very narrow minded mainstream society. We are not just sacks of tissue. We are not just muscles and joints, and skin. We are SO much more. Ignoring completely is going to be detrimental to all of us eventually. We are a whole package.

We should be REGULARLY combining into our practices things that benefit our amazing WHOLENESS - body - mind - spirit

What if when I said I was kettlebell training today it automatically insinuated that I will be meditating either before or after as well?

What if part of your strength training included meditation every single time? What if it was part of the non-negotiable, like that post workout protein shake?

What if part of your jiu jitsu training included an energetic healing modality each week? Or before or after each training session? Or afterwards? What would or could that look like for you? What if you practiced breathwork and breathing techniques, meditation, and energy healing? What kind of gains would/could you benefit from? What would your competitions begin to look like? What would your recovery start look like?

I encourage you to seek out alternative ways to start adding in high vibrational energy to your overall fitness and wellness routines. Look around and see what sparks an interest and start there. There are no limits. There are no rules. It’s your life. Yoga seems to be a great place to start looking, as stated, they have pretty much encompassed it all. My life would probably be easier if I just went to a class and got onboard with it!

Bringing in alternative and energetic modalities to my own training is my goal moving forward.

I am embracing all the woo after years and years of suppressing it.

After my recent knee injury, I started Earthing before bjj open mats, and I reignited my 22+ year old Reiki education as part of my jiu jitsu healing path (👀 more on that later). I’m just over here doing stuff that I should have continued years (decades!) ago.

Until next time, I’ll just be over here manifesting an entire set of 7 amazing crystal bowls and a clear path to share them with all the unexpecting souls out there.

Stay Rooted ✌🏼🌱