ArtsAltoona’s Sound Bath Retreat aims to bring harmony

ArtsAltoona set to host two sessions

For those feeling out of tune, ArtsAltoona is hosting two Sound Bath Retreat group sessions this upcoming month.

Led by certified sound therapy practitioner Jennene Lundy, both sessions will be held at the ArtsAltoona Sanctuary on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and Saturday, Oct. 18.

Stress problems are one of the leading causes for a doctor's visit, Lundy said, so sound therapy helps "bring the body back to alignment."

According to Lundy, sound therapy has been around for more than a thousand years. Even today, modern scientists are exploring sound "more deeply."

Human bodies are composed of 70% water, she said, making them a "natural conductor" that receives sound vibrations.

Some instruments Lundy uses for sound sessions include crystal singing bowls, gongs and chimes, which can help put sound bathers in a relaxed state.

ArtsAltoona board Vice President Kathy Muller said the instruments used during a session create a tone and vibration that "reach different parts of your body," which can be "very relaxing," especially for people experiencing chronic pain.

Comparing the human body to a group of instruments, Lundy said stress can be characterized by an out-of-tune violin, which can affect "the entire orchestra."

"When we are stressed, we are out of sync," she said.

Noting that everyone will experience the retreats differently, Lundy said the sessions have "powerful benefits" for individuals such as relieving stress, improving sleep and lowering blood pressure.

"We just ask for people to listen to the sounds in a relaxed state and set an intention at the beginning," she said.

Retired Altoona native Mary Zajac, 72, said sound therapy sessions not only relax her body, but also her mind.

Zajac has been to two group sound bath sessions as well as multiple individual sessions at Lundy's wellness center -- Halo Sounds for Health -- to help with back muscle tension.

With sound vibration, she said she feels less "achiness" in her back, which can do more for her than massages or physical therapy.

To target specific health issues, however, she said individuals have to make a "commitment" to the practice by going to individualized classes, whereas group sessions only help with relaxation.

Muller said the idea of hosting a Sound Bath retreat was brought to the board last spring.

With this event, the community will be "strengthened," she said, while attracting a new group of community members to ArtsAltoona.

While some locals remain unfamiliar with the practice, Muller said it's a "wonderful, relaxation type of activity."

Zajac said this area is "really lucky" to have an alternative health measure available to the local community.

"This type of therapy is offered in larger cities, but in our little area, it's a gem," she said.