What is vst and what should i expect?

What happens during a session?

A trained expert (your VSA licensed sound therapist) will place therapeutic-grade singing bowls on your fully-clothed body in a methodical fashion. Using measured strikes from a mallet applied to the bowl, your practitioner will begin to relax you immediately. The sounds and vibrations should lull you off into a deepened state of mindfulness.

The intention you set at the beginning of the session, whether it's to find inner calm or whatever you decide your focus should be, will be enhanced by the mindfulness you begin to experience during your session. Some people are wide awake the whole time, others enter a state of consciousness between awake and asleep, while others go into a deep sleep. It doesn't matter what you do; the session will relax you and melt the stress away.

You will remain fully clothed and make yourself comfortable on the massage table, based on your chosen therapy session. You can even opt to have a sheet over your clothes if that makes you more comfortable. The vibration and sound will not be affected by the sheet. The practitioner has been trained to place and removes the bowls without touching or disturbing the client because that practice deepens relaxation levels.

The VST method is above all a method of relaxation, and most people will reach this state of relaxation quickly, even during their first session. During a VST session, the body will go through noticeable changes as it responds to deeper states of rest. Relaxation is a physical state and a state of consciousness, and VST has very strong effects on alertness and perception. Relaxation during a VST session brings on the same kind of brain states as yoga, Tai chi, and meditation. It is very important for a sound therapist to understand the physiological responses to relaxation and how they relate to the state of mind in order to react and respond in kind to your client. This kind of observation is part of the vital system of communication and feedback in VST.

Most clients will start to relax as soon as the session begins. Their muscles will lose tension, and they may even start to slip into the alpha brain wave pattern within the first few minutes. The alpha wave pattern is associated with daydreaming and pre-sleep. At this point, the client’s breathing and heart rate will start to slow down, and the body will begin to absorb the waves of vibration into its tissues. The slowing of breathing and lack of muscle tension are both signs that the metabolism is slowing. Insulin levels will rise, and cortisol levels will fall. As the heart rate slows, blood pressure falls and arteries expand giving rise to a feeling of warmth. This relaxed state allows the body to repair itself instead of responding to outside concerns. The immune system is at its best when we are relaxed.

VST is so gentle and relaxing that almost all people will fall asleep at some point during the session. The theta brain wave state is associated with meditation, sleep, and deep relaxation. The delta brain state is a deeper form of sleep and is also associated with hypnosis and ritual. During normal sleep, people will oscillate between both of these states. The brain wave state of clients undergoing a sound massage will change naturally and in reaction to the modality as positions are changed and different bowls are introduced. Small tremors and shakes are common as people enter and exit the theta and delta brain rhythms. Some of these movements may be sudden and strong. The practitioner must always be mindful to prevent a bowl from falling from its desired position. Above all, take note of how these reactions are related to your actions, and be aware of giving the client the most relaxation possible while still adhering to the basic principles of the modality.
Those who undergo a state of deep relaxation often report a feeling of mental freshness that they carry with them after the session is over. Relaxation and meditative states of mind have also been shown to increase the threshold for emotional response, meaning they can help us control our emotional responses to outside influences. Like other kinds of meditation, sound massage can help us be more internally aware while being more present in the moment and more connected with our surroundings.

-Vibrational Sound Association

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I look forward to being of service.

-Cat