Sound Meditation
with Leo Cosendai
Episode 7, The Chakra Series
The Crown Chakra
The crown chakra is the seventh chakra. Located at the top of the head, it gives us access to higher states of consciousness as we open to what is beyond our personal preoccupations and visions.
In the 7th and last episode of the chakras series we are chatting to no less than the legendary Gong Master Leo Cosendai. We discuss how sounds can give us the experience of silence, different states of consciousness and the impact sound meditation can have on our lives.
What are its main attributes?
The function of the Crown chakra is driven by consciousness and gets us in touch with the universal.
Its Sanskrit name is “Sahasrara”, which can be translated as “thousand petals”.
What is it that you do, Leo?
“My gong baths make meditation accessible and turn it into an experience. It doesn’t require any level of experience, knowledge or fitness.”
Leo’s goal is for people “to have an experience that transcends the other trances that we are subjected to in society”. If you attend one of Leo’s gong baths you’ll know that sounds aren’t experienced as a form of entertainment, like with music. Instead you can relive what sounds really are: “A way of communication”.
It is his believe, in fact, that it’s the oldest language to communicate on another plane. With oneself and perhaps even with other participants attending a sound bath. There’s a lot to be said about experiencing sounds as a tribe.
“What I love so much about sound is that it’s cultured where ever you are in the world. I’m convinced that sound healing has been part of all cultures including the UK, Swizerland, Germany, you name it. That knowledge has just been lost.”
What’s a sound bath good for?
“Sound healing is so modern, yet so old at the same time.”
Sound will be at the centre of mental health, because it is so accessible. “It’s not a quick fix as short cuts don’t work”, says Leo but it does reach you from the depths and there is a connection that is created, which is undeniable.
When asked about the main benefits, Leo opted to start talking about the experience rather than its scientifically proven health benefits. Although it’s not to say that isn’t of interest, what people are most keen to find out in the end of the day, is what a sound bath can do for them:
The key one for Leo is creativity. We are all super hungry for the space, energy and time to express ourselves. Sound Meditation helps to see things differently and to develop the ability of lateral thinking.
It helps us detach from the stories that we tell ourselves. This whole idea of misidentification with ego is connected to the science of sound. This can be noticed for example in the cessation of time (going much slower or faster than you think) or gravity (feeling unusually heavy or light).
It helps on the quest for purpose, which humans always are looking for, but perhaps right now more than ever…? We don’t just want to solve mental health problems, we also want everyone to thrive!
A feeling of connectedness and oneness. You can see people smiling at each other after a sound bath, which is a really beautiful thing.
The slowing down effect is really profound. You never see anyone rushing out of a sound bath.
It improves communication because you get to listen like you never have before. Single tasking these days is incredibly rare, but that’s exactly what you are encouraged to do in a sound bath. Who even these days just listens to a record without engaging into anything else? We are therefore re-introducing this idea of single tasking, which is listening.
“Sounds aren’t just a healing experience and method, it is also a creative energy and creative booster. I really believe that sounds have given the microphone to parts of me that were before muted.”
Is everything vibrational?
We can measure objects, planets and even time, but we can’t measure living matter such as organs or body parts for example. However, we can observe that some frequencies resonate differently than others. For example, a specific note from a set of tuning forks may have an especially deep resonance with a specific body part, however the same one may not resonate in that way with a different person. Truth is, we’re only just scratching the surface with what we know about resonance of frequencies in the mind and body; and how at ‘one’ it all is.
Mind blowing to think that we can calculate the frequency of 10 seconds vs. 15 minutes though. Let’s see where it takes us…
Leo’s tips to balance the crown chakra
Sound Baths (obviously)
Ice Baths
Beej Meditation: a silent meditation sending the frequency that feels really good for each energy centre (explained in more detail in the podcast)
Books/resources
Essentialism, Greg McKeown
The Cosmic Octave, Hans Cousto
‘Celular music’ Project, Hans Cousto & Klangwirtschaft
See a short video excerpt below and the full album can be purchased here
To listen to the full interview with Leo and curated tracklist for the Crown Chakra, click here!
[00:00:13] Isabelle introduces the Crown Chakra episode
[00:01:08] Songs for the Crown Chakra
[00:15:20] Isabelle and Tam chat to Leo
[01:50:40] Crown Chakra meditation guided by Tam
[01:56:58] Episode wrap-up and preview for next season
Follow Leo:
For more information on Sound Meditation, to book an event or to apply for his Teacher Training head to Leo’s website. You can also order his audiobook "'Seven Days of Sound Meditation on Audible and download the Third Ear App to experience his sound baths at home.
Track list:
The Universal, Blur
Day Dreaming, Aretha Franklin
Good Vibrations - Remastered 2001, The Beach Boys
Where Is My Mind, Pixies
Alone in Kyoto, Air
Talisman, Air
