Acting Editor Niamh Devereux headed to Mayo for a special sound healing by the River Moy. But what is a sound bath all about?
Anyone that knows me, knows that I’m a huge advocate for a detoxing bath; a steaming tub at the end of a long day, using beautiful Irish-made products like VOYA seaweed, Soak Bath Salts or Milk Bath. So, I was intrigued when I first heard of sound baths, a healing meditative experience that has become increasingly popular. It’s important to note, there’s no water involved with this kind of bath – instead it’s all about being “bathed” in sound waves. I was invited to the Ice House Hotel & Spa in Co Mayo to experience one for myself, as part of its “Full Moons On The Moy” package.
These wellness stays coincide with 2024’s most pivotal moons – including last night’s Corn Moon (did you set an alarm for the Lunar Eclipse!?) Next up is Hunter’s Moon on Thursday, 17 October. As well as lunar-themed cocktails overlooking the reflection of the moon in the River Moy and a three-course meal, there are bespoke 30-minute guided meditations provided for guests – tailored to the unique energies of each full moon, provided by sound healer Audrey O’Connor.
Kerrywoman Audrey, now based in Dublin, recently shared her story in Irish Country Magazine of overcoming corporate burnout to realise her passion as a sound healer, breathwork and movement practitioner and energy embodiment coach. To celebrate her partnership with The Ice House, Audrey conducted one of her enchanting sessions in a beautiful floor-to-ceiling-glass room in The Chill Spa, looking right onto the river under the Strawberry Moon.
Audrey has a special aura about her. As soon as I settle onto my yoga mat and listen to her share her journey, her warmth and relatability puts me at ease. She may have the term ‘healer’ in her title, but Audrey reminds us that she too deals with ongoing stresses and the overpowering noise of life. The key is to take time to check in with yourself, and allow yourself time to slow down, and to move your nervous system from fight-or-flight into calm, balance, and relaxation.
I was instructed to get comfortable on my mat, close my eyes and allow my mind to just be. My brain is the kind that has ever-changing open Google tabs, so this is easier said than done. But, as soon as Audrey starts playing her mystical instruments; a soft gong or a tap of a Tibetan bowl, the sound begins to wash over me like waves and I begin to enter a deeply relaxed state. There is science behind using sound to heal, which is embedded in the ancient roots of cultures and tribes around the world. Researchers have found that the soothing sounds create vibrations that influence the brainwaves and the nervous system, and can shift the brain into a meditative state, reduce tension in the body and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the mind and lowers stress levels.
Throughout the session, Audrey guides me and the group of women I’m joined by to reach into deeper states of emotional rejuvenation. She even encourages us to envision our inner child, and to offer that version of ourselves, still within us, a loving embrace. When it comes to an end, I feel as though I’ve simultaneously had a spiritual shower and the best nap of my life. My friend to my left tells me how clearly she envisioned her inner child and how deeply connected she had felt to her. There’s a genuine sense that Audrey has helped to clear some blocked energy amongst us all.
There’s no better place to be than the award-winning Chill Spa to continue the zen-like state. The spa in Ice House, a fabulous family-owned hotel just outside Ballina, has an extensive thermal suite to shake off any lingering tension, with a sauna, salt room, steam room and relaxation areas as well as outdoor jacuzzis and baths, plus it offers luxurious treatments from VOYA facials to ESPA massages. I decide to round off my visit with another bath, this time of the hot outdoor seaweed variation, as I look out on the ducks swimming by and sip a herbal tea. Total bliss.
To book in for the next “Full Moons on The Moy” stay, click here.
