Six of the best sound baths in the UK and Ireland

Once overshadowed by scientific western medicine, one of humanity’s oldest healing practices is back, soothing body and mind through its ancient vibrations. Just the prescription for a hectic Q4.

By Ali Catterall

As we head into a busy autumn, it’s time to press pause, chill out, and take a bath – a sound bath, that is. There’s no water involved here – just wave upon wave of tension-busting notes, using everything from gongs to shimmering crystal bowls, via sessions that will calm your mind, spark creativity, and help you catch better Zs.

Sound baths are believed to ease conditions ranging from stress to tinnitus; some scientific studies have found sound meditation such as sound baths can reduce our cortisol levels (aka the body’s stress hormone), heart rate and blood pressure. The same studies suggest they can lower our anxiety and boost our moods too.

If it’s your first time, perhaps it’s best to think of sound baths as like a musical massage for the soul – something your nervous system will thank you for. Here, we checked out six of the best…

Soul Studio, London

“I have conversed with the spiritual Sun,” said William Blake “I saw him on Primrose Hill.” And tucked away in Primrose Hill’s Berkeley Grove, this serene, Scandi-style studio has latterly become north London’s go-to spot find your own spiritual sun - whether via yoga, pilates, breathwork – or a selection of sound baths. The locals swear by Bea’s hour-long Crystal Tones Alchemy Singing Bowls session on Sunday nights, while Friday’s Slow Flow Yoga is perfect for unwinding after a busy week. With fleecy blankets, mini hot water bottles, eye masks, and cosy vibes aplenty, this hygge-filled haven is self-care at its best.

Complete Health Clinic, Manchester

It was after a severe bout of salmonella that Helen O’Brien, aka ‘The Colonics Queen,’ founded the Complete Health Clinic at the five-star Lowry Hotel, Manchester, having discovered the transforming power of hydrotherapy. For our purposes, she’s also qualified in sound healing. “Sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies,” she says, and here she offers soulful sound baths with a shimmering collection of Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls. Each bowl resonates at a frequency connected to the body’s chakras, gently harmonising mind, body, and spirit. There’s regular group sessions and private bookings too.

The Silence Within, Cardiff

Every Monday, the wellness group called The Silence Within (yes, we know it sounds a bit like a Doctor Who episode) work their gongs, crystal singing bowls, and chimes within the majestic Grade II-listed Insole Court in Llandaff. They’re open once a month too at the serene and elegant Temple of Peace, in Cathays, founded in 1938 as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the Great War, with a mission of promoting peace, justice, and health. A fitting place, then, for their sound bath healing. What to bring? “A yoga mat, blanket, pillow – and an open heart.”

The Soul Spa, Bath

Because you can’t not have a sound bath… in Bath. Founded by Soma Breathwork instructor and clinical hypnotherapist Madeline Blackburn, The Soul Spa operates out of a dedicated meditation space called ‘the Quantum Field’, steps away from the historic Thermae Bath Spa. Here, during daily 30- and 60-minute sessions, Madeline, Grace and Sarah offer guided relaxation, breathwork, and “the beautiful sounds of crystal singing bowls” – all designed to put you in a deeply relaxed state of mind and release the healing hormones serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. “Just wear whatever is comfortable,” they say. “We promise you won’t get wet!”

Sound Bath, Glasgow

Pól (just Pól) partly learned his craft studying Sanskrit chants in India, where chanting daily for two months helped him gain profound insights into its healing benefits. Today, in a charming Georgian townhouse in Glasgow’s vibrant West End, he leads sound baths every second Friday and one Saturday a month (his colleague Aga offers a monthly sound bath workshop on Saturdays), with crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, gongs, chimes, and a sea drum. His latest singing bowl is a Crystal bowl which is tuned to 528hz – a frequency it says here, that creates amazing results for your body and mind.

The Sea Sauna, Dublin

Located at Tower Bay Beach, Portrane, just 25 minutes from Dublin’s city centre, this blissful seaside sanctuary blends ancient Finnish sauna traditions with sound healing courtesy of crystal singing bowls and other healing instruments. The evening kicks off with a soulful seaside meditation by the fire, followed by a calming sound bath with Ellen that immerses you in the natural rhythms of the shore. It’s followed by a 45-minute Finnish-style sea sauna session – and a complimentary cup of chai and conversation by the fire with the welcoming community. Plus, free parking and a nearby coffee truck.

Ali Catterall is an award-winning writer, journalist and filmmaker whose writing has featured in the Guardian, Time Out, GQ, Film4, Word magazine and the Big Issue, among many others. Ali is also the writer and director of the 2023 film Scala!!!