1. What It's Like To Be a Sound Healer 38:22

Picture this: you lay down on a comfortable surface, close your eyes, and for up to an hour your body and mind are lulled into a state of prime restoration and relaxation by listening to the soothing sounds of crystal bowls being played by a master.  Laura Penn Gallerstein, a master sound healer, uses a variety of modalities, including crystal bowls and a harmonium, in her sessions.  In this episode, Laura explains the science behind the magic (how the vibrations from the bowls affect the vibrations in our bodies–which are comprised of mostly water); as well as the spiritual and musical aspects of the work.  She also gives suggestions for anyone struggling with unending to-do lists, or waking up in the middle of the night with your head spinning–and teaches us why living in our parasympathetic nervous system is a much healthier place to be.  Laura's message to all of us is, “You are good enough, just who you are.”

In this episode:

  • What is sound healing with crystal bowls? (02:15)
  • Sample of playing the crystal bowls (06:23)
  • Why the bowls affect people like they do (07:39)
  • How Laura got interested in this work (10:40)
  • What is required to be a master sound healer (12:32)
  • Parasympathetic vs. sympathetic nervous systems in our bodies (15:22)
  • Where the bowls are made and how much they cost (20:30)
  • Describing the experience of being in a sound healing session (23:34)
  • The beauty of leaning into things that feel scary and difficult (31:45)

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Elizabeth Pearson Garr has spent a lot of her life asking questions. A daughter of a professor and a principal, as a kid she loved sitting at the “adult table” during their dinner parties so she could participate in the “real” conversations.

Elizabeth went on to graduate with honors from Harvard with a degree in History and Literature, and promptly attended professional cooking school to become a food writer. That led to various career opportunities, including becoming one of the first employees of the Television Food Network; writing/producing gigs at networks from PBS to E!; anchoring/reporting at the NBC affiliate in Billings, Montana; earning a graduate degree in Documentary Film & Video from Stanford University; and various and sundry other things. The through-line to all this has been curiosity. Elizabeth is a skilled interviewer who loves diving deep into research, finding connections, and telling good stories.

Elizabeth has a husband, two daughters, and a fluffy white dog who rarely leaves her side.