Lai (left) with brass bowls, guiding participants on how to calm themselves and relax. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
IN a darkened meeting room, 38 participants lying down on exercise mats, relaxed as they focused on a series of gentle hums in different pitches and frequencies produced from brass and crystal bowls.
The event at M Resort and Hotel in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, was organised by 3Rituals, a company specialising in home fragrances and accessories.
The session began with company founder Catherine Lai directing the audience to mindfully and slowly take out a scented candle from the box beside their exercise mats.
They were told to close their eyes and inhale the scent of the candle.
By slowing down their movements, they were also calming themselves down, Lai explained.
Following the candle-appreciation session, participants proceeded to sit in the lotus position to release their worries, relax their muscles and focus on themselves.
During the deep-breathing session, participants learned to inhale from the diaphragm.
To exhale, participants were told to imagine that they were a collapsing balloon.
As Lai told her audience to let go of their unhappiness, to forgive and forget, Hibiki Sound Healing Salon owner Sari Miyata raised her Koshi chimes.
The chimes are often used as sound therapy or a meditation tool.
Miyata sounding her Koshi chimes.
A rich tinkling sound, like that of a thousand tiny bells on a windy day, soon filled the room.
The Japanese vibrational sound practitioner then proceeded to bring out her crystal bowls.
A series of gentle hums were soon heard as the sound performers began to rub the rims of their singing bowls with their padded mallets.
As the sounds enveloped the room, the participants could be heard softly snoring.
While they lay peacefully on their mats, Lai, with a brass bowl in hand and Miyata, with her Koshi chimes, moved from one participant to another.
With her padded mallet, Lai was seen softly hitting a brass bowl and passing it over each sleeping form.
The participants were gently roused from their slumber at the end of the session with Lai telling them to rub their palms together.
Among those who attended was Datin Seri Cassandra Chan, 53.
The mother of two said the experience made her realise that at times, it was important to slow things down in order to rest and keep calm.
Another participant, Sarasvathy Rmm, 53, a geomancy consultant, said many things were going through her mind and she could not relax at first.
“I could not pay attention as my body was aching, but as the sound vibrations began to fade, I felt soothed,” she said.
Also present was former Miss Malaysia 2015 Emmeline Ng, 40, who brought her own crystals to the event.
“The sound performance was a mix of light and fast-paced tones. Overall, I enjoyed it,” said Ng.
The two-and-half-hour event cost each participant RM150 nett. The package included a candle, welcome refreshment, RM20 gift voucher for either rooms, spa treatments or buffet, and a one-day pass to a fitness centre.
