Can you bring the sea to the city?
Growing up by the northern German sea inevitably created a close connection to water. The sea could be as threatening as it might be rewarding. You learned from an early age how to enjoy it, how to read it, how to listen to it. There are memories of walking at night listening to the swishing of breakers in the sand or the crash of waves against the shore. These are sounds that stay with me.
This lifelong connection to the ‘blue space’ has led me to apply some of these experiences to my sound baths. Some researchers call this the ‘Primal Call of Water’. Our connection to the sound of water is biological.
Marine biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nichols coined the term ‘Blue Mind’, defined as a mildly meditative state characterized by calm, peacefulness, unity, and a sense of general happiness and satisfaction with life in the moment. Nichols argues that being near water triggers a neurochemical shift. The sound, sight, and feel of water lower cortisol (stress hormone) and increase dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin (feel-good chemicals) [(reference) Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do (2014) by Wallace J. Nichols.]
Many researchers believe we are drawn to these fluid, rhythmic sounds because they mimic the environment of the womb — the whooshing of a mother’s heart and breath. When I first began exploring sound therapy, I realised that instruments like the gong or crystal bowls could recreate a similar sense of safety - an ‘acoustic camouflage’ drowning out the chaos of modern life to tell our brains: ‘You are safe. Everything is fine’.
What I once felt intuitively, I now understand scientifically. The sound of the sea is essentially a ‘pink noise,’ containing all audible frequencies but with more power in the lower ranges. Integrating these patterns into my sound baths helps to activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System, shifting the body out of fight or flight and into a state of deep rest. Studies show that just 20 minutes of ocean-like sounds can decrease stress hormones by up to 30% and induce Alpha and Theta Brainwaves.
These frequencies are associated with deep relaxation, often creativity, and the flow state often felt during a sound session. Bringing the sea to the studio in my sound baths, I aim to bridge the gap between nature and practice. Whether I'm using an ocean drum to mirror the ebb and flow of the tide or crystal bowls to evoke the clarity of a tropical lagoon, my goal is to provide a natural sound bath that grounds and centres every participant. The ocean doesn’t force us to heal; it simply offers the calm space required for our bodies to do it naturally.
I invite you to join me in my next sessions to experience this rhythmic blue sea for yourself. My next sessions are taking place in the kindergarten behind the barrier block in Brixton.
2026 Dates are:
16 March - a sound bath which is good for beginners and more experienced alike
1 April - to coincide with the full moon (pink moon or Pashal moon). This is a long sound bath of around 90 minutes to allow a deeper relaxation.
22 April - a sound bath aimed at people who suffer from overthinking and ADHD.
6 May - to coincide with the full moon, or flower moon. It symbolises fertility, growth and presents a time of blossoming flowers and planting crops.
17 May - a sound bath to revitalise and get ready for summer.
You can book on my website or drop me an email.
