Sara Drummond: Floating Sound Bath Guide
While participants are floating comfortably across the surface of Kroc Greenville’s Aquatics Center pools, Sara Drummund connects with her healing bowls.
She focuses on the sound as it resonates not only through her ears, but also in her body. She likes building the tones of each bowl on top of one another like waves. She balances and harmonizes low and high pitches to give floaters a relaxing experience at a cellular level; yes, I said, “cellular.”
SCIENTIFICALLY HEALING
According to an article in Scienceinsights, “A 2023 randomized controlled trial published in PMC found that Tibetan singing bowl sounds activate vagal tone, the activity of the vagus nerve that runs from the brainstem to the abdomen and helps regulate heart rate and digestion.”
The piece adds, “When vagal tone increases, your parasympathetic nervous system (the ‘rest and digest’ side) gains ground over the sympathetic nervous system (the ‘fight or flight’ side).” However, sound bowls are not only likely to benefit digestion and the nervous system. They may also improve blood pressure.
In this 2023 study, “researchers measured shifts through heart rate variability, a marker of how flexibly your heart responds to changing demands. Participants exposed to singing bowl sounds showed improved balance between these two branches of the nervous system, which corresponded with a more relaxed state.”
In summary, scientists have taken an interest in sound baths and are making gains in explaining why something works that some civilizations around the world have utilized for ages.
Additionally, while Sara’s bowls are made from crystal (mainly quartz), instead of metal (mainly bronze), impacts to the nervous system are comparable, according to Nicole Mocerino’s piece “Metal vs. Crystal Singing Bowls.”
SARA’S INTRODUCTION
Sara is a longtime advocate for health and wellness. She has taught group fitness to a broad range of ages and ability levels since 1998, but she first experienced healing bowls during a Yin Yoga class in 2023.
She loved how it felt. The vibrations focused her mind, and she enjoyed yielding to the process of letting go and transitioning all the way into her final resting pose.
Having always liked music, movement, and helping others, this moment would have a powerful impact on her future and career trajectory.
CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE
Today, Sara is a Yoga Alliance registered teacher at the 500-hour level of education with over 1500 hours of teaching classes. She’s had her set of crystal singing bowls since 2024.
She brings the bowls into her yoga classes frequently adding a healing harmony to the exercise and meditation. In addition to leading sound baths at The Kroc, Sara teaches at Southern Om and at Caine Halter YMCA. She also collaborates to put on programming at the Cancer Survivors Park in Greenville, SC.
Describing her personality in three words, Sara chooses “passionate,” “determined,” and “empathetic”; she feels other’s emotions and reads their energies quite naturally. As a result, she cares deeply about using her work to help others feel good in mind, body, and spirit.
FAITH AND FEEDBACK
Sara intentionally begins each day with gratitude, specifically for her life and her God. She identifies as Christian; although she’s explored tenants and practices in other religions.
She believes “each person should be respected for having a God of their own understanding" and points to one of her guiding verses in the Bible, Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (KJV).
Her favorite quote is 2 Corinthians 3:5 which states, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (NIV).
Survey results from our pilot Floating Sound Bath event on July 31st speak to Sara’s competence as well as the effectiveness of her singing bowls.
One participant explained, “Yes. [I experienced physical and emotional benefits.] [My] doctor said I was overloaded with positive energy. [I] was exhausted for a couple of days after. [I] feel free of all [my] stress & negativity.” Another said, “I focused on deep breathing and was able to relax.”
BEFORE AND AFTER
Ironically, deep breathing exercises are one of the things Sara recommends participants complete prior to arriving for their sound bath, and if you’re not sure what that means or how to do it, you’re in luck. Chance Baca of Freedive Carolina is in talks with The Kroc to begin offering 45-minute Breathwork Workshops in October.
Anyway, back to sound baths! Sara also suggests floaters avoid planning activities right before their event; in fact, if possible, they should spend time soaking in nature.
When asked what they can hope to gain from their sound bath experience, Sara responded, “lower blood pressure, lower anxiety, relaxation, and a new, invigorated state of being,” adding, “think of this as a reset.”
MORE RECOMMENDATIONS
For added wellness benefits locally, Sara likes walking or biking the Swamp Rabbit Trail. She also recommends massages, yoga, and restorative programs; at Kroc Greenville, those include Therapeutic Assisted Stretch sessions, our Deep Stretch & Mobility, Slow Flow Yoga, and Breathe and Stretch Group Fit classes.
Cancer Survivor Park and Dawn Retreat Center are also facilities that Sara speaks well of, but if getting out of the house is a challenge, you can start your wellness journey with one of her favorite books Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie. It’s a daily reader filled with meditations that’s designed to help “expand creativity, embrace power, and open hearts.”
YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE
When asked to name one thing she thinks everyone should do in their lifetime, she chose “taking a guided tour of a rainforest,” something she’s done in Costa Rica.
However, if the thought of saving, planning, and packing for a trip like that feels impossible, maybe start with the sound bath. You’re not alone.
Burnout is a real problem in the US. Forbes reports, “A new study finds that job burnout is at 66%--an all-time high and suggests that return-to-office mandates may exacerbate stressors for workers already struggling in today’s demanding workplace.” Plus, these statements overlook anxiety brought on by factors outside of work.
Taking care of yourself to counteract stress is critical, if you’re going to be the best, calmest, and most adventurous version of you. Sara says, “I get energized by connecting with people. It really makes me feel good.” Give her the chance to help you help yourself, and make plans to register for an upcoming Floating Sound Bath.
Registration opens on September 9th at 12:01AM (midnight). We look forward to welcoming all our floaters then!