In today’s corporate world, where multitasking and being on call 24/7 are the norm, employees often feel burned out and overwhelmed.
The meeting was unhelpful and the schedule was packed. Just traveling to and from the party can be stressful. Then there are the social receptions, where attendees often have to navigate a room full of strangers.
Enter health practices. They are increasingly being integrated into meetings to support work-life balance. The best part: they also improve focus and promote better collaboration.
One wellness practice that is becoming increasingly popular among corporate groups is “sound healing.” Also known as “sound baths,” they are a holistic wellness practice that immerses the group in the sounds and vibrations produced by various instruments (e.g., crystal bowls, gongs, shamanic drums). They have been used for centuries to promote meditation and help reduce stress.
Soothing vibrations while floating
In June, Caesars Entertainment gathered 100 meeting professionals in Las Vegas for its first-ever Global Wellness Summit. It integrates a healthy menu of activities, food and beverages, and speakers into the experience.
A highlight was the closing evening sound bath in the Oasis Garden at Caesars Palace’s Pool of the Gods. Flickering candles, the unique smell of burning sage and a starry night sky set the stage.
The ceremony was conducted by two local breath practitioners and involved participants seated on yoga mats. Some people also enjoy the experience by floating in the pool on an air mattress.
Dani Kilpatrick, also known as Desert Moon Yogi, and Shannon Rae Alvarez moderated the session.
Emily Nuzzo-Fouts, event and connectivity manager at healthcare consulting firm Chartis, attended Kaiser’s first-ever Global Health Summit. She was so impressed by the floating sound tub that she is considering incorporating it into an upcoming session.
“The experience allowed me to completely relax and get into a state of mind that was healing for me,” Nuzzo-Fouts said. “As a busy professional, my brain is constantly racing and this is one of the rare times when I am able to quiet the noise and find inner peace.”
Is sound therapy suitable for everyone?
For some attendees at the Kaiser Health Summit, sound baths were a foreign concept.
“There is a stigma in the media about sound baths, so I was confused about what was going to happen,” said Lisa J. Ribakov-Mu, manager of investigative services at Interpoint and program chair of the American Polygraph Society and the National Polygraph Symposium. Lisa J. Ribacoff-Mooney said the association. “This experience was not only eye-opening, but eye-opening,” Ribakov-Mooney said.
While she found the session beneficial, she’s still not sure whether the sound bath will resonate with everyone, especially those in the polygraph industry.
“I would like to incorporate sound baths into future workshops, however, I am concerned about how attendees will receive it,” she said.
Her participants were primarily men with government or law enforcement backgrounds, whom she believed would not be attracted to a robust therapy program.
However, Ribakov-Mooney expressed enthusiasm for incorporating other wellness experiences into the Caesars menu, such as morning hikes on Mount Charleston or rafting on the Colorado River as team-building activities.
