Floating Sound Bath Experience: A Gentle Sensory Journey

I’m always open to trying new sensory activities, so when Egg (that’s my husband) bought us tickets to a floating sound bath experience, I was intrigued. I’d experienced sound baths before, but I was curious to see how this one would feel.

What Is A Floating Sound Bath?

New to you? It was certainly new to me. I’m a big fan of a soundbath. I regularly listen to sound bath tracks on Insight Timer when I need a little sound boost, and I’ve attended sound baths in person before.

In case you haven’t heard of sound baths before, they are essentially a session designed for relaxation and wellbeing, where you get cosy and listen to someone creating calming sounds. Usually the setting is relaxed lighting or dark. You might be given an eye mask, a blanket, snuggly surroundings or be on a yoga mat on the floor.

The sounds can be a mix of pre-recorded audio alongside instruments such as gongs, chimes and crystal bowls amongst other things, designed to invoke a sense of relaxation. Some sound baths primarily focus on one instrument. I’ve attended a gong bath before at my local community centre, where gongs were used throughout the session.

Sound enticing? Well, wait until you add the floating part…

In a floating sound bath, you lay on an inflated air bed on a body of water. The gentle floating sensation adds to the overall sensory experience. It’s a calming and safe way for your nervous system to experience a little extra sigh of relief.

My Floating Sound Bath Experience

Arriving With Curiosity (And A Little Apprehension)

Egg and I attended our floating sound bath at a local spa hotel in Wiltshire, Bishopstrow Hotel. It’s only ten minutes from our house, so the location was perfect.

The experience was at the indoor pool, which made me a little apprehensive. I can get sensory overstimulation by sounds echoing indoors, particularly in a pool area. I tried not to let my apprehension spiral and kept an open mind.

You could choose what to wear. Either swimming attire or shorts and t-shirt. I opted for shorts and a t-shirt because they make me feel more comfortable.

Getting Onto the Floating Beds

Our host, Natasha from Wood Wellbeing, was absolutely lovely and clearly put a lot of effort into making people feel comfortable. She gave a detailed demonstration and explanation of how to get on and off of the beds in the water. It made me feel reassured. I was feeling quite anxious about that part because I hadn’t done it before. Sometimes hosts of these kinds of events are not as thoughtful and supportive. I’ve had some bad experiences before.

Egg and I were last to get onto the beds. We had to go into a crab position to get on safely. There was also another way to get on using the steps into the pool if people didn’t feel comfortable with the crab option. I thought it was great having two options. It felt more inclusive.

Being last to get onto our beds worked out perfectly because everyone else was already floating on the water and not watching us. I have anxiety about people watching me do things, particularly when it’s something new.

Settling Into the Experience

Once onto the bed, I had a blanket draped over me. The room was already pretty humid, so I wasn’t cocooned in the blanket. I was given an eye mask to put over my eyes. I didn’t have to wear it but it does help you focus on your sense of sound by blocking out your sense of sight.

The session began with some gentle, grounding breathwork exercises, whilst light music played in the background. This helped me focus inward and settle into the session.

I loved the soft rocking sensation that the floating bed created. It felt reassuring and soothing.

When the Sounds Felt Too Much

After settling in, the session moved onto the main part of the floating sound bath experience. It started with a sound that my senses immediately resisted. It was very loud and echoed a lot in the room. I started tensing and tried to reassure myself that it was only the beginning. It might not be the same the whole way through.

I’m glad I persevered and didn’t get overwhelmed because the rest of the session was wonderful. I heard so many different types of sounds. I could pick out rain sounds, chimes, crystal bowls and a gong. Some of the sounds were completely new to me.

The Sounds That Stayed With Me

There was one sound in particular that gave me an especially pleasant sensory reaction. I loved it so much that I could feel the hairs stand on end on my arms and legs. I knew they were on end because I could feel them touching the blanket that was draped over my body. A feeling of awe crept over me that I could feel such a minute shift in my body’s reaction to the sound.

For a while I was musing over what the sound was… and then it clicked. I’m pretty sure it was whale music. Whale music is not something I have ever really listened to before. It inspired me to listen to some at home to recreate those feelings again.

How I Felt Afterwards

The floating sound bath experience lasted about an hour. I felt calm and happy afterwards. It’s something I’ll definitely be doing again in the future.

The overall experience of focusing on the sounds gave me that warm tingly feeling in my body. A little sensory buzz of delight, as I tuned into subtle body sensations.

Final Thoughts

For me, it felt like a gentle reminder of how powerful sound can be for the body. Not every moment was comfortable, but the ones that were, stayed with me long after I left the water.

Floating sound baths won’t suit everyone, and that’s okay. Our sensory systems all need different things. But for me, it became a space where I could soften, listen, and feel something shift.

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Much love,

Rachael xx

The Invisible Onion