What Are Your Five Healing Music CD Picks…That Don’t Suck?

    —
September 18, 2013

by Andrew Young (Writer at Sounds True)

Can you help me out here? I need more great “background” music for de-stressing and sparking my creativity.

The skinny: I review healing and meditation music CDs for Sounds True and other retailers and labels and have listened to well over two hundred over the years. Most of them are, uh…just okay. Some totally suck the pranic wind. Of course, you’ll find none of those at soundstrue.com (nudge nudge, wink wink).

I play this kind of music for relaxing, writing, and drawing, so I don’t like distracting melodies, in-your-face vocals, cheesy synthesizers, or stuff that I’ll get sick of after a few weeks of frequent play. Recommendations please!

In the meantime, here are five of my faves:

1. Sampradaya – Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (Real World Recordings). Great for when I’m feeling mentally sluggish or “stuck.” Not marketed as a healing music CD—but incredibly effective as one. The Indian hammer dulcimer (santoor) master plays here with his son Rahul and tabla wizard Shafaat Ahmed Khan. These are traditional ragas, but sound nothing like the familiar sitar/tambour offerings: uplifting, resonant layers of bell-like melodies and jaw-dropping overtones arise independently from the actual struck notes and float beyond the room. Joyful and mind-expanding, sparkly and fresh like cool sunlit rain.

2. Crystal Bowl Sound Healing – Tryshe Dhevney (Sounds True). This is my favorite CD to play when writing, drawing, or photoshopping piles of photos. 100% organic (no synths), beautifully recorded in a giant natural cave (seriously). Tryshe uses rare customized gemstone bowls perfectly tuned for expanding consciousness via the Om frequency and other well-tested resonances. It’s so good that when I first got the 8-minute sample track for writing the CD package copy, I set it on “repeat” and listened to it looped for hours. Tip: if you download this album, don’t “re-rip” the tracks to make them smaller. You’ll want the highest sound quality to fully experience the effect of the pure, subtle harmonics.

3. Aural Resonance Astral Harmony – Simeon Hein (Mount Baldy Press). Yes “astral harmony” sounds really new-agey, but this recording is not, and it is amazing. My massage therapist played this for me during a session years ago. It’s just a sustained, multi-layered perfect-fifth harmonic chord that goes for 70 minutes. Made with 100% synth, but works so well that I grant it full amnesty. This CD is my sure-fire last resort for insomnia and clearing writer’s block, BUT it is not for everybody: the effect is so intense that the first five times I used it, I would sometimes hear it resonating in my head for hours after turning it off.

4. Relax – David Ison (Sounds True). I play this album on my iPhone so often that if it were an old-fashioned LP, it would be worn out. What makes it so good? For one, David doesn’t use brainwave frequency entrainment—he builds his compositions using healing principles based on sacred geometries and proportional tonal relationships and rhythms from ancient Greece, Egypt, and his own intuition and rigorous experimentation. He also uses some very unique studio sound production tools to create tuned ambient spaces that have a clear and calming somatic effect. Even more relevant though is that the music on this album is simple yet incredibly beautiful. The first time I played it, it gave me the chills. The primary “voice” on this album is Ison’s guitar (a massive dreadnought Martin acoustic I think). David has been using this music program to help war veterans in the healing process with powerful results. For maximum effect, play this on a good stereo speaker system or with high-quality headphones.

5. Audio Serenity (iAwake Technologies). These folks are at the far event horizon of brainwave entrainment research. For example, they’ve addressed the problem of frequency habituation—your brain adapting to sound entrainment so that it no longer syncs to beneficial effect. Problem solved here (don’t ask me how, but it works). And they use a suite of other acoustic technologies to massage your brain, nadis, meridians, and positronic circuits (if you’re a Star Trek android). Sound-wise, this program does in fact use synth, but it’s very gentle. Get ready for an extremely quick and deep calming effect. My only caveat is that it’s pricier than a conventional music track (iAwake’s first-hand research takes time and resources). That said, I can tell you that this program is as effective as the awesome MindSpa [https://avstim.com] audio-visual entrainment device that we reviewed here at Sounds True a while back—at a fraction of the cost.

Okay your turn: please recommend some of your favorites so we can all have more relaxation and creativity music options!

Author Info for Sounds True Coming Soon

Also By Author

Six Summer Reads You Won’t Want to Miss!

After the stillness of winter and the slow waking of spring, summer is a time for getting up, getting out, and getting our hands on what inspires us the most. Here are some recent Sounds True releases for tapping into a life well lived.

1. The Biophilia Effect – Clemens G. Arvay 

Summer Super Sale - The Biophilia Effect

This is a book that celebrates our interconnection with nature and shows how to deeply engage the natural world wherever you live to dramatically improve your health. Clemens G. Arvay presents fascinating research, practical tools and activities,

inspiring stories, and more in this accessible guide to the remarkable benefits of being in nature.

Get it here: https://www.soundstrue.com/store/the-biophilia-effect.html

 

 

 

 

2. The Healing Code of Nature – Clemens G. Arvay

The Healing Code of Nature - Clemens G. Arvay

Human beings are inseparable from the natural world, coevolving with all of life. In order to thrive, we need to nourish this bond. In his latest book, biologist Clemens G. Arvay illuminates the miraculous ways that the human body interprets the living “code” of plants, animals, and our larger natural habitat for healing and sustenance.

Get it here: https://www.soundstrue.com/store/the-healing-code-of-nature.html

 

 

 

 

 

3. Book of Beasties – Sarah Seidelman

Summer Super Sale - Book of Beasties

From an ancient perspective, everything—including all natural things, like rocks, flowers, trees, insects, birds, and mammals

—is alive and infused with conscious energy or spirit,” writes Sarah Seidelmann. If you’re one of the many people looking to reconnect with the creativity, wisdom, and vital energy of the natural world, here is a fantastic guide for tapping into the power of animal totems, or “beasties.”

Get it here: https://www.soundstrue.com/store/book-of-beasties.html

 

 

 

4. No Recipe – Edward Espe Brown

Summer Super Sale - No RecipeMaking your love manifest, transforming your spirit, good heart, and able hands into food is a great undertaking,” writes renowned chef and Zen priest Edward Espe Brown, “one that will nourish you in the doing, in the offering, and in the eating.” With No Recipe: Cooking as Spiritual Practice, Brown beautifully blends expert cooking advice with thoughtful reflections on meaning, joy, and life itself.

Get it here: https://www.soundstrue.com/store/no-recipe.html

 

 

 

 

5. Yoga Friends – Mariam Gates & Rolf Gates 

Summer Super Sale - Yoga FriendsFrom the creators of Good Night Yoga and Good Morning Yoga comes a beautifully illustrated city adventure that introduces children to the delights and benefits of partner yoga.

Perfect for teaming up with a friend, sibling, parent, or caregiver, each easy practice shows how cooperation helps us to imagine, move, and have fun in a whole new way.

Includes a back-page guide for parents and caregivers, showing how to do each pose and how to connect them into an easy-to-follow flow.

Get it here: https://www.soundstrue.com/store/yoga-friends.html

 

6. Happier Now – Nataly Kogan

Summer Super Sale - Happier Now

What if you could be happier, right now, without radically changing your life? As nationally recognized happiness expert Nataly Kogan teaches, happiness is not a nice feeling or a frivolous extra. It’s a critical, non-negotiable ingredient for living a fulfilling, meaningful, and healthy life—and it’s a skill that we can all learn and improve through practice. In Happier Now, Nataly shares an illuminating, inspiring, and science-based guide to help you build your happier skills and live with more joy, starting now.

Get it here: https://www.soundstrue.com/store/happier-now.html

 

 

 

 

 

Have other books you’ve read by the poolside or under a shade tree ended up changing the way you see the world? Tell us about those summer reads that ended up being more than you expected!

 

Singing Bowl Meditation Sounds True Spotify Playlist

Sounds True is on Spotify!

Need some tunes for rest and relaxation? Check out our Singing Bowl Meditation Playlist! A variety of artists who make a soothing mix of infinite rhythms using Tibetan singing bowls. Perfect throughout a meditative practice.

 

November New Releases and Giveaway

NOVEMBER NEW RELEASES

 

 

The Integrity Advantage by Kelly Kosow

Are you ready to open up to new levels of self-trust and self-love, to get where you want to go?

You vowed to speak up at work, and then sat silent in the meeting yet again.

You told yourself “this time the diet is going to stick,” only to watch the scale inching up.

You felt that something just wasn’t right about someone that—until you learned the hard way that your instincts were right.

“Every time you bite your tongue,” teaches Kelley Kosow, “you swallow your integrity.”

Before Kelley Kosow was a renowned life coach and CEO, she constantly second-guessed herself, let her “to-do” lists and others steer her dreams and passions, and played it “small and safe.”

Inspired by the groundbreaking principles of her renowned mentor Debbie Ford, who hand-picked Kelley to be her successor, The Integrity Advantage is Kelley’s step-by-step guide for facing the fear, shame, and false beliefs that cause us to lose our way.

Through life-changing insights, true stories, and proven strategies, this book will show you how to live on your own terms—according to you—from the inside out.

 

Daring to Rest by Karen Brody

As modern women, we’re taught that we can do it all, have it all, and be it all. While this freedom is beautiful, it’s also exhausting. Being a “worn-out woman” is now so common that we think feeling tired all the time is normal. According to Karen Brody, feeling this exhausted is not normal—and it’s holding us back. In Daring to Rest, Brody comes to the rescue with a 40-day program to help you reclaim rest and access your most powerful, authentic self through yoga nidra, a meditative practice that guides you into one of the deepest states of relaxation imaginable.

It’s time to lie down and begin the journey to waking up

 

 

 

 

Breathe and Be by Anna Emilia Laitinen and Kate Coombs

Teaching mindfulness helps kids learn to stay calm, regulate their emotions, and appreciate the world around them. With Breathe and Be, author Kate Coombs and illustrator Anna Emilia Laitinen team up to present a book of poetry and art for young readers to make mindfulness easy, natural, and beautiful. Here is a book sure to delight parents and kids alike, blending lovingly illustrated nature imagery with elegant verse about living with awareness and inner peace.

 

 

 

 

Leopard Warrior by John Lockley

A Teaching Memoir That Crosses the Barriers Between Worlds

A shaman is one who has learned to move between two worlds: our physical reality and the realm of spirits. For John Lockley, shamanic training also meant learning to cross the immense divide of race and culture in South Africa.

As a medic drafted into the South African military in 1990, John Lockley had a powerful dream. “Even though I am a white man of Irish and English descent, I knew in my bones that I had received my calling to become a sangoma, a traditional South African shaman,” John writes. “I felt blessed by the ancient spirit of Africa, and I knew that I had started on a journey filled with magic and danger.” His path took him from the hills of South Korea, where he trained as a student under Zen Master Su Bong, to the rural African landscape of the Eastern Cape and the world of the sangoma mystic healers, where he found his teacher in the medicine woman called MaMngwev

 

 

Things That Join the Sea and the Sky by Mark Nepo

A Reader for Navigating the Depths of Our Lives

The Universe holds us and tosses us about, only to hold us again. With Things That Join the Sea and the Sky, Mark Nepo brings us a compelling treasury of short prose reflections to turn to when struggling to keep our heads above water, and to breathe into all of our sorrows and joys.

Inspired by his own journal writing across 15 years, this book shares with us some of Mark’s most personal work. Many passages arise from accounts of his own life events—moments of “sinking and being lifted”—and the insights they yielded. Through these passages, we’re encouraged to navigate our own currents of sea and sky, and to discover something fundamental yet elusive: How, simply, to be here.

To be enjoyed in many ways—individually, by topic, or as an unfolding sequence—Things That Join the Sea and the Sky presents 145 contemplations gathered into 17 themes, each intended to illuminate specific situations.

 

 

                NOVEMBER GIVEAWAY

 

WIN OUR NEW RELEASE BUNDLE:The Integrity Advantage, Daring to Rest, Breathe and Be, Leopard Warrior, and Things That Join the Sea and the Sky

TO ENTER: Simply reply in the comments with why you’d like to win!

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Wim Hof on Cold as a Noble Force: How Cold Exposure Re...

Many people spend their lives avoiding discomfort. Cold weather sends us indoors, stress pushes us toward distraction, and physical tension becomes something we ignore until it feels impossible to avoid. Wim Hof approaches discomfort differently. Through cold exposure and breathwork, he teaches that moments of intensity can become opportunities to reconnect with the body, calm the mind, and build greater resilience. His methods have sparked global interest because they encourage people to experience awareness directly rather than simply think about it.

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Here, we discuss Wim Hof method benefits, the role of cold exposure and breathwork, and how these practices may support resilience, focus, and emotional balance.

Key Takeaways:

  • Nervous System Response: Learn how cold exposure and conscious breathing may influence stress regulation and emotional resilience.
  • Mind-Body Awareness: Understand how the Wim Hof method encourages greater presence, focus, and connection with physical sensations.
  • Adaptation Through Discomfort: See how controlled cold exposure can help strengthen mental steadiness and the body’s natural adaptability.

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Why Wim Hof Calls Cold a Noble Force

Wim Hof sees cold as a way to reconnect with the body and sharpen awareness. The moment people encounter cold, breathing changes, attention focuses, and distractions fade. He believes modern comfort has weakened the body’s natural resilience, while cold exposure helps restore that connection. For Hof, learning to stay calm in the cold can also help people respond to stress and discomfort with greater steadiness in everyday life.

Wim Hof Method Benefits for Body and Mind

The Wim Hof method combines conscious breathing, cold exposure, and mental focus. Together, these practices are designed to strengthen the connection between body and mind while encouraging resilience under stress. Many people are drawn to the method because it feels deeply experiential rather than theoretical.

Before discussing specific benefits, it helps to understand that the method is rooted in adaptation. The body constantly responds to its environment, and Hof believes intentional exposure to manageable stress can help restore physical and emotional balance.

Physical Energy and Nervous System Support

One of the most discussed Wim Hof method benefits is increased energy and mental clarity. Many people report feeling more alert and refreshed after cold exposure practices. Cold immersion also activates the nervous system, encouraging people to regulate their breathing instead of reacting automatically to stress. Over time, this may support better focus, emotional steadiness, and recovery from stress.

Emotional Resilience Through Discomfort

The emotional side of the Wim Hof method is just as important as the physical practice. Through controlled discomfort, people learn to notice fear and stress without immediately reacting to them. By focusing on the breath and staying present, many practitioners develop greater emotional resilience and feel calmer during stressful situations in daily life. 

How Wim Hof Breathing Supports Mental Clarity and Focus

Wim Hof breathing forms the foundation of the method and serves as a bridge between physical sensation and mental awareness. The breathing exercises involve deep rhythmic breathing followed by periods of breath retention, creating noticeable shifts within the body and mind.

For many people, breathing becomes shallow and unconscious during stressful moments. Tension accumulates quietly, and the nervous system remains in a reactive state without conscious awareness. Hof’s breathing practices encourage people to reconnect with the breath in a more intentional way.

How Conscious Breathing Influences Stress

The breath has a direct relationship with the body’s stress response. Rapid, shallow breathing can reinforce anxiety and tension, while slower and more deliberate breathing often encourages relaxation and stability.

Wim Hof breathing teaches people to become aware of those patterns rather than remaining trapped inside them unconsciously. During the breathing exercises, many people experience a sense of release as physical tension softens and attention becomes more grounded in the present moment.

This shift may help support emotional regulation throughout daily life. When stressful situations arise, conscious breathing can become an anchor that creates space between reaction and response.

Breathwork as a Practice of Presence

Breathwork also supports greater awareness and presence in everyday life and relationships. Many people describe Wim Hof breathing as both calming and energizing because it encourages deeper attention to the body, emotions, and mental patterns. Rather than avoiding discomfort, the breath becomes a tool for moving through it with greater awareness and steadiness.

Cold Exposure Benefits for Stress and Emotional Resilience

Cold exposure benefits extend beyond physical endurance or athletic recovery. Many people become interested in cold showers or ice baths because of the emotional and psychological effects associated with the practice.

Building Calm During Intensity

Stepping into cold water immediately activates the body’s stress response. Muscles tighten, breathing becomes rapid, and the mind often searches for escape. Hof teaches people to notice these reactions without becoming consumed by them.

By consciously slowing the breath and remaining present, practitioners begin training the nervous system to stay calmer under stress. This practice may gradually influence emotional resilience outside the cold itself. Situations that once triggered panic or overwhelm can begin to feel less consuming.

The experience also encourages patience and trust. Instead of reacting impulsively, people learn how to remain steady within intensity.

Reconnecting With Bodily Awareness

Cold exposure also creates a stronger relationship with physical awareness. Many people move through daily life disconnected from bodily sensation, carrying stress without fully recognizing it.

Cold immersion interrupts that disconnection. The body becomes impossible to ignore, and attention naturally returns to breathing, sensation, and presence. For many practitioners, this creates a renewed appreciation for the body’s intelligence and adaptability.

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Ice Bath Benefits Beyond Physical Recovery

Ice bath benefits are often associated with athletic recovery, but the practice can influence mental and emotional well being as well.

  • Ice baths may support circulation and physical recovery after intense activity.
  • Many people report increased alertness and energy following cold immersion.
  • Ice baths encourage awareness of breathing and stress patterns.
  • Cold exposure creates opportunities to practice calmness under pressure.
  • Some practitioners describe greater emotional steadiness through regular practice.
  • Ice baths may strengthen resilience by teaching the body and mind to adapt together.

Although the physical effects often receive the most attention, many people continue the practice because of the emotional clarity it creates. Ice baths become less about endurance and more about awareness, patience, and presence.

The Wim Hof Method and the Science of Adaptation

A central principle within the Wim Hof method is that the human body is naturally designed to adapt. Hof often speaks about modern comfort as something that has weakened this connection with innate resilience.

Controlled exposure to cold challenges the body in manageable ways, encouraging adaptation without overwhelming the system. This process reflects a broader truth about human growth. People often become stronger not by avoiding difficulty entirely, but by learning how to remain present within challenge.

The method encourages a different relationship with stress. Instead of treating discomfort as something purely negative, practitioners begin viewing it as an opportunity for awareness and transformation.

How Wim Hof Breathing and Cold Exposure Benefits Work Together

Breathing exercises and cold exposure are deeply connected within Hof’s teachings. The breath prepares the body and mind for intensity, while the cold creates an immediate environment in which those tools can be practiced.

Together, these methods encourage people to slow reactive patterns and remain grounded during stress. Breathwork supports nervous system regulation, while cold exposure strengthens the ability to apply that regulation in real situations.

Many practitioners describe this combination as empowering because it creates direct experience rather than abstract theory. The lessons are felt physically, emotionally, and mentally all at once.

Bringing Wim Hof Method Benefits Into Everyday Life

Wim Hof often emphasizes that transformation does not require extreme challenges. Small, consistent practices can create meaningful shifts over time. Brief cold showers, intentional breathing exercises, and moments of conscious stillness during stressful situations may gradually strengthen resilience in everyday life.

The Wim Hof method invites people to become more aware of how they relate to discomfort, stress, and uncertainty. Rather than immediately resisting difficult experiences, the practices encourage curiosity, presence, and adaptability.

For many people, the deeper value of the method is not simply enduring cold temperatures. It is learning how to remain connected to awareness during moments that would normally trigger fear, tension, or emotional reactivity. Through breath and cold, people may begin developing a steadier relationship with both the body and the mind.

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Final Thoughts

Wim Hof’s teachings invite people to reconsider their relationship with discomfort, stress, and the body itself. Through conscious breathing and cold exposure, the Wim Hof method encourages greater awareness, resilience, and presence in everyday life. What begins as a physical practice often becomes something deeper: a reminder that the body and mind are capable of far more balance, adaptability, and inner strength than many people realize.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wim Hof Method Benefits

Is the Wim Hof method meant only for athletes?

No. While athletes often use cold exposure for recovery, the Wim Hof method is practiced by people from many different backgrounds who are interested in stress management, focus, and overall well being.

How long does it take to feel Wim Hof method benefits?

Some people notice increased alertness or energy after a single session, while others experience more gradual changes over several weeks of consistent practice.

Can beginners practice the Wim Hof method at home?

Yes. Many beginners start with short cold showers and simple breathing exercises before progressing to longer or more advanced practices.

Does Wim Hof breathing require special equipment?

No. Wim Hof breathing can be practiced without equipment, though it should always be done in a safe environment and never in water or while driving.

Why do people feel energized after cold exposure?

Cold exposure activates the body’s alertness response, which may increase circulation and create a feeling of heightened energy afterward.

Can the Wim Hof method help with daily stress?

Many practitioners use the method to support emotional balance and stress management by learning how to regulate breathing and remain calmer during challenging situations.

What makes ice baths mentally challenging?

Ice baths trigger an immediate stress response in the body, including rapid breathing and tension. Learning to stay calm within that discomfort is part of the practice.

Is the Wim Hof method connected to mindfulness?

Yes. The method encourages awareness of breathing, bodily sensation, and mental reactions, which aligns with many mindfulness-based practices.

How cold should beginners start with cold exposure?

Beginners are often encouraged to begin gradually with cool or cold showers rather than extreme temperatures, allowing the body to adapt slowly.

Can cold exposure improve focus and concentration?

Some people report improved mental clarity after cold exposure because the experience requires immediate attention and presence.

Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including Skill in Action and Finding Refuge. Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups. For more, visit https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive.

73 comments on What Are Your Five Healing Music CD Picks…That Don’t Suck?

  1. Joe D says:

    Vibrational Healing Music by Marjorie de Muynck. It is one of my choice migraine remedies. And what’s great is that, at least for me, I can just play it in the background and let it do its thing while I continue doing whatever it is I’m up to. In other words, you don’t have to sit in silence in my opinion for the benefit. I second your motion for the iAwake music. My son and I have been using that music for a few weeks now at nighttime for unwinding and getting ready to transition to sleep. Quite effective.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      I am embarrassed to say that I’ve not sampled any of Marjorie de Muynck’s om-fequency-tuned music. It’s not too “new agey?”

      1. Jennifer says:

        Marjorie was a jazz musician before she became a sound healing pioneer. She also is the only sound healing artist I know who has made effective and beautiful use of the banjo on her recordings!

      2. Joe D says:

        I don’t think there’s an ounce of cheese in the recording, if that’s what you mean!

  2. Michael Boxer says:

    Chick Corea Piano Improv # 1, Pink Martini Sympatetique, Nanci Griffith One Fair Summer Evening, Puccini La Boehem, Cocteau Twins Aikea Guniea.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Ha, thx for the recos, Michael. The Cocteau Twins’ “Treasure” is definitely in my top 20 for this list, as well as Alla’s “Fundou de Bechar” improvisatioal oud gem. I recently bought a fresh, fairly clean used vinyl LP pressing of the Chick Corea Piano Improvs Vol. 1 myself and it’s sublime….

      1. Joe D says:

        So that’s at least two jazz references in this thread, bop bwee a doowop!

  3. Joanne W. says:

    I love anything by Tom Kenyon. A few favorites are Imaginarium, Sacred Chants, and City of Hymns. I play these for myself and when giving energy healing treatments! LOVE ’em!

    1. Andrew Young says:

      These are great recos as well, thanks for mentioning Tom Kenyon’s resonant work. Sounds True had the privilege of hearing his amazing voice right here in the office entryway atrium a few years ago. Wow.

  4. Jennifer says:

    Victorialand by the Cocteau Twins

    1. Andrew Young says:

      This is so cool—I had no idea there were so many people who consider the Cocteau Twins to be relaxing or healing music. I wonder if Elizabeth Fraser and/or Simon Raymonde would ever consider doing a meditation-oriented or therapeutic music album? I’d definitely order it in a heartbeat!

      1. Michael Boxer says:

        Completely!

  5. Akaisha Kaderli says:

    I like Alex Theory Music (Air, Earth Water, Light) and also Sacred Accoustics Foundation Series (OM, Earth, Blue, Portal) http://www.sacredacoustics.com

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks, great recos, Akaisha. I actually wanted to list Alex Theory’s “Water,” but I made myself stick to just five. I may have to do a “Part II” post! 🙂

  6. Serge Lanoë says:

    * Yi-Ching Music For Health (5 CD’s : Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, Regimen)

    * Chinese “Five Tones” Healing Music (5 CD’s : Jyy Tone, Yu Tone, Kung Tone, Chueh Tone, Regimen-Chi Circulation)

    * Music for Beauty (4 CD’s : Day, Night, Spring & Summer, Autumn & Winter)

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks, Serge. I believe I found them on Amazon. I’ve recently become interested in five-element Chinese music (feng shui, but also trying to find traditional or ancient compositions as well).

  7. Cierra says:

    Temple by Thomas Barquee. As a massage therapist I could (and did!) play this CD for hours, for days, and for weeks without ever getting tired of it. Absolutely beautiful!

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Aha, I’ve never heard anything by Thomas Barquee. I’m going to search for a sample track of “Temple” right now. Thanks for the tip!

  8. Michael Boxer says:

    Andrew, I have to admit that I have had my creative spirit COMPLETELY raised in the last 4 days by listening to Schoenberg’s “Les Miserbales” I have now seen it 8 times in 4 days and have been listening to the influence of Sondheim which is SO deep. As a projection, I have been comforted by musical theatre and opera from my youth. I know you have a hard time with lyrics, but the music is absolutely powerful!

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Cool! I wonder if Schoenberg ever did a 12-tone version of “Grease.” 😉

  9. cindy says:

    Prayer circle by Jonathan Elia which is the most beautiful piece of music that I’ve ever heard.

    Anything off of the only two albums by Stephen Walters.

    Migration by R Carlos Nakai

    All beautiful.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Wow, thanks Cindy for these recommendations. I found a Jonathan Elia album titled “Prayer Cycle”—with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Alanis Morissette, & others. Not sure if this is the one you mention or another…but it’s really cool. “Migration” by R. Carlos Nakai and Peter Kater is quite beautiful; Peter’s style reminds me of of Keith Jarrett’s sublime “Koln Concert” album (which is definitely in my top 10 for creativity sparking CDs). Stephen Walters I could not find but will continue to look. Thx again!

  10. Grayson Towler says:

    For creativity, Jeff Strong’s percussion music from “Brain Shift Collection” is my go-to. This is something you can put on soft in the background in an office situation and not bother anyone, but you still get a good effect.

    I also find for creativity that you can’t really go wrong with the classics. Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff… maybe it sounds cliche, but they always do the trick.

    In terms of healing, my own experience (confession time here…) is that merely listening to music creates the weakest result. For me, singing and sometimes dancing are the things that really kick musical healing energy into gear. So I get more mileage out of something like the soundtrack to Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog than I do from any kind of instrumental music for healing, no matter if it’s supposed to be intentional or bioacoustic or whatever.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      ALL of Mozart’s piano sonatas I would put in my top 10 for both de-stressing, creativity, and sheer pleasure…but I didn’t want to sound like too much of a fuddy duddy. 😉 I mean, when I was raving about Mozart to my 85-year-old NYC uncle, he said that I had the musical tastes of an old man and that I needed to get hip to Amy Winehouse and Ricky Martin. Seriously! Re: Jeff Strong’s super-quiet entrainment tracks—definitely a thumbs up from me, I’ll prob list his “attention and focus” CD if I do a “Part II” post of this thread. Trueski fans, here’s a link to Jeff’s amazing stuff: https://www.soundstrue.com/shop/authors/Jeff_Strong

  11. Elisa Brown Music says:

    I am SO pleased that Sounds True recommends Simeon Hein’s Aural Resonance CD. This simple, elegant and highly effective mediation CD is a mainstay in my relaxation mediation CD collection. With this terrific review in Sounds True, I hope it becomes a Go-To CD for all your readers, too!

    1. Opening Minds Music says:

      Thanks Elisa, it’s available now both as a CD and download at https://AuralResonance.com .

      1. Andrew Young says:

        Thx for finding this page, O.M., I couldn’t find a download source on google. ST Blog readers: As with the Tryshe Dhevney, don’t “re-rip” this music to make it smaller—you’ll want highest sound quality to experience its effects fully!

      2. Simeon says:

        That’s right Andrew, the high-frequency harmonics won’t appear in your room with a lower-quality version. You have to have the full-spectrum sound to get the complete effect. It’s like a sparkling timbre that appears about 10-15 minutes after you start playing Aural Resonance. The longer you leave it on, the stronger it can get.

      3. Andrew Young says:

        Thanks for chiming in, Simeon, and for this amazing recording. I’ve always wondered if those really high overtones were intentional—now I know that they are! ST blog readers: Simeon Hein is the creator of this awesome CD.

    2. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks for chiming in, Elisa. I should probably tell blog readers here that these are my personal favorites, not “official” Sounds True recommendations. I’m glad that you also give it a “thumbs up” too—it’s one of those largely unknown recordings that everyone should try at least once. Cheers! – Andrew

  12. Heather says:

    Jennifer Berezan and friends have sustained me over the past few years… In These Arms, or Praises for the World, or Returning… All of her albums are both grounded and sublime. No ickiness, and deeply connective. Check out https://edgeofwonder.com/

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks for these recos, Heather. I’m going to listen to samples right now! – Andrew

  13. Eric Carr says:

    Thank you for this! Tryshe Dhevney’s Crystal Bowl Sound Healing is one of my top album choices as well, so I’ll have to check out the others listed here. I’m always looking for healing music. Dhevney also has another album that she did as part of the Lapis Ensemble that I have on near constant rotation even after three or four years since it came out, and I’ve had myriad clients ask about it when it plays. Shi De by Dechen Shak Dagsay, and Sei He Ki by Weave are probably the only other albums that my clients or friends outright ask about, but Tryshe Dhevney’s are by far the most popular (and my favorites).

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks for your recos, Eric. Are you a massage/bodywork therapist, energy healer, or other type of therapist? I ask because I have several massage-physical therapy friends who want my recommendations. I’m now searching for music by Shi De by Dechen Shak Dagsay and Sei He Ki. Cool, more possibilities that I have never heard of! Blog readers: The Tryshe Dhevney/Lapis Ensemble collaboration is titled “Lapis Ensemble” and is on iTunes and CDbaby.com I’m listening to samples now….

  14. Ira Liss says:

    When I took Simeon’s resonant viewing (RV) class several years ago, he played the Aural Resonance Astral Harmony (“the perfect fifth”) CD in the background. Learning and doing RV can be challenging so having this simple calming, serenity-inducing sound in the room was helpful. I learned it’s available here, https://mountbaldy.com/store/index.php?content=music

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Resonant viewing, cool, I need to check out Simeon’s workshops. Funny you should mention this type of practice because I didn’t mention in my post that I find this CD superb for traditional shamanic journey practice when combined with Sandra Ingerman’s drumming tracks.

  15. Patrece says:

    I have enjoyed Tryshe Dhveney’s Crystal Bowls Sound Healing CD as have many of my friends. Because of that CD, I try to attend as many of her workshops as I can. She’s a true inspiration and has made a huge difference in my life. Thanks for this opportunity for me to share how special her CD is to me.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      I didn’t know that Tryshe teaches regular workshops, thanks for the heads up, Patrece. At this year’s Wake Up Festival, she treated us to an opening ritual that was just amazing on a somatic-energetic level. It kinda flipped me out (in a good way)!

  16. Patrece says:

    Tryshe Dhevney’s Crystal Bowl Sounds Healing CD tops my list of favorites. I do hope to make it to one of her workshops soon but, until then, I treasure the recording. How she uses sound is truly amazing.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Does Tryshe teach workshop attendees how to actually PLAY the crystal bowls? I would love to give it a try myself.

      1. Kate says:

        She does do workshops on how to play the bowls along with workshops on using the voice and bowls for healing and other workshops. See her website, http://www.soundshifting.com. Also, her voice is extraordinary and combine that with the bowls and you go off into other places/dimensions.

  17. Beate Nilsen says:

    “For sparking my creativity” David Ison has had remarkable success w/ getting writer’s block dissipated Pronto: from the last chapter of a book to the last link in a sequence for a computer game on a deadline of TOMORROW.

    Try the Chakra Sound System;-)

    1. Andrew says:

      Thx for the comment, Beate. I also vote for David Ison’s “magnum opus” Chakra Sound System as the best full-throttle experience of his work. I was also going to include the “Chakra Illumination” music CD within the big CSS program but had to keep my list to just five picks.

      ST blog readers: I’m not really into chakra energy healing, but you don’t need to be to benefit from Ison’s work. Here’s the link to the epic CSS program:
      https://www.soundstrue.com/shop/The-Chakra-Sound-System/4102.pd

      …and a link to just the harmonizer CD set “extracted” from the CSS (one music-only CD one CD with music + spoken-word guided meditations by David):
      https://www.soundstrue.com/shop/Chakra-Illumination/3821.pd

  18. Janet Sussman says:

    I am a fan of David Ison’s and have been for twenty-five years or so. The consciousness that is embedded in the music is the main thing. The techniques are great, but it is what the intentionality speaks to that makes his material really work.

    1. Andrew says:

      Yes, Janet, that is a great way of describing the healing source of the Ison Method music—I mean, he can use a conventional acoustic guitar (like on “Relax”) to produce such powerful effects. Thanks for your comment!

  19. Noah C says:

    Here’s a few I love. These are my go to, over and over, keep ’em on repeat because they keep me in the zone I love to be in.

    1. Heart Sutra chant of the Dalai Lama for the president of the united states. This is one of the most heart-full expansive courageously peaceful chants I have ever heard.
    2 Relax. David Ison does something different than most: he plays real music, only it does something to me that first relaxes me deeply, but then I start feeling very creative. It’s like a 1-2 heart punch of peacefulness!
    3. Sounds of the Soul, Sheila G. Sterling. This is great if you want to just go out there and fully immerse into loving bliss consciousness. I can’t get any work done with this one, but its epic for visualizations and midafternoon reset sessions.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks for these recos, Noah. I’m going to search for the Dalai Lama Heart Sutra chant now, as well as the Sheil G. Sterling CD. I’m glad you posted this one that is “non-background” music—”loving bliss consciousness…I can’t get any work done with this one” LOL! :O

  20. Kate says:

    I’m a hugh fan of Tryshe Dhevney’s music too. Her bowl work is always beautiful and when you add in her voice….it’s extraordinary! I love playing her cd’s in the background as I go about doing things in my home. It keeps me settled. And, when I sit quietly and use her music to meditate by, I can feel the energy moving inter-dimensionally. She is seriously gifted and shares all that so lovingly.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks, Kate, for mentioning Tryshe Dhevney’s amazing voice. It’s not on the Crystal Bowl Sound Healing CD but I was deeply moved when I heard her “tuvan” inspired overtone voicings at this year’s Wake Up Festival.

  21. Diana says:

    #4 is wonderful and soul nurturing. It taught me how to mediatate, forgive and free myself. It’s also used by some of our Fortune 100 clients. They listen to segments of it on their lunch breaks

    1. Andrew Young says:

      So cool that it introduced you to meditation—and that David’s work is infusing the business world.

  22. Mica says:

    There is only one way to go on the Science of Sound…true healing….anything David Ison….

  23. linnaea b says:

    David Ison’s Chakra Illumination is the best I have heard in the 14+ years I have used music as background for massage. The composition entrains the breath and then the mind. Clients go “deep” without any effort. When I use it four or five times a day, it is as if I have been meditating for days.

    I never used music as background to craniosacral work, as music tended to take people out of cranial space. However, David’s Chakra Illumination helps them stay in cranial space.

    Before I bought Chakra Illumination, I used Theta by Steven Halpern for massage. That is also good, as it encourages people to go into a theta state.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks for your insights on Chakra Illumination for craniosacral work. A friend of mine in Utah is training in this modality now and I will recommend it to him.

  24. Foster Brashear says:

    For about 10 years, I have been affiliated with a group of people, mostly musicians, who record amazing ethereal music in a huge water tank in Rangely Colorado. In fact, recently a KickStarter campaign raised a lot of money to refurbish “The Tank” and turn it into a more formal recording venue. I was introduced to The Tank by my friend Michael Stanwood, and was privileged to be present for part of the recording of his CD “PORTAL” at The Tank. I think much of the music recorder there fits your request. You can hear (or buy) PORTAL at this link: https://www.pansyproductions.com/
    Partly because of the recent campaign, there are actually many wonderful and inspiring recordings all over the net if you search for “The Tank.”

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Utterly amazing—this acoustic space makes NYC’s Cathedral of Saint John the Divine sound like a shoebox! https://youtu.be/Ua-iXXwfM-E

      Thx for posting!

  25. ezio says:

    I like Joanne Shenandoah, and the Elemental songs on Jeff’s Strong’s BrainShift Collection. I also love the wood flute- whether shakuhachi, Nawang Khechog’s tibetan flute, or the Native flute of Carlos Nakai.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thx for the recos, ezio. I especially enjoy listening to Nawang Khechog’s music outside on my headphones while sitting on the grass (or even lying on moist earth as I look up at the clouds) 😉

  26. Cyn says:

    Wow. Thanks everyone for all the new ideas. Checking out my iTunes meditation playlist – one of my favorites for just chilling and meditating is a group called Shaman’s Dream – lots of sitar, running water – lovely. Or anything by Nawang Khechog. Andew Weil has a program in vibrational healing that is outstanding – this must be Sounds True, but I can’t tell since I’m looking at iTunes. Christine Tulis for harp – she’s through Sound Temple recordings, and then there is Stevin McNamara’s Yoguitar from Etherean music.I love any Gregorian chant for creativity. For high-energy creativity, Beth Quist, who has an amazing voice and plays a variety of strange instruments to create otherworldly soundscapes. Find her at home.earthlink.net/~quistian/ oops, I think I’m over the limit.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thx, Cyn, many great suggestions hre. I’m going to check out Beth Quist’s and Christine Tulis’ music now….

  27. katherine harris says:

    Anything by David Ison – takes me just where I need to be.

  28. Susan T says:

    Relish the lovely tones that David Ison comes up with on his album, RELAX. He conveys deep code that travels through your body and soul as you listen.

  29. cathy jo says:

    I listen to DeStress, Focus, and Inspiration classical recordings from Advanced Brain Technologies, and find them very effective. (ABT’S THE LISTENING PROGRAM helped me recuperate from a stroke.)
    I also listen a great deal to the wonderful Tryshe Dhevney CD–and you are so right about needing to keep the high quality for the best response. I’m hoping Sounds True will be putting out another CD from Tryshe soon!

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks, Cathy. I’m reading about ABT’s research studies now and it’s very encouraging work.

      If Sounds True releases another Tryshe Dhevney album, I am going to suggest that it includes her voice as well, as so many of us love that dimension of her work.

  30. Vivian Blaxell says:

    Ludovico Einaudi “In a Time Lapse”

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Thanks Vivian, I’m listening to his YouTube post as I type this. ST blog readers: this is a solo piano piece that evokes in me the emotional palettes of Chopin, Debussy, Keith Jarrett, the soundscapes of Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films, and Einaudi’s own unique style and feeling. Beautiful.

  31. Susan says:

    Aural Resonance is the only CD I play every night before I go to sleep. It masks sounds from my noisy neighbors and creates a deep relaxing feeling. It’s the only way to get a great night’s rest.

    1. Andrew Young says:

      Yes, for me too. In fact, I take it with me whenever I have to stay in a hotel room or other new place to help me sleep. Thx for confirming that it works in this way for more than just me!

      1. Susan says:

        Hi Andrew
        Glad to know I’m not the only one as well! For some reason it works better than nature sounds, which i’ve tried many times. I love nature sounds but Aural Resonance has an added layer of calm. Sometimes I use both.

  32. Lisa G says:

    Crystal Bowl Sound Healing – Tryshe Dhevney
    Tryshe’s unique sound is soothing, awakens the mind/spirit
    transporting you to a unique dimension of healing organic harmonies embracing
    calm and peace.

  33. Wendy P says:

    Jonathan Goldman- Ultimate Om

    I play this song on repeat and I swear even the birds and animals outside our home camp out at our house enjoying it. Very soothing and great background music when relaxing. Not distracting at all.

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