In fact, sound therapy has been used for thousands of years to rebalance the body’s vibration and build resilience.
“In addition to helping a person relax and reduce stress, sound therapy can boost the immune system and heal the body,” said Syed Muhammad Gadaffi Syed Ali, a certified sound therapy practitioner.
The 52-year-old is the founder and CEO of JMD Wellness, a business that offers sound bath sessions. During this meditative experience, a person closes their eyes and listens to resonant sounds played in the background.
Syed uses instruments such as Himalayan bowls, crystal bowls, a crystal harp, crystal pyramids and even gongs. Fun fact: Syed shared that the vibrations in the sound produced by a gong can help reduce inflammation in the body.
These sessions take place in a comfortable and dimly-lit space, where attendees can fully immerse themselves in the melodic sounds they hear.
“I also teach people about focused breathing. After all, some may be thinking of their to-do list during the session. Focusing on their breathing takes their mind off other things and that’s when the body can heal,” he explained.
Syed conducts individual and group sessions, which typically last for three and four hours, respectively.
“For a group, there is an extra hour for ‘Hoʻoponopono,’ a traditional Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. The word roughly translates to ‘make it right’ or ‘to correct and error.’
“This practice is rooted in the belief that maintaining harmony and balance within oneself, in relationships and the broader community, is essential for well-being,” Syed said.
He also combines sound bath sessions with tuning fork therapy, where these two-pronged instruments are used to create sound vibrations for healing. It is believed that tuning fork therapy can neutralise a person’s energy and bring balance to the chakra points, or energy centres, in the body.
A congested energy point, Syed added, can cause a person’s health to deteriorate. “For instance, if the heart’s energy point is blocked, it can lead to heart pain or heart diseases.”
Syed became a firm believer in sound therapy after suffering a stroke in 2018 that left him paralysed on the left side of his body.
It was during this time that he came across a video by Joe Dispenza, an American author, researcher, lecturer and consultant, who spoke about the benefits of sound and meditation on his own health.
By then, Syed was already familiar with sound therapy, having been introduced to it two years earlier by his friends. He, however, hadn’t attended sound baths regularly then.
But Dispenza’s testimony piqued Syed’s interest and he decided to give it a go. He committed to two sound bath sessions a week and meditated daily. As a result, he overcame the paralysis and regained his mobility after one and a half months.
“That’s when I decided that I wanted to learn more about sound bath sessions and share its benefits with others,” he said, adding that he started JMD Wellness in 2020.
He has been a passionate advocate ever since, even converting several people who were initially doubtful about the effectiveness of the practice.
He has also shared the benefits of sound therapy at Berjaya University College, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam and Hospital Kulim.
Additionally, he conducts sessions about stress management and ways to improve one’s mental well-being.
To those who remain sceptical about sound therapy, he shared: “Why don’t you give it a try? Perhaps, it can change something in your life.”
JMD Wellness
B1-13, Liberty Arc
Ampang Ukay
68000 Ampang
Selangor
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