Do I do a PIANOBATH in the bath?

and other questions

Had to start with this one… yes, people do ask me! The answer is: Yes, if you listen to our free Library, you can do a PIANOBATH, a Toning or Meditation anywhere you like! Having said that, it’s designed as a sound journey, a deeply restorative and recharging experience, and I think most benefit is had if you lie down or sit and immerse yourself in the music on the best quality headphones or speakers you have. If that’s in the tub, then all good! At our live PIANOBATH events, though, no water involved at all, unless you bring your own in a bottle. The “bath” bit refers to being immersed in sound.

Who actually goes to a PIANOBATH?

You’d be surprised. I have over half of people coming alone. Some come with friends and if you arrive on time you’ll get to sit or lie down next to each other. Old, young, rich, poor, new age and clean cut… there’s no type really, just a whole range of people who want a beautiful immersive experience with music, or a chance for time to reconnect or recharge.

Is PIANOBATH good to do regularly?

Yes, yes, yes. As with any wellbeing tool, it’s great to do regularly. You can view Pianobath in several ways, as a beautiful concert, as a relaxing meditation, as a sound journey, as a healing experience. So include PIANOBATH events and home-use in your wellbeing schedule as often as you can. Having myself done 38 years of yoga and 37 years of regular meditation, I’d say PIANOBATH is a powerful version of these practices. Because of its hypnotic qualities, the music is not overstimulating, but rather takes you into a zone, or on a journey whilst putting your body and mind into deep relaxation. See all dates for events on the home page. With the Library, Pianobaths, Toning, Humming and Meditations become a wonderful addition to any wellbeing practices you already have, or they might be the perfect way to bring more wellbeing into your life if you’re a bit short on that. The music is beautiful, the meditations are simple, there’s a good choice of timings to suit your level of busyness. And it’s powerful stuff. You could do a meditation every night, and a PIANOBATH when you’re in the mood. Toning and Humming are amazing for when you feel particularly blocked or stuck with something. Or for clearing and balancing yourself. Mix and match them, combine the tracks in anyway you like, as well as the combos i’ve already put up in the Library. I’ll be adding new tracks to the Library all the time, and if you have any ideas for what you’d like to see there, please do email me on penny@pianobath.co.uk, I’d love to hear from you.

Are there any side-effects of PIANOBATH?

Yes, too much happiness and joy! But seriously, I’d say, like any powerful practice, just build up slowly, especially with the Toning and Humming. With the latter, you’re using deeper breathing, so at the first sign of any lightheadedness, just stop. There can be a release or clearing afterwards, or after our live PIANOBATH events, for example you may feel some emotional stuff coming up, and that’s all good. Just be kind to yourself, and let yourself feel whatever comes up. Having said that, a lot of people have told me they expected to get really emotional, but actually feel really calm and uplifted by the music. Powerful, hypnotic music can really connect us to our true centre and help us feel grounded and energised. Keep an eye out for signs, opportunities, synchronicities in the day or two following your Pianobath/Toning or Meditation. People i know have said they get sudden creative urges following a long PIANOBATH or Toning/Humming session. Drink lots of water afterwards and if you can, take some time to relax afterwards. Think of it as if you’d had a massage or other treatment.

Do i have to lie down to experience a Pianobath?

During the live PIANOBATH you can book a yoga mat space (please bring your own mat) or book a seat. At our PIANOBATH for Women, there are 4 yoga mat spaces or a cosy sofa space! If you’re using the Library, find a lying or seated position that’s comfy for you. Make any arrangements, such as turning your phone off, or silencing the door buzzer, light a candle, etc that will make you feel you can really relax There’s a lot more info on the Library page, too.

What can I expect to feel?

Everybody has a different experience, so it’s impossible to say. During a live PIANOBATH some people just feel very relaxed, some fall asleep (see below), some experience a real journey, or see ancient images, colours, some just feel some emotions coming and going. What everyone seems to agree on when they leave a PIANOBATH, see testimonials, is a a deep sense of peace and feeling upifted. It may bring up some emotions and that’s okay, too. Maybe that’s what you need to feel. This sound healing is transformative and powerfully healing - it helps us to actually feel our feelings. We often spend our lives distracting ourselves with addictions, self-medicating, being overly busy etc. By allowing ourselves to have quality time with ourselves and our emotions, we are doing something truly amazing, a real piece of self-care. Also check out the Resources page with some wonderful wellbeing practices and uplifting material/talks that can support you on the road to wellness, or to maintain balance in life. Feel free to email me, Penny, penny@pianobath.co.uk, if you have any specific questions. I would love to help.

What if I fall asleep during a live PIANOBATH?

Obviously, using the online Library, no need to worry, snore on! (it’s usually a sign that you need the rest, and the PIANOBATH benefits will happen regardless of whether you’re awake or not). The koshi bells at the end of each track will waken you. Or set a gentle alarm if you’ve a habit of nodding off and need to be awake at some point. If you’re in bed and it’s night-time, hey presto, job done! If you’re at a live PIANOBATH, don’t worry, we have a gentle “nudge me if i snore policy” that we agree at the beginning, to ensure a loud, continuous snorer is gently tapped on the shoulder by their neighbour and can then readjust their position. That ensures it’s a restful experience for everyone. We have some yoga mat spaces where people can sit up leaning against a wall. So that could be a spot for you if you’re worried about snoring. Or there are usually a few spare seats, if you need to shift. During the past year we’re had very few snoring issues, most people find they deeply relax but don’t drop off! So please come along, relax, you’re all taken care of.

What are the dates for the live PIANOBATH events?

Please see the homepage of the website for our live events. There is the monthly PIANOBATH at the Shoreham Centre, in Shoreham, the PIANOBATH for Women (in Penny’s Shoreham beach house twice a month - address provided when you book) and the PIANOBATH for Childrenis coming soon, February 2025. I’ll also be working at some retreats this year, so sign up to the newsletter below for a monthly update!

What’s the Humming bit about?

At the end of the live PIANOBATH event we do a group Humming for about 10 minutes. I’ll talk you through. It’s an incredible way to energise at the end of the Pianobath before you leave and experience how powerful a simple group hum can be (with the PIANOBATH for Women we do a longer session of humming) It’s totally optional if you want to join in, (it’s making a simple humming sound while I hum and make some noise on the piano). On the PIANOBATH Library there are some humming and toning tracks to try at home, and some very useful posts on “how to Tone” and the benefits of humming in the Blogs page. It’s about using the sound you make, to focus and go within, and to feel into your body. You’re tapping into the most powerful healing tool you have… your voice. Just being comfortable toning or humming, even if you’re on your own, is a great thing for confidence. One lady who came to a PIANOBATH and tried the 5-minute toning session at the end, told me she joined a choir shortly afterwards, having never really thought she could sing. You might be surprised what the Toning opens up for you, whether it’s something to do with singing, or speaking your truth, feeling more confident in certain situations, clearing some blocks, physical or emotional, it’s amazing stuff!