We are thrilled to welcome Shweta S. Oza, Ph.D as the newest member of our NSEV Healing clinical team!
Shweta is a certified NSEV Sound Healer, Gong Avatar, Kundalini Yoga Teacher, and Spiritual Response Therapy (SRT) Practitioner. She has been on yogic and healing path of consciousness expansion for more than 15 years.
Native of India, Shweta was born into a yogic lifestyle and at a young age developed a deep drawing to the understanding of one’s connection to the subtle realm. Upon completing her undergraduate studies in Physics & Mathematics and Graduate studies in Business, she taught Undergraduates and Executives in Business Programs and provided total business consulting to entrepreneurs. Her journey to the USA to continue further education led to an MBA from Univ. of Delaware and culminated in a Ph.D. in Business from Univ. of Maryland at College Park, finally bringing her to Univ. of Miami School of Business, where she taught, researched and served as an Asst. Professor of Marketing.
During her time in the USA, she deepened the connection to her primal roots. In the process of self-healing and self-mastery, she found SRT (Spiritual Response Therapy), Kundalini Yoga, the Art and Science of Sound - especially the Gong, and NSEV Healing. Witnessing the life-enhancing positive impact these healing techniques had on her, she embarked on a path to systematically learn each of these, progressively integrating them and embodying their wisdom. It is from this well integrated, embodied wisdom space, that she facilitates the consciousness expanding journey of self-learning, healing and empowered growth for all that she works with.
We had a few questions for Shweta and we really enjoyed her insightful answers.
What is Sound Healing?
Stated very simply, sound healing is the science of synchronizing and harmonizing our internal vibration to the vibration of the universe. It is what the ancient yogis called NAAD – the science of Sound.
My favorite quote on sound sums it up nicely:
“A person does not hear sound only through the ears; he hears sound through every pore of his body. It permeates the entire being, and according to its particular influence either slows or quickens the rhythm of the blood circulation; it either wakens or soothes the nervous system. It arouses a person to greater passions or it calms him by bringing him peace. According to the sound and its influence a certain effect is produced. Sound becomes visible in the form of radiance. This shows that the same energy which goes into the form of sound before being visible is absorbed by the physical body. In that way the physical body recuperates and becomes charged with new magnetism.” - Hazrat Inayat Khan, Mysticism of Sound
The power of sound vibration has been demonstrated in modern day revolutionary research by Alfred Tomatis, M.D., recognized by French Academics of Science and Medicine for his clinical work in hearing and sound. He surmised that chanting functions to energize monks by awakening their field of consciousness. This became evident when a group of monks became extremely ill and lethargic. After several doctors could not resolve what was the cause of their rare illness, an intensive investigation showed that days prior to becoming ill, the monks were instructed to stop their 3 hours of daily chanting to complete other task around the monastery. The moment they were instructed to resume their Gregorian chants, the monks miraculously recovered. The simple melody and harmonic vibrations served as healing instruments for the monks. (ref. The Healing Power of Sound by Dr. Mitchell Gaynor)
What has been your Sound Healing Journey so far?
We are all entrained to sounds right from conception. We think of them as words because we have associated certain meanings to certain sounds. E.g. the sound MAA is mother and DAA is father in some form or other across languages. But when we take the layer of languages away, at the root it is just a sound, a vibration. And I was entrained to the sounds of Vedic chants – which essentially are sound arrangements for creating or invoking specific vibratory frequency - from my childhood. I did not know why and yet I always gravitated to certain chants at certain times and always found a sense of belonging with them. During my Kundalini Yoga teacher training, this connection to the sound further deepened and I was introduced to the sound of the Gong. Soon after, I was divinely led to study the art and science of sound – especially the Gong at the Gong Avatar Academy, Miami. In the consciousness expanding journey of mastering the self, I further deepened my connection to the Gong and playing it along with all sound tools from tuning forks, to singing bowls and crystal bowls, to tinchas, etc. It has been a lot like homecoming – connecting to the sounds of my childhood but now with wisdom and reverence. During this time, through certain events in my life, I started coming to Daniel Atchison-Nevel for my own acupuncture treatments. Over time, I was so intrigued by the Non-Somatic Extraordinary Vessels that I decided to immerse myself in the study of these vessels and when I realized that there is a way to merge my sound training to the application of NSEV, I was on it. That path took me to my training in Acutonics – where I learnt to work with sound in an Asian Medicine overlay. And that brings me here to the NSEV Healing and Acupuncture Clinic, where I merge these lineages to facilitate vibratory healing through Sound for all that come by.
For somebody who has never had sound healing done before, what can they expect?
Most of the time, what I have encountered is people thinking sound healing equals only group Gong Baths, or Crystal and Tibetan Bowl sound events. Some people have also encountered it solely as working with tuning forks on their body. My approach to sound healing is one-on-one and as unique to each person as they are in this world. The tools may be the same, yet the healing is custom-ordered. When a person comes for a sound healing session, I will have my initial conversation with them, in which we gather the context and the purpose of their visit. Then in the sacred space of the sound current, I work to assist them on their healing journey. The sessions use a combination of tuning forks, bowls and gong. I also use crystals for their vibration enhancing and augmenting properties and certain chants as necessary. The sessions are for everybody; some folks just want to experience the power of sound and may come in occasionally, and others having experienced the transformative healing aspect of sound have incorporated the sessions as a part of their self-care, self-healing, self-advancing process.
What can you tell us about the Gong?
Gong is an instrument that dates to the Bronze Age. Yogi Bhajan, the Master of Kundalini Yoga says, "The Gong is the first and last instrument for the human mind. There is only one thing that can supersede and command the human mind, and that is the sound of the Gong. It is the first sound in the universe, the sound that created this universe. It's the basic creative sound. To the mind, the sound of the gong is like a mother and father that gave it birth. The mind has no power to resist a gong that is well played." All the sound healing sessions include Gong playing. The extended session includes a longer immersion in the sound current of the Gongs.
You are also offering Meditation sessions here. Can you speak a bit to that?
Yes, so when we meditate, we are essentially recalibrating our vibration through the power of breath and sound (if the meditation incorporates sound). I work with each client to teach them a meditation – NSEV meditations or others that are in my learnings to best support them in creating and maintaining the vibratory frequency that best serves them and facilitates their self-healing process. When somebody comes to me for Meditation session, we first assess what is the context in which they are and what is it they would like and from there find a practice that serves them and walk them through it. Anything you want to share in closing? It is well researched by mind-body scientist that what happens to us physiologically reflects that what is going on at emotional and spiritual level for us. I have resonated a lot with this ancient yogic view of dis-ease - When we are in dis-harmony within ourselves and with the cosmos/ the universe, we are in a state of disease. Utilizing Sound and Breath Techniques is a powerful way to harmonize ourselves with the cosmos, thus integrating ourselves into a state of EASE. Also, my understanding of Dan’s NSEV approach is that by dissolving old calcified non serving patterns, we create a space to birth self serving patterns. Both sound healing and meditation support this dissolving at all levels of our being.
