Sound Therapy Practitioner May Globus On The Benefits Of A Sound Bath, Healing Frequencies, and Arugula Salads
Earlier this year, May Globus drove out to the California desert and I sat shotgun singing along to Beyonce’s latest album. We were on a quest to experience our first concert at Pappy and Harriet’s and embrace all the vortex energy Joshua Tree had to offer.
This wasn’t our first adventure together. I’ve known May since we were both reporting on fashion years ago and she’s one of those humans that if you’re lucky enough to have in your life—you never let go. Her presence has always been one of a calming joyfulness for life—so it was really no surprise to me when she embarked on a new path to learn a healing modality. And from our shared love for concerts, of course it would be in the realm of sound.
May Globus is a certified & intuitive sound therapy practitioner and founder of otō healing, educated at the Institute of Traditional Medicine in the areas of sound, cymatics, Traditional Chinese Medicine, trauma-informed practice, and more. Her art & science approach to this modality integrates centuries of sound and vibration as a form of healing—throughout many cultures—with quantum physics, brainwave states, and biology. She holds her vision of sound, voice, and deep connection as vessels for bringing people home to themselves and in harmony with humanity.
Her clients have included corporate teams (lululemon, Herschel Supply & more), expectant mothers, cancer patients, and more. I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing her sound baths and friendship, so I’m thrilled to share her story and how sound can be an energetic force for anyone.
Can you share a little about what led you to become a sound practitioner?
In late 2018, I developed a mysterious illness that couldn’t truly be explained by Western medicine. An incredible Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor was able to diagnose me from an Eastern medicine perspective and put me on a dedicated, weekly herbal tea regimen. But my anxiety was sky-high because I didn’t know where this illness came from and began to Google alternative modalities that could help me with that—and I found sound baths. Feeling the positive effects physically and emotionally after my first sound bath, I dedicated myself to a year of weekly group sessions. After a number of months, I knew I wanted to be able to share sound as deep healing for the mind, body and spirit. Because I wanted to respect the cultural history and science of sound and vibration as healing, I took a comprehensive certification at The Institute of Traditional Medicine in early 2020, quit my corporate job in August 2020, and launched my private practice otō healing in January 2021.
Also, music and sound was in my bones from a young age: I grew up playing the piano at Royal Conservatory levels, played the alto saxophone in concert & jazz band during high school, and all my life have felt very connected to music, recorded or live.
Can you explain the idea of healing frequencies? What's actually happening in the body?
Our bodies naturally operate at a frequency of around 7 - 7.5 Hz. Even our organs operate at their own frequency. When we’re out of balance or stressed and our nervous system is off, our frequency is off and can lead to a host of ailments physically, emotionally, and mentally. An orchestra of sound and vibrations can help bring our bodies back to homeostasis.
Something interesting is that our natural frequency of 7 - 7.5 Hz is close to the frequency of the earth, called the Schumann Resonance, which is around 7.83 Hz. That’s why it feels amazing for us to connect with the earth, to get out into nature. When we do that, our bodily vibrations are synchronizing with the earth’s vibration—and that’s why we end up feeling good and balanced. Us humans are beautifully connected with Mother Nature, right down to energetics.
Who would benefit most from sound baths?
Truthfully, everyone! I’ve worked with diverse clientele: corporations/institutions (the official TED Talks conference, lululemon, UBC, Herschel Supply Co., CIBC, etc.), private 1:1 clients, professional athletes, architects, creatives, LGBTQIA2+ communities, cancer patients, musicians, high-functioning entrepreneurs. Anyone who is looking for physical relief, those who are digging deep into their emotional journey, people who want to let go of something, those who want to open up to creativity, even those just need a rest from the day-to-day and take a nap bathed in sound.
We are wired for sound. It’s our first sense to develop (think about a fetus hearing their mother’s heartbeat or feeling their mother’s stress frequencies in the womb), and it’s the last sense to go. My mother is a nurse, and she says that’s why healthcare practitioners tell families to continue talking to their loved ones who are dying or are unconscious—though it may not seem like it, but they can still hear you.
What are the benefits someone can expect from a sound bath experience?
The list of benefits is long. For private and corporate clients who ask this, I divide benefits into physical, emotional, and mental. This includes stress reduction, pain management, improves sleep, detoxes negative emotions, connects one to their heart’s truth and inner wisdom, improves clarity/concentration, synchronizes left and right brain hemispheres, and much more.
We recently had completely different experiences during the same sound bath at The Integraton near Joshua Tree. Can you share a bit about why that happens?
We did! People will experience a sound session in different ways, depending on where they’re at in their lives. Again—going back to body frequencies—everyone is operating at unique ones, with health, emotions, and life in general playing factors. Based on that, some people will need to release physical tension or have an emotional release. Some will see colours, and those colours have specific meanings. Others revisit childhood memories. And some will have incredible spiritual experiences.
You've also been collaborating with musicians on sound experiences. How is that different than a traditional sound bath experience?
In a traditional sound bath experience, a practitioner is creating a symphony from acoustic instruments: any combination of Tibetan/brass bowls, crystal bowls and triangles, gongs, rattles, chimes, wave drums. With the musicians I’ve been collaborating with, there’s now the addition of electric guitars, keyboards, and synth. So, the sound you hear differs. But the vibrations you feel could be the same, depending on how those sounds and vibrations are affecting your brain wave states during the experience.
Typically, people are either in Delta brain waves states (napping/sleeping) or Theta (in between awake and sleep; a deeply intuitive and meditative state).
Can someone benefit from sound therapy online?
Yes! I’ve tuned into sound on YouTube or on Insight Timer—it’s easy and accessible. The difference, I would say, is that with an in-person experience, you truly feel the frequency and vibrations from the instruments. As we know, our skin is our largest organ so we absorb those frequencies much more fully in-person. Humans are made of mostly water, and water is a wonderful conductor of sound.
What gives you energy?
Love this question. Years ago, I have started a Magnetism List, which is a rolling list of things that give me life. And many things do! These can be anything, even something like seeing an elderly couple still in love and holding hands. Think I got this list idea from To Be Magnetic. At this moment, here’s what’s giving me energy right now: my German Shepherd puppy Reina (rescued her a four months ago); the consistent California sunshine & vitamin D; discovering gems in my new(ish) home of Los Angeles and feeling the soul expansion that comes from it; launching season four of my podcast The Craft with May Globus; my friends and community, old and new.
And seeing the amazing band Khruangbin live for the second time, at the Hollywood Bowl in a week. An incredible live show/concert always gives me life and gets me into a creative flow!
What is a go-to recipe for you, one that always makes you feel wonderful after eating it?
Whenever my body is craving greens, a simple arugula salad is my go-to. All you need is arugula, a squeeze of lemon (to your taste), salt and pepper, shave a little Parmigiano Reggiano on top. And if you want to make it a meal, bake your favorite fish, lay it on top, and voilà! Lunch or dinner is served.
Visit otohealing.com to learn more about May’s sound therapy offerings.