Sound Healing & Music for Yoga
"Music"
A dance with the divine
Beyond the body
Into the infinite realms
Of formless freedom
A dance
A delicate balance
Of invisible shapes
Spirals
Rising and falling
Bouncing
Leaping, flying
Standing still
We know this feeling
The freedom under a bird’s wings
The ocean waving as a fish breathes
We have always been singing
Even when we forget to listen
(Poem By Isabel Castellvi)
The work I do is inspired by nada yoga, the Sufi mystic connection to sound, yoga, qi gong, somatic body work, my studies with classical indian music and years of musical practice and meditations with sound. I have led sound healing workshops ranging from mantra practice, chanting, toning and vocalizations, breathwork, meditation, chakra visualizations, and movement that focuses on the somatic experience of vibration as medicine and a tool for connecting mind, body, spirit and heart.
"Isabel is a gifted teacher, and incredible musician. Her music is the sonic expression of yoga-- connected, present, and flowing. She is able to create and maintain a sacred space in a way that is subtle and powerful, and I am always honored to work, play, and teach beside her."
~ Dana Rizer, Yoga Teacher, Nicaragua Retreat
Music for Yoga :
Isabel creates a live, improvised soundscape to flow with and complement the energy of the class. Music is created often by looping the cello and sometimes with various instruments such as classical guitar, rabab, sansula and vocals. Isabel weaves together music that draws intuitively on influences from Western classical, Classical Indian, traditional Korean music, American Folk, Middle Eastern and African music. By creating a live soundtrack the vibrations can aid in opening and deepening one’s yoga practice.
Sound Healing Workshops
Tuning the body:
This workshop draws upon the wisdom of Nada Yoga, Sufi Mysticism-particularly the teachings of Hafiz Inayat Khan, classical Indian music, principles and physics of sound and harmonics, the art of listening, and years of experience from my own practice and teachers. We will explore the use of the body and voice as a vibrating resonant instrument. As well as the connection of breath and movement to sound and rhythmic entrainment, aligning cycles in the body with nature. This workshop aims to give participants deeper insight into listening and tools to for finding harmony and balance in our lives and environments.
Creative Improvisation:
This workshop explores the vast array of possibilities to express and connect to one's self and others through the medium of music and sound. By generating and developing musical ideas we will expand access to our innate creativity, examine aspects of deep listening and it’s potential to connect us to a deeper sense of self, others and the world around us. Guided and free improvisations will draw influences from the improvisation practices in contemporary pop music, jazz, free-improvisation, classical Indian music, African music and more. This workshop is open to instrumentalists and vocalists of all levels, and anyone curious and willing to explore sound as a musical language.
*All workshops can be led as a singular class or as a series to expand on these topics in a group or private lesson setting.