Singing bowl massage helps New Yorkers relax

By Katharina Sonnichsen Feb 2, 2012, 3:06 GMT

New York - New York has a deserved reputation as the city that never sleeps. The metropolis is one of the most hectic places on the planet where pedestrians jaywalk constantly, subways travel around the clock and taxis blow their horns at every opportunity.

However, one person has declared war on stress in the city thanks to a sound massage therapy involving planetary Himalayan singing bowls combined with Reiki treatments. Anja Martin moved to New York from Germany five years ago and set up her unique business under the name 'Ein-Klang.'

Each session lasts approximately 90 minutes and consists of Martin placing seven different-sized vibrating bowls on the bodies of her clients. According to Martin, the sound emanating from the bowls, combined with effects of the vibrations, helps the body of even the most tense New Yorker to relax.

Martin learnt about the benefits of sound massage therapy from German masseuse Frank Plate but wanted to use her skills on more people than just her friends and acquaintances. The 30-year-old asked herself whether there is anywhere other than New York that needs this service more? 'Although this city produces so much energy, it also saps a lot of energy from you,' she explained.

The therapy is called singing bowl massage because the vibrating bowls are supposed to massage the body's cells, while their sound is meant to induce a trance-like state in the patient. Although there is no scientific evidence to back her up, Martin argues that the combination of the two effects causes the body to relax and reduces stress.

On Martin's homepage www.einklang-nyc.com, numerous happy clients swear by the unusual treatment. 'The unique vibrations caused by the bowls took me to another world. I have never felt so relaxed and refreshed at the same time. It's like flying above the clouds - simply fantastic,' wrote Kuei Chen Fang.

Although each session lasts around 90 minutes, most patients only notice the effects of the treatment days later. 'It's not about short-term relaxation so that a person can proceed to race through life like before,' explained Martin. 'Anyone who agrees to a singing bowl massage slowly begins to find their inner peace again.'

According to Martin, the objective of the treatment is to heal the body both physically and mentally.

Although New Yorkers were initially sceptical about the treatment, Martin now boasts a full diary of appointments, although she is careful to ensure she doesn't end up working so hard that she requires a stress-battling treatment herself.