Today we’d like to introduce you to Lila Bassior.
Lila, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Thank you so much for allowing me to share my story, I am so appreciative of the opportunity to do so.
My exploration into alternative healing modalities and music truly began in my childhood home, having been born and raised in Northern CA and influenced by my “hippie” parents. My mom and my dad had both done much exploration into alternative forms of medicine and modalities, and passed on what they had learned to my sister and I. Additionally, my dad was a beautiful singer, guitarist, pianist and voiceover actor, so naturally we grew up with music in our home 24/7. My parents were always incredibly supportive of my love and interest in performing, music and spirituality. Sound Healing is the intersection of those passions, so in my mind, it’s no surprise to me that I landed exactly where I am now.
That all said, my Sound Healing journey officially began back in 2013, in the midst of doing my 200 Hr. Yoga Teacher Training with YogaWorks. I walked into what I thought was a Restorative Yoga class to find a room full of instruments- gongs, singing bowls, drums, chimes and many others. All the students were sitting/lying on the ground covered in blankets and pillows – it looked like a slumber party! I entered, confused, and asked a fellow student “…is this a restorative class?” to which they responded “No, today we are having a soundbath! Just lie down and get comfy, you’ll see.” As an insatiably curious person, I did as I was told and settled in. What happened next changed my life – I was completely swept away by the symphony of sounds created by these ancient instruments. The next thing I knew, I was being softly stirred awake – the soundbath was over. I walked out in a daze, feeling like I had just experienced the deepest relaxation of my life- I was so calm, serene, soft and open. I knew this practice was meant to be one of the tools in my “self-healing toolbox,” along with my then already established tools of yoga, acupuncture and chiropractic care.
After completing my 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training, I began teaching public yoga classes, and at the end of class I would ring a little metal singing bowl I had bought for myself as a graduation present. Something about the sound of the bowl made the ending of class feel beautifully ceremonial, like the ending of a ritual. I liked it. I continued collecting metal singing bowls tuned to the frequency of the energy centers in the body (the Chakras) and integrated the sounds into the final resting pose in my classes.
In 2014 I moved from Orange County to Glendale, and I realized I needed to find my spiritual community in LA. I was lucky enough to be led to Ana Netanel, the brilliant light of a woman who would later become my Sound Healing teacher and mentor. I started attending her public soundbaths on a regular basis and after a year or so, I expressed interest in a Sound Healer training- it would take me a couple of years, but I knew I would end up learning from her.
Between 2014 and 2018, I continued my spiritual studies; I began studying Ayurveda (a healing modality focused in the study of energetics in our systems) in 2017 and completed my 300hr Yoga Teacher Training in 2018. By 2020 I was ready for a new expansion of my consciousness, and finally found my way to Ana’s Sound Healer training in January.
In the training I learned about the way sound effects our physical bodies, minds and energetics, which became absolutely fascinating to me. How the vibrations of the healing instruments can be used to regulate blood pressure and sleep rhythms, to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest system, opposite of our fight or flight response), and additionally, our more subtle energetic systems, like treating depression and anxiety. It all blew my mind, and at the same time, made complete sense to me. As I learned this information and began interacting with the instruments, it was as if I was remembering something I already knew rather than learning it for the first time. Something in me already knew how to use sound to heal.
After the training ended, I bought a beautiful set of seven crystal quartz singing bowls and began performing with Ana in her public soundbaths, getting incredible, real-life performance experience with her.
Then March of 2020 hit, and we all know how that played out. For a couple of months, everything was on hold, but as soon as it felt safe, I started back up with Ana’s soundbaths. I also started experimenting with Sound Healing on my own, beginning with small Full Moon Soundbath Ceremonies of about 5 or so people, outdoors in my sister’s beautiful front yard. Shortly after I began these mini Full Moon Soundbath Ceremonies, I bought my first gong – a thirty-four inch, Brilliant Symphonic gong, one that helps to clear and release maladies in the physical and energetic bodies. It was a bit of leap of faith, as gongs are a bit of a financial investment and things were not opening up and running like they had been pre-pandemic, but I knew it was the right thing to do, so I leapt, and quickly added ocean drums and koshi chimes to my collection of instruments as well.
In December 2020, my boyfriend and I moved to Sun Valley (just above Burbank) to an old farmhouse on a beautiful horse ranch. Our new landlord was incredibly excited and supportive about the idea of doing soundbaths outdoors on the property, which was such a blessing. In March of 2021 I performed my first public Full Moon Soundbath outdoors at the ranch and over the next couple of months the number of folks who attended the soundbaths kept growing- friends would tell friends and bring new people to join in! We realized that people were strongly craving the feeling of connection and community after the events of 2020, so in addition to the soundbath, we started having a bonfire next door in our backyard immediately following the soundbaths. It was so nice to give people (and ourselves) the opportunity to sit, chat and connect after the sound healing experience we had just had together.
The Full Moon Soundbaths out at the ranch have continued to grow over the past nine months, and I feel so blessed to have the space and the interest from my friends and community to continue offering these gatherings, all a part of the growing momentum I have had in my Sound Healing journey.
In August 2021 Center for Yoga in Larchmont Village re-opened after the studio had closed due to the Pandemic. The re-opening was a dream come true for all of the teachers and students who had been practicing at this studio since the beginning (Center for Yoga was one of the first yoga studios in Los Angeles, established in 1967), and an amazing triumph for the community who willed it into it’s re-opening. I began teaching there and immediately started bringing my crystal singing bowls to class to play during savasana. Shortly after opening, the amazing management team at CFY asked me to perform a Full Moon Soundbath in the studio. This Full Moon soundbath would be the first soundbath in the studio since it had reopened, and it was a huge honor to be the one performing it. I feel so blessed to be a part of the Center for Yoga family, so supported by the management, fellow teachers, and students. I will be performing soundbaths regularly at CFY and feel very fortunate to add these events to my offerings.
In October of 2021, I performed five soundbaths total— two were larger public soundbaths, two were private, small group sound baths and the last one was a one-on-one sound healing session. Each soundbath was incredible in its own way, and to say that I’m grateful for these opportunities is an incredible understatement. The idea that I can help people heal with music is a dream come true and a path that I am so grateful to be walking.
I am thankful to be where I am in my Sound Healing and yoga teaching journeys and am eager to keep expanding my offerings to reach more people. The thing that excites me the most is that with all of the modalities I practice, there is a central theme– our healing comes from within. Our bodies were designed to heal, all we have to do is get out of our own way. This is not an easy task, but if a person uses the tools that come out of yoga, meditation, Sound Healing, Ayurveda, acupuncture, astrology, etc., one can tap into the natural healing processes our bodies and minds already have in place. I love the idea that through Sound Healing I am providing people a way to navigate the ebb and flow of life, empowering them to take wellbeing into their own hands.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I feel fortunate in that my Sound Healing and yoga teaching paths have had very few obstacles. It seems like every time I’ve knocked on a door, it has swung open and opportunities have appeared. This to me, shows how little resistance I have built up around these areas of life, since they are easy and flowing, as opposed to other areas of my life, where I have some resistance to let go of in order to let the abundance flow through. It also leads me to believe that I have likely been a healer in a past life and that I am picking up where I left off in my studies and practices. This theory is supported by my astrological birth chart, which has lots of planets in the 9th house, the house of the Seeker, spirituality, higher learning and travel.
The only thing I would characterize as a challenge is that I am interested in *everything* regarding health/wellness/spirituality, so at times it feels difficult to stay focused in my offerings and in which direction I am turning my attention. That said, I believe all my interests are all a part of the same Truth, so as I learn more, I believe I will become a better teacher, healer and human.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In addition to being a Sound Healer, I am also a yoga teacher and Ayurvedic practitioner, as I mentioned before. I specialize in alignment-based vinyasa flow yoga, as well as Gentle/Restorative yoga, and I love to integrate all of the healing modalities that I practice into each other. I am focused on all of it, because as I said before, I believe it is all the same Truth, just examined from slightly different perspectives. I absolutely love teaching and doing my best to practice the lifestyle I preach-not from a place of already having figured it all out, but from a place of trial and error, learning from mistakes, observing contrast and making different choices as a result of it. I, like everyone else, am attempting to navigate life, as messy as it can be at times and continuing to show up for the work- that’s what I believe it’s all about. I do my best to make my classes and offerings a place where people can show up for themselves, no matter what state they are in physically, mentally or emotionally. I like to believe I am a soft landing place for people and a person who can relate to students and clients from a place of caring, passion and authenticity.
What does success mean to you?
To me, success is living an intentional life, one that is filled with ease and flow, with cool, calm, collected energy and most of all, a life that feels juicy! One where there is an abundance of energy, fun, laughter and spunk, with tons to explore and plenty of time to do it. A life where one can appreciate the victories and the contrast equally, as it all brings clarity, which is the greatest gift. A life of balance.Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.lilabassiorwellness.com
- Instagram: @lilabassior
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilaBassior
Image Credits
Some photos were taken by by Alana Marie Cheuvront
