Rising Stars: Meet Christopher Parnell of Thousand Oaks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Parnell.

Hi Christopher, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Deep, primal tones echoed through the corridors of a venue—like ancient whispers calling us home. My partner at the time and I followed the sound, drawn down the hallway by what felt like an invisible thread. We entered a room where meditation was being led not by words, but by vibration. Eyes closed, we surrendered to the experience. When silence came, she turned to me and said, “You’re going to be doing this for the rest of your life.”

In that moment, something shifted. A door opened. That’s when my journey with the Didgeridoo began.

Previously, at 21, I hit rock bottom. Through that darkness, I found sobriety, meditation, and a second chance at life—a kind of rebirth. I immersed myself in healing and studied with various teachers. As I deepened in meditation and transformational work, I began offering energy and bodywork full-time. That path laid the foundation for the day I felt the potency of the Didgeridoo and fully dove into learning how to play proficiently—alongside learning the art of leading Sound Journeys. Allowing me to serve a wider audience and share the depth of where I went within that day.

Shortly after, I felt a deep pull to begin crafting my own Didgeridoos—and eventually, crafting them for others. There’s something deeply sacred about creating your own instrument: harvesting trees like Alder, Olive, Oak, Sycamore, and Yucca—mostly from Mount Shasta and Ojai, CA—forming a relationship with the land they come from and then literally resonating with the instrument you’ve shaped by hand.

Today, one of the most fulfilling aspects of my work is being a bridge—aligning others with the right Didgeridoo and guiding them in learning to play and weave it into their own musical and healing practices.

Over the last decade, I’ve felt blessed to share the Didgeridoo professionally—publicly and privately—at retreats and within addiction recovery centers. It’s been a journey of healing, devotion, and a continual returning home to my Self.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve traversed many types of terrain on this journey, and each texture has strengthened and softened this heart. By grace, this heart keeps beating, and the breath keeps on keepin’ on.

My work has been both my greatest teacher and a mirror—reflecting where I’m at in any given moment. Sometimes it offers gentle insight, other times painful truth. Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be without music and working with these hands. These art forms have been my therapy—anchoring me in the present, helping me release old stories, and continually offering deep moments of peace, inspiration, and a renewed sense of purpose to take the next step on the path.

I remain a devoted student of life.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For over a decade, I’ve been devoted to the fine art of Sound Healing—offering group journeys, one-on-one sessions, crafting custom Didgeridoos, and creating music rooted in presence and intention. My work weaves the primal resonance of the Didgeridoo, the melodic tones of the handpan, rhythmic percussion, and guided breathwork to support others in reconnecting with their Self.

Each offering is a living ceremony—an invitation to drop into the body, release old stories, and remember the medicine that’s always been within, where true healing begins.

This past year, I formed a band called Starwater & Sol with my dear friend and mentor, Bodhi Starwater. Together, we released our debut album Sonic Travelers, now available on Spotify, iTunes, and most streaming platforms: www.StarwaterandSol.com 💫🌊☀️

We’re both sound facilitators and devoted teachers of this healing art. Our sessions are not performances—they’re invocations, blending ancient instruments and intuitive guidance to lead people into states of deep restoration, remembrance, and inner stillness.

This September, we’ll be offering Sound Healing Workshops at Harbin Hot Springs and in Mount Shasta, CA—two sacred landscapes that have deeply shaped our lives and musical paths.

To learn more about these retreats and my work, please visit: www.ThriveInspirit.com

What’s next?
I’m currently in Mt. Shasta producing a comprehensive online Sound Healing course and community, launching this October. Rooted in well over 20 years of combined experience and based on my business partner Bodhi Starwater’s book The 5 Elements of Sound Healing, this course is designed to empower others to lead transformational Sound Healing Journeys—guided by both intuition and embodied wisdom. I’m deeply looking forward to sharing it with the world.

I remain devoted to living and growing on this path—through Sound Healing, music, crafting Didgeridoos, and touring the West Coast with Starwater & Sol, offering immersive workshops and live experiences.

Thank you for taking the time to steep in my story—and thank you, VoyageLA, for the opportunity to share my heart’s work with your community.

With folded hands,

Christopher ‘Sol’ Parnell

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ThriveInspirit.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveinspirit
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alternatestream
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@StarwaterandSol
• Other: https://www.StarwaterandSol.com