04 Jun Exploring the Healing Power of Sound, Silence, and Stillness with Sara Auster
LEVITATING MONKEY: You’ve been a pioneer in making sound therapy more accessible. What first drew you to the healing power of sound, and how did that evolve into your life’s work?
Sara Auster: My journey with sound began during a period of deep personal healing. I experienced a traumatic injury that required me to pause everything and look inward. During that time, I was introduced to sound as a form of meditation and therapy—and I felt something shift. Not just emotionally, but physically. I realized that sound could be a bridge: between the body and mind, between the past and present. Over time, this exploration became a daily practice, and eventually a calling. Making sound therapy more accessible is about offering people the tools to slow down, to listen, and to feel—deeply and honestly.
LEVITATING MONKEY: Can you describe the role of intentional listening in your practice, and why it’s such a crucial part of transformation and healing?
Sara Auster: Intentional listening or as I call it, “full-body listening” is the foundation of my work. It’s about being fully present—not just hearing, but sensing. Listening with the whole body. In a culture that prioritizes output and noise, deep listening becomes a radical act of awareness. It creates space for truth to emerge.
Healing begins when we stop trying to fix or change and instead allow ourselves to witness what is.
LEVITATING MONKEY: Many people are familiar with meditation or breathwork, but sound therapy is still new to some. How would you explain its benefits to someone just beginning their wellness journey?
Sara Auster: Sound therapy offers an accessible entry point into meditation and self-awareness. You don’t need any experience—just a willingness to receive. The vibrations and tones gently guide the nervous system into a relaxed state. It’s a gentle yet powerful experience. For many, sound opens the door to stillness in a way that feels intuitive and natural.
LEVITATING MONKEY: Your app PAUSE offers guided sound and meditation experiences. What inspired its creation, and how do you hope it impacts people’s daily lives?
Sara Auster: PAUSE was born from a desire to offer a digital sanctuary. I wanted to create something that could meet people where they are—on the subway, in their home, between meetings. A way to bring intentional sound and silence into the folds of everyday life. The hope is that PAUSE becomes not just an app, but a ritual—a reminder to slow down, to soften, and to return to yourself.
LEVITATING MONKEY: How do you approach designing a sound experience—from selecting instruments to tuning into the energy of a space or group?
Sara Auster: Every experience begins with listening. I attune to the space—the acoustics, the energy, the people. The instruments I use—singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks—each have their own voice. I don’t approach it as a performance but as a dialogue. The session unfolds in response to the environment. There’s a co-creative element between myself, the space, and the participants.
Photo Credit: Sara Auster
Photo Credit: John David Becker
LEVITATING MONKEY: You’ve shared sound in diverse settings, from yoga studios to the Museum of Modern Art. How does the environment shape the experience for both you and the listener?
Sara Auster: Space holds memory and resonance. A museum offers a different quality of attention than a wellness studio. Each setting invites a different type of listening. What I’ve learned is that sound adapts—it meets people where they are. Whether in a sacred space or a secular one, the invitation is the same: to pause, to listen, to feel.
LEVITATING MONKEY: As a meditation teacher, what practices do you return to personally when you need grounding or clarity?
Sara Auster: For me, it always comes back to simplicity. Sitting in silence. Listening to one note sustained on a bowl. Walking in nature without headphones. Drinking tea slowly. These moments become anchors.
They remind me that clarity doesn’t come from doing more—but from being more present.
LEVITATING MONKEY: In a world so saturated with noise and distraction, how do you cultivate silence as a sacred and healing element?
Sara Auster: Silence is not the absence of sound—it’s the presence of stillness. In my work and life, I create moments of silence as a form of reverence.
It’s in the space between sounds that integration happens. We need silence to hear ourselves. To remember ourselves.
LEVITATING MONKEY: Can you speak to the connection between sound, emotion, and the body? How do your sessions help release emotional tension or trauma?
Sara Auster: Sound bypasses the intellect and speaks directly to the nervous system. It helps regulate breath, heart rate, and emotional states. Many people report emotional releases—tears, laughter, a sense of spaciousness.
The body holds stories that words can’t always reach. Sound gives the body a language to express and let go.
LEVITATING MONKEY: What’s your perspective on the intersection of ancient sound traditions and modern technology like apps or recordings?
Sara Auster: I see it as a continuation rather than a contradiction. Ancient traditions were rooted in presence, intention, and community. Technology, when used consciously, can carry those same values forward. The key is to maintain the integrity of the practice—not to digitize for convenience, but to expand access while staying grounded in tradition.
LEVITATING MONKEY: Who or what inspires you creatively and spiritually right now? Are there particular teachers, traditions, or experiences that continue to shape your work?
Sara Auster: I’m inspired by those who live in alignment with their values. The teachings of Sadhguru and Thich Nhat Hanh continue to guide me in both my inner and outer life. I’m deeply influenced by the work of John Beaulieu and Silvia Nakkach, whose approaches to sound healing weave science and spirit in powerful ways. And the sonic explorations of Pauline Oliveros remind me to listen deeply. Music and art across all forms constantly reawaken my curiosity. Nature, too, remains my most consistent and humbling teacher.
Silence and stillness are constant sources of wisdom.
LEVITATING MONKEY: What are some of the most profound or surprising transformations you’ve witnessed in others through sound therapy?
Sara Auster: I’ve seen people reconnect with emotions they didn’t know they were holding. I’ve witnessed anxiety soften, grief move, and clarity emerge after a single session. One of the most beautiful transformations is when someone comes in skeptical and leaves speechless—not because they don’t have something to say, but because they’ve touched something beyond words.
LEVITATING MONKEY: What daily rituals or mindful practices do you recommend for those wanting to deepen their connection to themselves through sound or stillness?
Sara Auster: Start small. One minute of silence in the morning. A few deep breaths before responding to a message. Listen to a single note and let it vibrate through your body. Light a candle and sit with it. These simple rituals, done consistently, create deep shifts over time. The PAUSE app is a great companion for these practices—it offers curated sound and meditation experiences designed to support moments of presence throughout your day. Whether you have five minutes or fifty, there’s always an opportunity to return to yourself.
LEVITATING MONKEY: As we navigate a world filled with so much unrest and overstimulation, what message or offering would you most like to share with our readers at Levitating Monkey?
Sara Auster: You don’t have to escape your life to find peace. Begin exactly where you are. Create small moments of stillness. Listen deeply. Be gentle with yourself.
Healing isn’t always loud or dramatic—it’s often quiet and subtle. But it’s always available.
LEVITATING MONKEY: This last question is one we ask all of our esteemed guests on Levitating Monkey…If you could impart three key life lessons to others on their (spiritual) path, what would they be and why?
Sara Auster: Listen before you speak—to others, to yourself, to the world. There is wisdom in the pause.
Trust your inner experience—you are your own best guide. No sound, no teacher, no app can replace that.
Practice presence over perfection—healing isn’t about getting it right; it’s about showing up fully, again and again.
About Sara Auster: Sara Auster is a world-renowned sound therapist, meditation teacher, author and creator of the PAUSE app. Her thoughtfully-crafted experiences harness sound as a tool to support self-inquiry, cultivate deep relaxation, and inspire meaningful transformation.
As a leading voice in her field, Sara creates welcoming spaces that expand the reach of meditation and sound baths — keeping accessibility and purpose at the forefront. From developing a mindfulness curriculum for the World Health Organization and creating FDA-approved sound baths as a complementary treatment option for people living with migraine, to partnering with organizations such as Apple, Spotify, Google, and MoMA to create inclusive sound bath experiences, she continues to be a pioneer in this space.
Through her original methodology, the Auster Sound Method, Sara explores how listening transforms space (both physically and psychologically) and invites new audiences into deeper ways of being, shaping the future of healing for all. Be sure to check out Sara’s book, Sound Bath – How to Meditate, Heal, and Connect through Listening
Learn more about Sara at https://saraauster.com/
