Two hours to put
the day down
Each evening is carefully curated to invite deep ease and relaxation in body and mind — a space to set down some of the weight, pressure and stress you may be carrying. A gentle opening practice helps you settle; then you lie down under a blanket while Annalika plays her Alchemy crystal bowls. Participants have described the effect of this process as profound, supporting a deep sense of rest, release and reconnection.
Upcoming evenings
Evenings run roughly every fortnight on a Wednesday, though the rhythm follows who's teaching rather than the calendar. Each one pairs a different opening practice with the same sound healing.
Not ordinary singing bowls
Annalika plays Alchemy bowls made by Crystal Tones — and as far as we know, hers are the only ones being played in Colchester.
Most sound baths use metal bowls, or plain frosted quartz. Alchemy bowls are different: pure quartz fused at high temperature with precious metals and gemstones — gold, platinum, rose quartz, amethyst and others. Each bowl comes out with a voice of its own, and a sustain long enough that the notes are still hanging in the air when the next one is struck.
Practitioners who own metal bowls tend to notice the difference immediately. One of them, a sound practitioner herself, described the tone as having a true sonic purity compared with the metal bowls she was used to. That is the thing that's hard to convey in writing and obvious within about ninety seconds of lying down.
This is the part of the evening people come back for. Not because we've told them it works — because of what the hour was actually like.
The bowls and the chakras
Annalika's set is tuned across the seven chakras of the yogic tradition — the body's energy centres as that tradition maps them. Each bowl carries a note associated with one centre, and a full journey moves through them from the base upwards. Here's the map she's working from:
The chakra system is a contemplative framework, not a medical one. Whether you hold it literally or simply enjoy the way the sound moves through the room, the hour works the same.
The things people ask at the door
- “What if I fall asleep?”
- Then you needed the sleep. It happens most evenings. Nobody will wake you until the end, and if you snore you'll be in company — it's a room full of tired people.
- “What if I cry in front of strangers?”
- The lights are low and everyone's eyes are shut. Tears turn up sometimes, often with no particular thought attached, and no one comments. The door is at the back if you'd rather step out.
- “I can't lie still for an hour.”
- Shift, roll over, bend your knees, sit up against the wall — whenever you want. There's no held posture. If lying flat doesn't suit your back, bring cushions or ask and we'll help you prop up.
What people say
Annalika’s Crystal Bowls take me to a place of deep relaxation and absolute bliss. As a sound practitioner myself I hugely value and appreciate the quality and positive effects of Annalika’s sessions. Highly recommended.
Annalika has some of the most beautiful combined Alchemy crystal bowls I have ever experienced, which, differently to the metal singing bowls, resonate with a true sonic purity. Played with sensitivity to the sound of tension and release, their individual sound vibrations resonated within my body in a most deeply healing way.
I was so warm and comfy which allowed me to flow with the sounds that Annalika produced from her bowls, I was comfortably numb for the whole hour, having lots of beautiful colours and shapes, I really didn’t want it to end! I loved the essential oils that she used at then end on my crown chakra.
The alchemy crystal bowl sessions are the highlight of my week — some me time completely submerged in the sound waves from the bowls are so relaxing they make your feet tingle with happiness and your body and mind feel completely healed and calm afterwards.
She has such a calming presence and warmth. The session starts with a meditation to calm the mind followed by a lie down smuggled under a blanket to receive the magic of the bowls so beautifully struck by Annalika. Within a short while the sound vibrations resonate through your body bringing a sense of calm and relaxation.
I cannot recommend the Alchemy Crystal Bowl sessions enough, they provide the level of self care we should all prioritise to ensure we are as healthy and mentally well as possible.
A warm bowl before you head home
There is no need to step straight from a deep sound journey back into the rush of the evening. We offer a warm bowl of soup at the end, giving your body and mind a little time to acclimatise before you leave.
You are welcome to connect quietly with others in the room, or simply sit in silence with your soup for a while. There is no pressure to talk. When you do head home, we encourage you to keep the rest of the evening gentle and, if you can, have an early night — allowing the journey to continue into sleep.
Before you come
What we provide, and what to bring
We provide the yoga mats and any props the practice needs. There's nothing you have to buy and nothing to carry in for the first half.
A yoga mat is thin, though, and you'll be lying on it for the best part of an hour. If you'd like to be properly comfortable rather than just adequately comfortable, bring something to pad it out — a folded duvet, a couple of thick blankets, a camping roll mat, whatever you have. It goes on top of the mat we give you.
Otherwise:
- Loose, warm clothing you can lie down in. Body temperature drops when you're still for an hour — bring a layer more than you think
- A blanket to go over you, and a cushion for your head
- Socks — shoes come off at the side of the hall
- A water bottle. An eye mask if you like full dark, though the lights are low anyway
Arriving, parking and access
175–181 Maldon Road, Colchester, CO3 3BL — the former church building. Free on-site parking for up to 15 cars. Doors from 6.45pm; please come in good time, as walking in partway through the opening practice is disruptive for everyone lying nearby.
The building is over a hundred years old and we do not have an accessible toilet. [FILL: step-free entry? level access into the hall?] If access is a concern, email before booking and we'll tell you honestly what the building can and can't do.
Capacity and booking
Each evening takes [FILL: capacity] people — floor space is the limit. Booking is online and in advance; we can't take walk-ins. [FILL: waiting list?]
Health, pregnancy and when to check with us first
Sound suits most people, but there are situations where we'd like you to talk to us — and to your doctor — before booking. Please email admin@dhammacentre.com if any of these apply.
- Pregnancy. As a precaution we ask that you don't attend during the first trimester, and that you speak to your midwife or doctor before booking in the third. The evidence here is limited, so we take the cautious route rather than the confident one.
- Heart conditions, pacemakers or other implanted devices. Please check with your cardiologist or GP first.
- Metal implants — plates, pins, joint replacements. Some people find sustained vibration uncomfortable near an implant site; tell us and you can be positioned further from the bowls.
- Mental health conditions, particularly where dissociation, psychosis or severe anxiety are part of the picture. Long stillness and altered perception don't suit everyone. Please discuss it with whoever supports your care.
- Sound sensitivity — hyperacusis, misophonia, tinnitus, sensory processing differences. The bowls are loud at close range and the sound is sustained.
- Hearing impairment, particularly hearing aids or cochlear implants. Positioning and volume make a real difference, so do talk to us.
- Epilepsy. Please check with your GP before booking.
None of this is meant to put you off. Most conversations end with us finding you a spot further from the bowls, or a position that works better for your body.
Sound healing supports relaxation and general wellbeing. It is not a treatment for any medical condition and is not a substitute for medical care. If you have a health concern, please speak to your GP.
Is this a religious practice?
No. There's nothing to sign up to, believe in or chant. We're a charity rooted in Eastern contemplative traditions and open to everyone, whatever you do or don't believe. The chakra framework the bowls are tuned to comes from that tradition — you're welcome to take it literally, as a useful map, or as neither.
Anything not answered here — email admin@dhammacentre.com. We'd rather answer a question than have you not come.
Take one evening and see
No membership and no minimum commitment. Come to one, see how you sleep that night, and decide from there.
Questions first? Email admin@dhammacentre.com.
An hour of settling, an hour of rest
You don't have to work out in advance whether sound is your sort of thing. Lie down once and let your body tell you.
See the next evening