Tucked away in Cooper-Young at the corner of Cooper Street and Nelson Avenue, you’ll find the Memphis Drum Shop, owned by husband-wife duo Nancy and Jim Pettit since the late ’80s. The shop is well known by locals for, well, drums. But what you may not know is that under the same roof, they’re offering up a therapeutic exercise known as Sound Journeys, a meditative practice designed to promote relaxation, stress relief, and healing — physical, emotional, and spiritual. In order to provide these guided journeys, Nancy has racked up an impressive lineup of certifications, and her attendees report a laundry list of positive results.
These days, who doesn’t need an occasional reprieve from the stressors of daily life and a chance to breathe and catch up to yourself? We’re calling Nancy’s Sound Journeys a Memphis must-try. Read on to learn more!
Jim and Nancy Pettit are the husband-wife duo behind Memphis Drum Shop and Memphis Gong Chamber, where Nancy’s guided Sound Journeys take place!
Where are you from originally, and how long have you lived in Memphis?
My husband Jim and I are lifelong Tennesseeans, living in Jackson before moving to Memphis. We opened Memphis Drum Shop in 1987 and Memphis Gong Chamber in 2011.
What led you to sound therapy?
After teaching high school English for 30 years, I went directly from the English classroom to the office at Memphis Drum Shop to manage accounting and human resources. Being married to a drummer, I’ve always loved music, but it was only after being introduced to the gong at one of our trade shows in the ’90s that I became completely captivated by ‘the song of the gong.’ Then, in one of my yoga classes, my instructor played singing bowls during Savasana … I have never been the same.
I began enrolling in Sound Healing summits, taking full advantage of the coursework offered by Shift Network, and participating in workshops … In 2019, I received my Reiki Master Practitioner Level III certificate from Reiki Memphis, my Sound Healing Level I Crystal Bowl Certification from the Sound Healing Academy, a Gong Practitioner certification from Mehtab Benton, and an Integral Gong Practitioner certification from Yens Zygar. In 2020, I earned my Level II Diploma in Integral Sound Healing from the Sound Healing Academy.
What can visitors expect from a Sound Journey?
Each session begins in our conference room with a brief guided meditation focusing on breathing and listening to begin the relaxation process. We then set an intention for the session and move into the candlelit Gong Chamber — a portal into another dimension where time stands still, and healing begins.
Once they have settled into their zero-gravity chairs, I begin to play crystal singing bowls as I lead them through another guided meditation, including guided visualization for progressive muscle relaxation. Then the gongs, which are suspended around the chamber to provide a 360-degree space of sound and vibration, are played for 25-35 minutes before being allowed to fade to silence. Then, bronze bowls, shakers, bells, and chimes are played to indicate the return from the individual “journey” of each client.
Sounds Journeys with Nancy take place in the dimly lit Gong Chamber. Attendees are seated in zero-gravity chairs for ultimate relaxation.
Studies report a number of benefits of sound therapy, including reduced anxiety and even relief for chronic pain. Do you have any regular attendees that report similar benefits?
My Sound Journey is a form of vibrational medicine. It is very effective at triggering the relaxation response, which counters the many symptoms of chronic stress, which medical research tells us is the underlying cause of more than 80% of illnesses and diseases.
Sound healing instruments generate sound waves, which conduct sound vibration pulses through the body with significant consequences that help us to balance all aspects of our being — physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The client’s experience is greatly enhanced with the combination of sound and vibration plus the intention for the session.
My regular attendees — and even those who attend for the first time — report reduced stress, relieved anxiety, alleviated pain (migraines, neck/shoulder pain, stiff joints, sore muscles), help in coping with loss/grief/trauma, help with transforming and reforming new healthy patterns, improved sleep, a heightened awareness of senses, improved balance, and a sense of peace and harmony.
Can people take advantage of sound therapy at home? What products do you recommend?
Sound therapy is available anywhere, anytime; you just need to stop, breathe slowly and deeply, and listen to the sounds around you. Really listen to the point that you can separate each individual sound and begin to fine-tune your system with sounds.
We know that everything is in a state of vibration; the gong, especially, promotes healing through its sound and vibrations — its resonance. Don G. Campbell, in his book Healing at the Speed of Sound, says, “To enter into the initiation of sound, of vibration and mindfulness, is to take a giant step toward consciously knowing the soul.”
Read books on sound healing and sound therapy. Check out courses online or in your area. Listen to various kinds of music; listen to and play various instruments — a gong, bowl, drum, chimes, shakers, bells, etc. Take time out to listen to the sounds of nature, again separating the many sounds that comprise the overall sound that surrounds you.
Nancy assures us that the practice of healing through sound is always available to us — but their Gong Chamber looks like a pretty enticing place to start.
Beyond the Sound Journey experiences you offer, what other resources do you recommend for folks interested in exploring sound therapy?
Sound is healing. Jonathan Goldman, Director of the Sound Healers Association, says Frequency + Intention = Healing.
Start by setting an intention for healing, and commit to listening, resting, relaxing, letting go, transforming, reflecting, and resetting. Try listening to music, dancing, humming, singing, meditation — especially guided meditation that also might involve toning or chanting.
What are your go-to “happy places” in Memphis?
We live, work, and play in Midtown — Cooper-Young and Overton Square — with so many excellent restaurants, bars, art galleries, yoga studios, and retail shops.
We love going downtown to the river. There is nothing like a sunset over the Mississippi River and the Memphis skyline.
My clients and I love to follow our Sound Journey session with a walk through the labyrinth in Cancer Survivors’ Park on Perkins Extended on the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes.
And, a final lightning round of questions!
Favorite sources of inspiration: Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling daily devotion; Mary Davis’s Every Day Spirit daily inspirational readings; Dr. Mitchell Gaynor’s The Healing Power of Sound; Dr. Jonathan Goldman’s Healing Sound; Don G. Campbell’s Healing at the Speed of Sound; Dr. Sue Morter’s The Energy Codes; Dr. David Hawkins’ Letting Go; Vex King’s Good Vibes, Good Life, and so many more. . . .
Last book you read: Sonia Ricotti’s The Law of Attraction, Plain and Simple.
Favorite travel destination: Home — wherever my family is.
Aside from faith, family, and friends, name the things you can’t live without: My gongs and bowls and books … and coffee, red wine, dark chocolate … okay, and popcorn.
Give it a try, Memphis! Visit Memphis Drum Shop’s events page for booking information.
All photos provided by Memphis Drum Shop.
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