In our latest MysticMag interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Simone Salvatici, a talented composer, multi-instrumentalist, and sound healer. With a deep passion for music and its transformative power, Simone shares his journey from a musician to a dedicated sound therapist, highlighting the profound impact of sound on healing and personal growth.
What can you tell me about your professional background and how you got into sound healing?
I’ve had a deep passion for music and its transformative power since the earliest stages of my life. My fascination with the world of sound began with my interaction with my father’s tape recorder and the first Casio organ keyboard. These experiences sparked a lifelong journey into music. My formal training as a musician began at the conservatoire, where I studied the organ and later the guitar. While I was attracted to various instruments, I felt a strong need to write and compose my own songs from the age of 14. Creating music was therapeutic for me, offering a way to express and process my emotions.
This passion led me to pursue a degree in music, film, and performative arts, which opened up opportunities to work extensively as a composer and performer. I collaborated with artists across different genres and cultures, constantly expanding my musical horizons. However, it was during a period of personal crisis that I discovered the profound impact of sound therapy. As I faced my own struggles with compulsions, addictions, and anxiety, I turned to meditation, sound healing, and ancient techniques for support. These practices not only helped me overcome my challenges but also revealed to me the incredible potential of sound as a tool for healing and transformation.
Can you walk me through a sound therapy session?
During a sound therapy session, we start with a brief consultation to understand the client’s needs and uncover a core message in the body and mind, which sets intentions for the session. We then create a comfortable and safe environment charged with intentional energy. The session typically lasts between 60 to 90 minutes, during which I use a variety of instruments such as singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks, drone instruments like shruti box, flutes, rattles, chimes, and my voice to produce a series of sounds and vibrations.
These sounds are carefully orchestrated to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and facilitate emotional release, ultimately leading to altered states of consciousness. It is during these altered states of consciousness that there is a re-elaboration from the subconscious of the issue that was brought in. The benefits include interaction between body and mind and overall energetic balance. The session concludes with a period of silence and reflection, giving clients time to integrate their experiences.
How much does being a composer and multi-instrumentalist help in your sound therapy work and how much are you able to implement your knowledge and skills from those fields into sound healing?
My experience as a composer and multi-instrumentalist is essential to my sound therapy practice. It gives me a deep understanding of musical structure, harmony, and the emotional impact of different sounds. This knowledge allows me to create sessions that are both transportive and therapeutically effective. Being skilled in multiple instruments allows me to incorporate a wide range of sounds and textures, enhancing the overall healing experience.
Additionally, my composition skills help in designing custom soundscapes tailored to each client’s needs, ensuring that each session is unique and impactful. Most importantly, having been working with various sounds and musical backgrounds for years has given me the ability to understand the language of sound at its core, bypassing all cultural references and clichés.
What makes sound meditation unique and how much is it different from other forms of meditation?
Sound meditation is distinctive because it utilizes auditory stimuli as the central focus for mindfulness and relaxation. However, sound goes far beyond just what we hear—it is a form of energy that has the capacity to alter the energetic fields surrounding and the molecular structure of matter. Through the principle of entrainment, sound directly influences the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, helping to regulate and balance our body’s responses.
Unlike traditional meditation, which often relies on internal focus or visualization, sound meditation harnesses the natural vibrations and frequencies produced by various instruments to gently guide participants into a meditative state. Instruments like gongs and large resonating tools can induce altered states of consciousness, encouraging the brain to shift into lower, more creative, and integrative brainwave patterns. It’s within these altered states that deep healing can occur. Interestingly, during such states, individuals often experience a form of ego dissolution, leading to profound personal transformation.
Moreover, the vibrational energy generated by these instruments can facilitate emotional release and physical healing, providing a rich, multi-sensory experience that enhances the meditative practice. This makes sound meditation particularly accessible and effective for individuals who may find it challenging to maintain focus through traditional meditation techniques alone.
You also organize different events. What are they like?
I organize a wide range of events designed to foster community, facilitate deep healing, and encourage personal growth. These include immersive sound sessions held in unique venues, such as historic churches like the one in Stoke Newington, as well as comprehensive sound healing training programs. I also host all-night Pujas where gongs are played continuously, creating a powerful and transformative experience throughout the night.
Additionally, I offer live sound performances that blend gongs with synthesizers, creating a rich, immersive auditory experience, as well as retreats that combine sound therapy with other holistic practices like yoga and mindfulness.
I’ve been fortunate to perform in some incredible locations, including the Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, V&A, and the Royal Academy of Arts. Each event is carefully curated to create a supportive and immersive environment where participants can fully experience the transformative power of sound. Typically, participants lie down on mats, close their eyes, and allow themselves to connect with the sound on a deep, co-creational level.
Live performances often feature a blend of traditional and contemporary instruments, creating a dynamic and engaging experience. Retreats offer an extended opportunity for profound healing and connection, allowing participants to fully immerse themselves in the therapeutic benefits of sound.
Every year, I offer a full sound therapy practitioner training program, which is one of the most extensive sound training courses I could imagine. Limited to 10-12 participants to ensure personalized attention, these sessions sell out quickly.
In addition to these events, I am also highly active in providing private sound healing sessions for corporate clients, inside their offices. I’ve had the privilege of working with companies such as Google, Meta, Virgin, Sony, Allianz, and many other businesses to facilitate relaxation, promote positive problem-solving, and enhance creative thinking.
Is there anything else about your work that you’d like to share that we haven’t covered?
One exciting aspect of my journey is the platform I’ve created through sselvatico.com. This website serves as a hub for everything related to my sound healing practice, music, and upcoming projects. On the site, you can find detailed information about the various services I offer, including personalized sound therapy sessions, workshops, and events. I also share insights from my practice, resources for those interested in sound healing, and updates on new developments.
In addition to my therapeutic work, I’m deeply engaged in creating and releasing music that embodies my passion for ethnomusicology, sound healing, and transformation. My compositions weave together elements from my formal musical training, world music influences, and the principles of sound therapy. This music is not merely for entertainment; it is intentionally crafted to support meditation, relaxation, and inner exploration. Several of my tracks have already been released, and I’m excited to announce that much more music will be available soon.
I’m also deeply committed to expanding the reach of sound healing and breaking it free from its clichés and confinements. My goal is to make this powerful practice more accessible to a diverse audience. Whether through online or in-person courses, workshops, or digital content, I strive to provide opportunities for people to engage with sound as a profound tool for wellness and personal growth.
This blend of practice, education, and music creation is the core of my work, and I’m enthusiastic about the new directions this journey will take. I encourage everyone to stay connected through my website and social media channels to stay informed about the latest releases, events, and insights.
To learn more about Simone’s work, you can visit sselvatico.com and www.instagram.com/sselvatico
