044 - Two Years On: Sound Baths, Life Changes and Finding Calm w/ Maureen Fearon

Welcome back to Life Is Sound.

After two and a half years away from the podcast, we return with a reflective, honest and heart-warming conversation with Maureen Fearon, the very first guest on the show and someone who has been part of the Life Is Sound journey from the beginning.

In this episode, we catch up on everything that has changed since our last conversation, from the growth of the sound baths and the power of community, to personal growth, new beginnings, resilience and navigating the unexpected moments life brings.

Together, we explore what it means to hold space for others, the transformative nature of sound healing, and why investing in your own wellbeing matters more than ever. Maureen shares her wisdom on mindset, acceptance, everyday resilience and the lessons that come when life asks us to slow down, listen and adapt.

Whether you have been here since the early episodes or you are discovering Life Is Sound for the first time, this conversation marks the beginning of a new chapter. Honest, uplifting and deeply human.

Life Is Sound is back.

Transcript

James Mayer: 0:02

So we're back. It's been two and a half short or long years, and then what's been going on in your life. And there's never been a week where I've not thought about returning to the Life of Sound podcast. I must have mentioned this to Maureen countless times. I've been living life as you guys have been living life. And we're finally back, so we'll have a bit of a recap and a catch up of where I've been, where Maureen's been. So welcome. If it's your first time here, welcome to the Life of Sound podcast. If you return in as a listener, we're back. And it would only be right to do this with Maureen being the first person who ever came to do the Life of Sound podcast with me. And you've been such a pivotal part of the Life of Sound journey, transitioning into the events. Since we took a break podcasting, and the reason we took a break was the last studio that we were at had some damp in the wall and I thought, this is a perfect opportunity to redesign the studio and do some decorating. I thought, I'm going to take a month or two out because it was non stop podcasting for 42 episodes. I invested in these cameras. The intention was to get back to it. And then the landlord put the rent up and something was just saying, this is not the right place to do the podcast. And at that time my grandma got ill and I've mentioned the storey of that on the return episode. And out of that was born Life of Sound, where we're currently at the sound baths. My grandma's illness was the catalyst to me stepping into the space of sound and using sound to really help people on their journeys. And once my grandma said to me it was the sound that really got her out of the deathbed, essentially it was a big, big thing that helped her. That was just a light bulb moment for me of, right, I need to be doing this. And I think I bought a set of singing bowls. I think you came around for some practise sessions. Cousin Leah came round, did a few sessions on both of you put the first event on that sold out. And it was like 35 people in a room. You were there helping, you know, everyone come in. And that was like a lot of friends, a lot of family. It was a lot of excitement from people. It was a nice response of people really trusting me stepping into that space. It was nice to kind of see that they already knew what this was going to be. We did the second one that sold out 35 people. Again, I can't remember whether there was a third one, but I remembered going past Victoria Bass one day and thinking this is the next venue. So from there it's like two and a half years has just flown by and constantly been saying we need to get back to the podcast. And life has just been happening.

Maureen Fearon: 3:19

I can't believe it's. It's over two years, let me just say.

James Mayer: 3:22

I know, yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 3:23

What's happened? What's changed? How are you different now?

James Mayer: 3:27

I think since ending, not ending, taking a pause on the podcast. So much has happened in the span of my life where I've had so much growth, evolution, change. So much has happened from a long relationship coming to an end. Me and my partner now was having a baby together, becoming a dad, becoming a dad before my son was even born with my stepdaughter and just being thrust into family life and all the responsibility and changes that that comes with that and just really being a provider in. In that space. And my partner having a home birth unassisted. Just me, her.

Maureen Fearon: 4:14

Wow, that's amazing.

James Mayer: 4:15

Mum in the room. A ranti. That was just a. Still blows my mind to think about that today. Definitely speak about that on the podcast. I think my dog passed away in that time. My little guy, my first child, my first son. That was a big. A big shift. My grandma passing away, that was a big letting go. Nearly losing my mum was a massive thing and a real sense of even in the hardest thing you gonna face, still being able to remain calm. When my mum was in ICU and she managed to wake up, if you remember, we had a sound bath and it was the January sound bath, so it was the first journaling sound bath. So I had 70, 80 journals printed for people, which is not cheap to do. So I said, think I must have said to you, if my mum wakes up and tells me to do the sound bath, I'll do it. And the beautiful thing about the Life is Sound community. I remember posting about my mum and saying, just keep her in your prayers. And I had so many comments and messages because people had met my mum at the events. So that was such a beautiful thing and just growing the events as well. There's been so many changes in my life from the last version of me that you heard on this podcast and just being able to hold space for people and communicate with people and step into a new space of being a. Like the musicianship of the sound baths. I'm also reaching a nice, mature age of 40 this year. So I think as you approach 40, I understand that the term life begins at 40. I think you just become more accepting of yourself and, and.

Maureen Fearon: 6:11

Or not. Plenty of people don't.

James Mayer: 6:13

Well, I feel personally for me, I'm at a stage where I'm accepting my life journey from it. Starting on a spiritual shift from being 24, losing my partner at that time, all the healing I've had to do, even that event making me the person who I was meeting you, the shift from there, everything that's happened now to me being a dad, having a beautiful family, to the podcast, to the sound bath, everything that's happened with my dad, it's like I'm a grandma. All these things that have just weaved into this point in your life. I'm starting to realise now the reason for every aspect of what I've been through. For me, being able to hold that and truly hold space for people. The reason I've created things like the Seven Day Record or the sound baths is because I know what it's like to be depressed. I know what it's like to be in stress, to have true anxiety, to overthink, to worry, to grieve, deeply experience loss. Everyone that's coming to a sound bath is going through something. And like a lot of us, as you reach further years into your life, it's pretty difficult to go through life without. Without experiencing quite a lot of these things. I feel like I have held a lot and people have said to me, I feel like you're always going through something. And I'm at a point where I realise that I know why I've had to go through these things. It's because God has put me in that position to go through it so I can hold space for the people that are going through it. There's no better thing than experience for you to be able to maybe understand what somebody might be going through. And you can never fully understand their perspective. You can only ever relate. But the past two and a half years since the, since the last podcast episode has been such a beautiful journey of ups and downs and difficulties and beautiful moments that has just shaped me into a whole new version of myself. So now I'm just looking forward to getting back to the podcast, weaving that into the Life is Sound world. Got a great team around me in life. I'm just in a place of pure gratitude and I just want to see where I can take life is sound to now knowing that doors have opened that I never expected to open with the events and Growing it to, you know, one of the biggest sound baths in the country. Now I'm like, let me reintroduce where this started and really see how we can elevate and help people. That is at the core of life is sound, is helping people. Because we're all going to go through difficult things. The past few years for me have been.

Maureen Fearon: 9:04

I know, I've forgotten how much.

James Mayer: 9:08

How much you've been there for me.

Maureen Fearon: 9:09

Well, no, no. Forgotten how much has happened because. And especially because I'm going to go back later and think about my last couple. Couple of years and. And think, well, what have I been doing? Because I'm. I'm future focused.

James Mayer: 9:21

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 9:21

So, you know, people say, oh, how are you, Maureen? What did you do last week? I have no idea. Because I'm focused on the future and it's like, surely you must. It's like, no, because my. And forget so much. But question for you, knowing. Because that's a lot in two years for one person to experience going back two years ago, knowing that you had that ahead of you. Where do you think you might have been thinking going, right, okay, you're going to do. You're going to do the key events. All the upset that's going to happen, all of this is going to happen. What would you have made of it?

James Mayer: 9:57

Yeah, because it's all happened around the sound baths as well. It's like that started and then all these things happened around that time. From then to now, I think it's always kept my focus in a great place as well. So even if I've been going through super difficult times, like I'm about to lose my mum potentially in hospital, but I've got a session on Sunday just having that focus and knowing what my mum would want me to do as life is sound has supported me in times that have been very difficult as well. Just having that focus and also witnessing how much I can carry.

Maureen Fearon: 10:36

Yeah.

James Mayer: 10:37

On my shoulders and on my back and knowing my strength.

Maureen Fearon: 10:42

Because often we would never imagine that we'd have the strength and resilience to do all of that.

James Mayer: 10:48

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 10:49

And that's. Our human potential is so vast because I'd totally forgotten because it was such a scary time when your mum was in hospital. It was just so upsetting. And for her to have missed her first sound bath, it was so touching for us all and we missed her so much because she's such an important part of it. Yeah. It was just. Wow.

James Mayer: 11:16

And to miss her first grandchild.

Maureen Fearon: 11:19

Yeah.

James Mayer: 11:19

That was before my son was born. Four weeks before and she was about to miss her first grandchild. So for the fact that she managed to get through it and she got to meet a grandchild and it's just the best. He's the best. He's the best little soul ever. He's just. I couldn't have asked for a better. For a better son. He's just unreal. He blows my mind all the time. It's been difficult. The journey of parenthood is. Is something that has shifted me into a whole different way of moving through life. And I think we're constantly evolving and learning and shifting and changing. I'm just grateful to be in the mindset of being open to change and learning and what's this teaching me rather than why is this happening to me? And I think it's just all making sense of me being able to hold space for people and conversations and energy and even sitting back in the seat of podcasting, I can feel that I'm different. When I did the first session, the solo podcast session, and even, even sitting here, I feel just a bit more. Bit more wiser, more relaxed, calmer. I think that Life begins at 40. I feel like true wisdom begins at 40. I feel like I've had it, but now I'm way more comfortable with it.

Maureen Fearon: 12:41

And would you say that all that you've learned in terms of behaviour from your NLP and everywhere else is help being a parent?

James Mayer: 12:51

100%, I think mindset, language, influence. I watch my words. Not always perfect. I'm human. Not going to get everything right all the time. But when you have young minds around you and they are constantly watching you, recording, seeping into their subconscious, they are going to move through life by default from the steps and experiences you show them. So I'm really aware of my influence into not only Sol's life, but Luna's life as well. And yeah, then navigating parenthood from this place of the way that I think. I'm so glad, I'm so glad I have that, that toolkit, because it's probably one of. I think relationships are one of the most difficult things you'll ever feel. Parenthood is such a. Is such a task, but it's one of the most beautiful gifts ever. Like our household is. Is amazing. Can also be chaotic at times, but I'm just super grateful for the space that I find myself in. Didn't come via traditional route.

Maureen Fearon: 14:07

Came fast, unexpected.

James Mayer: 14:09

Unexpected. But again, like, like you said, I believe everything happens at the right time for a reason. The storey that you find yourself in is to open up the next part of something. And even for, for you listening, whatever you're going through, thinking, what's the reason I'm going through this? It's only to ever teach us. We're only in this experience to learn. Because nobody, no expert, no human being that ever came before us or most likely after us has ever figured out what this thing is. I just know you're sat opposite me. Truly. I don't know if you're real. I don't know if I'm. I don't know if I'm real.

Maureen Fearon: 14:54

You're calling me a fraud.

James Mayer: 14:55

Like we're communicating through a microphone that we don't know how it technically works. All this magic and wonder around us. We're Bluetooth-ing cameras. We're, you know, we're going to put this on the Internet. It's going to reach people. No. No one truly knows like the true mechanism of everything. And I just know that life is truly magic this lifetime. Whether we do it multiple times or one time round.

Maureen Fearon: 15:18

Yeah.

James Mayer: 15:20

None of us have figured out what this thing is. So I think just to, to sit here, experience everything that we do in the human experience and just try and take some of that and turn it into magic for other people.

Maureen Fearon: 15:31

Yeah.

James Mayer: 15:32

I truly believe that's why we're here.

Maureen Fearon: 15:34

Yeah.

James Mayer: 15:34

And I'm so excited to step back into this version of Life Is Sound on the podcast because the first round was the groundwork. I understand why that season served its purpose for the Soundbars. Now we're back. Now we take it to another place and really help people. And I think you're one of life's people that. That operates from that. I see that with you so much. You just want to help people and I'm in the same place. And now we get to have the vehicles, multiple vehicles to be able to do that. So life is always going to happen to us. There's going to be more stuff that comes.

Maureen Fearon: 16:09

And, and one, one of the useful things that I've just remembered that I, I can't remember when I started using when things unwanted, let's say the one unwanted events that happen, whether it's somebody bumping my mirror or whatever, and then I'm upset maybe. And all things that happen, it's like, what can I learn from this? What can I learn from this? So I can get so busy doing all that I do. And I take. Being self employed, you've got to manage so many things. So being so busy doing this, this, this and this. And you take Your eye off the financial ball. And then you go, oh, my gosh. And question, what can I learn from this? If somebody annoys me and it lingers, it's like, what, what am I learning from this? How. How is it that I have to react? What can I learn from this? And the answers that your mind can give you are brilliant.

James Mayer: 17:04

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 17:05

And it's kind of like, whoa. Because we're patterned and programmed, but we've got fantastic opportunity to shape those patterns and programs and create how to be our best self.

James Mayer: 17:17

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 17:18

No matter what, what rubbish we have to go through. It's like, how do we want to get through that rubbish? What. How do I want to do it? I can do it suffering, kicking and screaming, or I can get through it with maybe a level of pain, but with a smile or with it with a sense of peace of mind. What's our choice? And it's become more apparent to me because, you know, like you say, life begins at 40, so maybe when I get to 40, and it's really understanding the wisdom. I'm picking up more now on the wisdom of people that have gone before, like Nelson Mandela. It's like, how could a man who has been locked up when he's done nothing wrong and how can he manage himself? And he's like, oh, I wouldn't be able to do that. Now I'm understanding, how did he do it? And how can I copy elements of that? So I can manage my best mind through my best life.

James Mayer: 18:18

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 18:19

So, yeah, we're amazing as a species and as individuals and we've got so much choice and power and just. Yeah, you need to write. You need to write a book and it become a film.

James Mayer: 18:31

Yeah, I think I might as a plan. So the version of you who sits in front of me is not the Same version from 2 and a half years ago when we did one of our last episodes together. So what would you say has been some of your biggest changes in your personal world?

Maureen Fearon: 18:50

Yeah, there's been so many changes. There's been so many bumps in the road, so many things that I've had to overcome. So, unfortunately, friends dying, been to too many funerals, so bouncing back from those continually on my journey to. To. To just share with the world what I feel is my privilege to have learned. And so over the last two years, and I don't know when it was, there's come a point where actually. Do you know what this is all about me sharing now? And, you know, I share a lot, but it is. I just want to share with everybody because there are too many people that are suffering. And one of the things that has changed within me is how I'm respond, responding to life. It's in a much healthier way. So even if I'm rushing, I might be late, I might be in a queue, I'm calm, I'm relaxed, I phone ahead, I do and I just stay calm. And that's been my choice. I set the intention that I want to be like a wise Zen master or back in the 70s there was a David Carradine in a series called Kung Fu, I think it was called Kung Fu and he had a blind master and he would ask the master and the master was just so wise, so calm minded, so lovely and so clever in a wise way, not academic way with you might have been as well, I don't know. And so I've set the intention that that's how I want to be. I want to be my calmest. I want to be able to make my wisest choices and decisions both in the moment and also in life. And, and also one of the things, whatever happens in my mind now is, is kind of clearly implanted. Everything is meant to be when it's meant to be.

James Mayer: 20:52

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 20:53

So if there is disappointments, I don't allow disappointment anymore. It's like it just wasn't meant to be. So if something gets cancelled, it's like, okay, that wasn't meant to be and that's perfectly fine. And so it's just keeping my, my mindset in its best place, increasing my patience. So I've got two, I'm editing two, two books. But there's a queue of other books that's lined up now that I've got to get out because I want to be sharing to, to everybody that wants what, what, what can help them in life, what can help them prosper, make the best choices both in relationships, careers, overcome all the obstacles. So it's, it's creating the dedication. But one of the things that has been really significant is, and maybe a lot of us, if not all of us, because of what we've been taught or what we learned forever saying I'm no good at something. So for example, I'm no good at editing. I was editing a big report and I felt I was on the verge of feeling stupid because it took so many more hours, more than I thought it was going to be. And I thought I just must be so stupid, just I just must be. And so I went into ChatGPT and just said if you were in editing a Document of this size, put in the words. Can't remember how many thousands of words it was. How long would it take expecting. How long would a professional editor take, proofreader take Expecting it to say, 40 minutes, an hour, an hour, 20 minutes, something like that. But it didn't. I was well in the middle. And so the expectations I put on myself, I'm not allowing that anymore because it doesn't do anybody, any. Any good. So I've started, if not completed, though, stopping those patterns so that I do whatever I do, no beating myself up anymore. If I've not accomplished something, I don't accomplish it. It'll take extra. It'll take whatever it takes. And everything happens when it's meant to happen.

James Mayer: 23:10

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 23:10

And that, that, that has. There's been lots of examples of things that are happening now that I planned to happen years ago when they didn't happen years ago. And when I think about them happening now, it's like, yeah, I'm glad it's happening now and not years ago. So everything does happen when it's meant to happen. The right things happen at the right time. I was on the radio this week talking about heads of states, because they were meeting this week, heads of states and the language and how do you deal, you know, with somebody at such a high profile level? So we're talking about that kind of thing. But then afterwards, they had an expert on talking about public speaking, so they were talking about the public speaking element and, you know, will they be nervous, etc. And this person that's very successful at a high level said, oh, yes, yeah, yeah. You have to have nerves. If you don't have nerves, then you're not going to present. Well, that's a load of rubbish, technically, a load of rubbish. If you don't have nerves, you won't practise rubbish. You don't have to have nerves and anxieties. That is a learnable thing, something that gets programmed into us without our permission and it's changeable. So when we've got experts that are saying this is the only thing that's possible and that the dream isn't, I just like, whoa. No, the people have just. The people deserve to know the truth.

James Mayer: 24:50

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 24:50

And to know what is possible. And then they can choose. They can choose to suffer and that's fine, that's their choice. Or they can choose to make some changes, doing whatever. There's so many different ways we can make changes and make that positive difference. Like in the sound baths. One of the things that I really like about your sound bath, is that you speak so beautifully in a way that people can be listening to your words and make the best out of the session. You know, you could just turn up and play the musical instruments in the way that you do, which is magic in itself. But the guided and the skilful guiding genuinely helps people to be able to make the best of that time for the body, absorbing the frequency and the changes as well as the mind being able to release and let go. And that is what happens. And that and language, what we say and how we. How we operate makes a difference. And people don't realise how powerful language is.

James Mayer: 26:01

I think it's all the worlds coming together that I've seen from past, present. And what I'll be taking into the future is the first wave of podcasting enabled me to be really comfortable in the space of speaking at a sound bath, because, say, there's 90 people, well up to 300 people at the cathedral and you do have that moment of I've got speak now.

Maureen Fearon: 26:31

But over time, do you have anxiety with that or do you have excitement?

James Mayer: 26:34

No. So initially, starting the sound baths, because everything's new and you're holding space for people. When you're holding space for people, there's also, in that element of the wellness space, you are holding like an energy as well. So I think initially, when everyone's energy was coming into the room, performing the music is one, one thing. Holding space via sound, that's. That's one aspect. But the. Those initial feelings of, right, I've got to speak now, but the having 42 episodes of a podcast makes you a better communicator, so those nerves would settle a lot easier with speaking. But being a musician my whole life, having to step into a new form of performing, I think for about the first 10 sound baths, maybe even more. When I was on the singing bowls, for the first five minutes, I would have to regulate myself because I could feel nerves, I could feel my heart pounding. And now when I enter a sound bath, it's just normal. Like we've got such an operation between us all. By the time I get to the bowls, my heart's not beating. There's no worry. I'm just sensing the energy of the room, how I need to play. So I think for an expert to say, need to have nerves, in my experience, I think if something is new to you, especially on the. Being on a stage in front of people, I've. I've performed on stages in front of 10,000 people in a different world of you know, being a musician in a band, but then you're on a new stage and now you've got to play singing bowls and you have to speak and everyone is there for the thing you're about to do. So that's a new. I don't even, I think the word nerves, we can coin it negative, but let's just say it's, it's pent up energy.

Maureen Fearon: 28:30

Well, I like, I like to separate it and differentiate it between nervous nerves and adrenaline.

James Mayer: 28:38

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 28:38

With excitement.

James Mayer: 28:39

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 28:40

And this, this is what so many professionals don't share because with nerves you get the adrenaline, that whole energy in the body that is uncomfortable. But the adrenaline that we get with excitement, that's brilliant, that's wonderful. And so we can have the adrenaline with excitement and a sense of knowing that everything is going to go and it's going to be okay. Yes, it's new. And then that extra rainbow colour of adrenaline and excitement and just allow it and it's like, yeah, that's great. Because then with practise, etc, it does calm down. Yeah, but it's. But it's really special and it does not. They often say if you're not nervous, you won't perform well. Well, it's a load of rubbish. You have to have. It's great to have adrenaline and that energy is brilliant but it doesn't stop you, it doesn't change what your mind is doing. And so many. We see it in, you know, the television shows of the Voice or Britain's Got Talent or what's the other one they used to. Whatever the other one used to do. You're a. What is it?

James Mayer: 29:58

Don't know.

Maureen Fearon: 29:58

Oh, you do know. You do know. You do know. You've got. Why do you. I don't know. Anyway, so Simon, the Simon Cowell programmes.

James Mayer: 30:11

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 30:12

We don't watch enough telly. That's the thing.

James Mayer: 30:13

I don't. I hardly watch tv.

Maureen Fearon: 30:15

Yeah, well, I hardly watch it. It's ridiculous. We can talk about that. Yeah, because that's, that's a juicy topic. But we see when great performers with fantastic skills get on stage and they have stage fright, they don't have to have that. And you see there was the young voice or the young ones on the Voice, little kiddies, Voice, kids, whatever it was called, and they just had little kids who've got a talent that just come out on stage and they just sing and it's like. That was great, wasn't it? Yeah, that was great. You're good, aren't you? Yeah, I'm Good. And they've just got this real beautiful self appreciation. They're not criticising themselves that, yeah, I did my best. Did you enjoy it? Yeah, I did it. Were you good? Yeah, that was good. Yeah, I'm good. And that is beautiful to see. And then something goes wrong where that changes and then we see others where it has changed, where they've got self doubt and that blocks the mind, it blocks access to memory, it blocks access to function. So often when people have these nerves, it alters and breaks the performance. But there are so many people that believe you have to have nerves. No, no, no. You maybe want to have adrenaline, the excitement, the energy and that you don't even have to have it before you start performing. It can be as you're performing and that energy because you're in the space and it just feels so good. You don't have to have anything negative. And I'm walking proof of that because I never used to be able to stand or sit in a meeting and speak up without having terror and having both physiological and my mind going into chaos. And now I've got complete opposite. I've got. I've learned how to control the mind. So we can design. How do you want to feel? Would you like to get rid of that anxiety? Would you like to get rid of that nervous feeling? How does it help you? Oh, well, nervous feeling helps. Helps me to form. How does it do that? Well, it. It keeps me sharp. Well, how, how else does your mind keep you sharp? Because you might. If you control. If you control your mind, you're sharp because you can. Whilst you're thinking in a nanosecond, you can fit so much into it. If you've been taught how to do it. It's brilliant.

James Mayer: 32:33

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 32:33

You know, like for example, Bruce Lee, he's amazing. You're probably too young to remember Bruce Lee.

James Mayer: 32:38

Oh, God, I grew up on Bruce Lee.

Maureen Fearon: 32:40

All right, fair enough. And, and, and here's Joss. And I didn't realise it. He was Joss. For a man of his age, he was just so wise and so knowledgeable and some of the things is just like. And physically what he did was amazing. Absolutely. You know. Are they called Nunchucks? No.

James Mayer: 33:02

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 33:03

Are they called Nunchucks?

James Mayer: 33:04

None.

Maureen Fearon: 33:05

Not N U M B Chucks?

James Mayer: 33:07

No. But they probably do make you numb

Maureen Fearon: 33:09

if you get licked by one. And just, you know, the thing that he did is amazing. But the wisdom that you have for his mind and it's all about master your mind. And when you master your mind, you can master your communications, you can master how you respond. So if for example you've got controllers or people that are trying to wind you up or annoy you or force you into doing something, whether it's forcing you into volunteering or forcing you to get angry, then when you master your mind, you don't play their game.

James Mayer: 33:41

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 33:42

And I think that's part of what I've been sharpening is not playing people's game.

James Mayer: 33:48

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 33:49

You know, you know me, I love doing things and I love helping people. But there are some people that just kind of like inappropriately take too much and they can be very good and very skilful at asking. And most people because it feels so uncomfortable to say no to somebody. So I just love those moments where that happens. And whereas in the past I'd feel uncomfortable or I agree to something that I didn't want to do. My mind can manage those moments in beautiful ways. Saying no but without causing conflict or upset. And so it's mastering how we operate on a day to day basis doesn't mean my life's perfect. It doesn't mean that everything is how I want it to be. It just means I'm able to deal with everything in the best mindset and minimise all that negative worry, all the unnecessary fears. You know people are so scared of so much and often they don't realise what they're scared of. And most importantly most have never been told you don't have to have that fear.

James Mayer: 34:55

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 34:56

Would you like to not have that? So and I, I ask people that all the time, would you like to not have that fear? So for example, being your meet and greet at the, the sound event, being on the dot with my expertise and doing what I do for so many years I can kind of spot and make a good judgement on what's going on for people. So dependent on people, how their, how their posture is, where their eyes are, the tone of their voice when I say hello seeing how because an awful lot of people are uncomfortable. I think people are getting and we're in the north so we're all friendly but I think things are changing. So a lot of people are not getting a friendly stranger.

James Mayer: 35:41

Yeah. I don't think people are used to your, your energy type as well.

Maureen Fearon: 35:45

Yeah.

James Mayer: 35:45

Which is just a straight up friendly like hey how like it's. I think for a lot of people you're great.

Maureen Fearon: 35:52

I don't know you but I think you're great.

James Mayer: 35:53

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 35:54

And let's smile and have a great time and I'm completely comfortable in that. But a lot of people, especially if they're having a hard time in life, especially if they're having a hard time with people criticising them and telling them that they're nothing, that they're this, not the other. It's. It's so. So I can spot so much in terms of issues and some people, it's like, have you been to a sound bath before? Because I can kind of like spot the ones that haven't. Because the. Can you. You can. You can see they're kind of like their eyes are furtively looking around. So. So if we look at fear, when somebody's in fear is a subtle body language. So they're going into a new venue, they've never been there before, they don't know who's there. And instead of looking around like that, like I would be looking, they furtively keep the face and the shoulders still, but their eyes are looking. Have you ever noticed that in people? Yeah. And so. So even tiny little things like that. And so it's like, I'll ask them, how easy do you find it to. To still your mind? And I do it with a smile because it's not a judgement, it's not asking academically, can you do this, can you do the other? So it's. It's just nice and friendly, so it's safe. And. And many is like, oh. And I can tell because their eyes are doing all of this as well. And then I can teach them how to. How to. When they're in the sound bath, how to still the mind. And on every event that you've run, I've done that to at least a couple of people that have been coming in, some, Some so many more, and teaching them how to manage and still their mind, but also open up their mind where the time is possible to. That we've all got fantastic potential. Yeah, it's brilliant. And some are like, oh, my God, I remember the. And there's a bit. Because you get a wide range of people and you get an awful lot of professional people. And I know there's been some medical doctors that have attended and some of them are so stressed because kind of like, I've got to remember this and the other, but whatever. And I can spot them. I can spot those types. And. And I remember there was one and she was like, oh, my gosh, that works. You know, went. I know. I said. I said, must explain to you, my world is therapy and I'm a trainer. And she went, oh, I just thought you were here on the Door. So a lot of people don't expect that I've got the expertise. They just think I'm there as a nice friendly meet and greet.

James Mayer: 38:23

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 38:23

So then when I'm helping them with these tiny little gems of my world, they're like, wow. And she was like, wow, my God, that is. She said, oh my God, that is brilliant. That is going to help so many of my patients.

James Mayer: 38:33

Yeah. Like there's also been people that have from like the earlier sessions, people that would discover the older podcast episodes, then they would slowly like, oh, is that the woman from the podcast? And then even recently with, you know, starting the online sound baths, you being a co host, just helping people enter the session and whilst I'm doing the sound, you're, you know, maybe replying to messages and such. And then people come into the physical sound bath after the online one and putting two and two together. So you've been in and around the first wave of life is sound with the podcast and then the sound bath. And you also, not only do you welcome people and help me set up and everything, but when you can, you'll participate in the sound bath. And it's been great to have such a organic team that's built around it over the past couple of years because one thing at that scale is I wouldn't be able to do that alone. If I did, it would probably take me four hours to set up and four hours to pack up and two hours to deliver a sound bath. So we have a great team of people that I love and trust and over time I kind of like zoom out and think of things from like a life time perspective of in this lifetime. This is who I'm doing this thing with and thinking about characters and how close the people that helped me are to my life and family. And then I think of us just like a group core of people that are putting this thing out into the world. And yeah, I deliver the sound. Yeah, I create the events, I put everything out there. I'm marketing and replying to emails, doing all the business side of things. But the energy of what goes into it, from laying out the lavender bags, to greeting people, to getting people, you know, settled in the space, to making sure people have got a drink, handing out teas, packing up. There's just so much that goes into the sessions, especially the bigger sessions, but having a team of just such amazing people and it's all happened organically, it just runs. So everyone just knows what they're doing now at one of those sessions. And for me, that enables Me to sit in the seat of being able to hold space for people spiritually as well, because there's a lot I'm sure I'll share in later episodes. There's a lot spiritually that happens for me in those sessions. There's a lot of energetics that I have to process through myself these sessions. I can feel when the room's heavier. I can feel when I'm walking past someone, that person needs a little extra of this thing. I can see, like, a sound. You can see some people open up like a flower as you walk past them with an instrument. And then there's other people that you can see are really going through something in that session. But one thing is the team that we have. I get compliments on. No, it used to be thank you. Now it's like thank you and. And your team as well. So people really feel that. The energy around it. And I don't think you. It's. It takes a. It takes a long time to put that together because it's happened so naturally. And there's been times where people just can't make. And it's just been me and you that's had to set up a sound bath, and that's a lot. Get into a venue, all the equipment out of the vehicles into the room, and the clock's ticking down, and there's just me and you setting up. And then you've got to go and do the door. I'm walking in, people into the space. And somehow we still manage it, but it's because we've done it so many times. It's a real representation of repetition and also experience.

Maureen Fearon: 42:34

A team are a dream team for so many. So, you know, I was a manager for over 20 years, and when you're recruiting team members, there are certain dream team members, people that you can rely on, people that they put the customer and the sound bath experience first. Doesn't matter what happens. Doesn't matter what we might be going through. Doesn't matter. Everything is all about making sure everybody has. And that is because it's a real. From each and every one of us is our heart. It's from our heart that we want everybody to feel great, to have their best experience. And there have been times where people have turned up. And, you know, I don't do detail always, so I miss things where they've turned up without a blanket or anything to lie on. And maybe, you know, for example, ladies, just a small purse. And it's like. And so instead of going, have you brought. Have you brought Something to lie on, something. It's like, have you brought a mat or a blanket? And they're like, no. And sometimes they can go straight into defensive. So attack is the first line of defence. No, I haven't. It didn't say it didn't say it didn't say. It didn't tell me. I didn't know that I should. And of course everything does, but it's in small print. But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. It's like, right, okay, let's look after you. We want to look after. That's okay. That's fine. Breathe, relax. We're fine. Right, okay. So come with me. We've got some spare blankets. We've got some. And there's been times where I've given up my bed and the others have given up theirs. So that everybody that comes in has their best experience. And it really is a love thing. We really love for people to have their best experience and I think it comes through. But as a team working together, there is never any conflict. You know, if I make a mistake, somebody jumps in and rectifies that without. I don't take offence because it's not important. Everything is all about the success on the night of everybody getting their best experience.

James Mayer: 44:52

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 44:52

You know, and. And it's just. And it is so beautiful how. And I know family, but I'm not technically family. But how they have a thinking just. So we're all completely different characters.

James Mayer: 45:06

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 45:06

Totally different types of characters. But how it all works, the energy brings it together and the experiences. So no matter what, we don't ever panic or get anxious, whatever. We deal with it.

James Mayer: 45:20

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 45:21

If something happens unexpectedly, we just deal with it.

James Mayer: 45:24

This is learning the event space as well, I think, stepping in where you're the creator of an event, you're dealing with ticket sales, refunds, people wanting to change dates. You realise, like, oh, I am actually in the event space. I now host events and there's so much learning in that time. Unexpected things that pop up on the day. Especially like the cathedral, when everyone's coming into the event, but the cathedral have. Have something of their own that is at a set time that we didn't quite expect. And, you know, the organs playing certain songs and we're thinking, oh, people aren't going to like this. But then people are complimenting. Oh, it actually adds to the experience. So everything is. Is kind of like a true learning curve. But there's been. There's not been anything touch wood that we've not handled or. Or sailed through. And I think it is when you look at everyone's world, I'm very, you know, me, I'm very dialled in on detail. So I can be very kind of like, no, this needs to be like this. No, that has to be like that.

Maureen Fearon: 46:35

And we're completely accepting of that and that's fine.

James Mayer: 46:38

And I think everyone, everyone gets that. And then I think that trickles through to like one day when you saw the lavender bags, it's like, no, that needs to be this way. The attention to detail that people might not even see, but. And then the caring aspect, you know, Lauren being a nurse, Helena being a nurse, they're naturally dealing with people every day in service of people. And Leah having the nature she does, my mom having the nature she does. And I'm just looking at like, these are people that are in and around not only my lineage, but kind of these are the people that I would truly want helping me this event. And I think there's been people that have come in and tried to help and things haven't worked out. And it's like just trusting that this thing is exactly what I intended it to be. But to have that support is just amazing. And people do feel it. And I think these days as well, because we're human. There's some days where I might want to be more active in showing people to the space and I'll walk them in myself and I might want to speak to people a bit more. That's my energy. And then there's. There's other days I can feel I need to get myself right before I deliver this sound bath. So I might be not as present in the lead up. And there's never that thing of where's James? Maybe just like, I just need to go into this room and just meditate and bring my energy to a place before I'm holding space and directing my energy. And I think that's one thing when you think about anything in life. You're somebody who, if you're going through something, you're going to work on it. I'm never going to enter a sound bath feeling fully pent up and anxious or stressed without doing something about that energy. When I'm holding space for people, and I think it's a real representation of doing the work on yourself, whether it's in the moment or, you know, the grander picture, Daily, weekly, monthly, that having that awareness of, of working on yourself, because that doesn't only benefit you, it benefits other people. But the sound bath space has been just, just Amazing. Like, there's moments where we've gone from, like, 35 people in a room, which is still a large sound bath, to even start those numbers, to me driving past Victoria Baths and going, I think that would be a great venue, doing that. Selling out 90 people straight for public call, 75 people. Me thinking Manchester Cathedral is obviously going to sound incredible. Doing that, 300 people and just having that moment at, at the end of it, just standing at the back. There's such a weird feeling I can't even put into words. It's like I've been through the whole process of pressing the button for the event to go live, doing all the copy the images, creating a Facebook event, Instagram posts, sending emails out, doing the marketing, and I have a moment that. That's reality and I stand at the back. Sometimes I don't even feel like I've just delivered the sound bath or this whole thing has come from months of, of me creating something. But there's such an energy in that space and it's beautiful now to be back at the podcast side of things, because this is where it all started from. My dad having a mental health breakdown, me thinking, right, we need to get talking, because the system I witnessed was. Was ridiculous. So we started a podcast. You were the perfect, perfect person to kick the podcast off with in that space because of all your expertise, and then to see what's kind of grown organically with the sound bath. And me now using kind of like all my music production knowledge, my NLP teachings from yourself, the power of language, weaving that into recordings to help people settle and relax outside of the sessions. And one phrase I hear a lot from people is I just struggle to switch off. So, first of all, congratulations, because you've arrived at a sound bath and I know for a fact you're going to switch off. That excites me when people say I've never been to a sound bath before. It's kind of like my favourite thing to hear.

Maureen Fearon: 51:22

So I'm like, well, when I see it coming through the door, it's like, have you been to a sound bath before? And that one single question, you get a wide variety of responses, both in tone, body language and words. And sometimes it's like fear and, and. And so. So I think 99 of the time. Oh, my God, that is fantastic. I'm so excited for you.

James Mayer: 51:50

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 51:50

And I said, you're gonna love it. Absolutely. And then I can pick up on the ones that I just need to teach the staring technique to help them calm the minds down. And it's wonderful. And because I see people coming in, I also see them going out, saying goodbye and have, you know, great. Some of them. The difference is remarkable. And what I love are those. Because I would say it is for everyone, although it's not for everyone. It is for everyone because if everyone goes in, they will. They cannot avoid getting a benefit.

James Mayer: 52:27

Yeah, that is, that's without feeling some type of relaxation.

Maureen Fearon: 52:32

Even if your mind won't let you. If not, not caught them and taught them how to steal the mind that your body can't resist the sound frequency going in. You just can't do it. Because there's been times where I've been doing whatever and then I, I just can come and, and just relax down. So my mind is kind of like energised and, and sometimes it doesn't want to calm down and so I'll do different things with it. But the actual sound still has that. That calming effect on my body, that, that releasing that freeing effect on the body. And so people, as they come in and as they go and saying, how was that? I love to seeing bliss. It's literal bliss.

James Mayer: 53:20

Some people look literally drunk off relaxation.

Maureen Fearon: 53:23

Oh my God, that is amazing.

James Mayer: 53:24

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 53:26

Wish you well goodbye. Because you don't want to talk to me. You just want to go home and. Or just go and just embrace this feeling. So a lot of people, I won't even stop for a chat because they're like, wow. It's like, oh great. Have a wonderful. And just help them, you know, because that's what they want to do. Others are so excited, they want to tell me. And, and people have so many different. So one of the things you cannot tell somebody what their experience is going to be because you just don't know. And so many. It's like, oh my God, I didn't expect that. It's like, well, what did you experience? And I've had somebody that's had feeling that they've connected with loved ones that have passed away. I've got others.

James Mayer: 54:03

And have you noticed? Because I think you were present when the lady shared that with us. Just like whenever we've done an NLP group, there's a theme that comes up on that day in the circle of people. I've noticed that in sound baths, when one person shares something, someone might just share something that seems to connect and resonate. And I think there's. That's the, the unseen element of these spaces because I think there is a, an energetical spiritual element of something that is happening in that room because we're all there. Everyone has energy, everyone has an aura that's spreading out to the next person. And when we're all there with intention to release, to let go, there's so much that is connected in the space that I've noticed that I might overhear someone sharing something with you, or someone just shares something with me, and then the next person you might have a brief chat with and those things link together. So that's been a really beautiful thing, I think, to just witness that in a same session, similar experiences for people. I think there was a session where two or three people have said, I connected with a loved one who's passed

Maureen Fearon: 55:15

on in a beautiful way.

James Mayer: 55:17

In a beautiful way. And probably. Probably something that they've wanted to happen as well. And it came through in the sound bath. And for me, as the years have gone on doing this, I am always so thankful for the stories that people share with me because it is kind of makes me realise how important this work is. And I think what. What you said there, like, about the mind not shutting off, I think people, some people can come to a sound bath and think it is only about the mind, relaxing the mind. And there's so much that goes on in the body. I had a lady think she had some type of operation on her shoulder and she said, my. It might not have been a shoulder. Whatever the. Whatever the body part was, I can't quite remember, but I remember saying that was tingling the whole way through. I was like, well, you're in the healing process, so your body will be taking that sound vibration and it will know what to do with it. So if you're feeling that, that's a great time to set an intention, to maximise the healing potential of your own body. Your body knows what to do. So when we hear those types of tones and sounds, there's a reason why towards the end of the singing bowls, the breaths get deeper, the snoring can start, is because that's really activating your parasympathetic nervous system. For you to drop into the relaxation of the body doesn't always need to be the mind. Sometimes your body is holding on to things and that vibration of sound is helping shift it out. And sometimes that can come up through emotion as well. So had a lady on the online sound bath who messaged me afterwards and said, thank you so much. A lot of emotion came up for me tonight, which I didn't expect. I said, amazing. That's what needed to happen. Your body was ready to let go and Sound was the. The thing that helped facilitate that. So I think.

Maureen Fearon: 57:23

And I. And I had one of those experiences on the online one.

James Mayer: 57:26

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 57:27

co-supporter. So because I'm co supporting and looking make. Keeping one eye on the chat, et cetera. And I can't remember how it is, but I had whoa. And I was off camera so people didn't see me and it was like, whoa. It was just a huge emotional release. I didn't know. He didn't know. Needed releasing. It was so significant. I think I've written down the details of it somewhere, but it was just so powerful. It was just literally from nowhere. I don't know whether it was something that you said or a thought of mine that just burst it and crying my eyes out. And then by the time we got back on to the end, it was just like whatever that was. And I just felt so freer. It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Because we've all got stuff that we don't know that's there lying ready to come under. But the sound baths get the body because the body can heal itself. It's a healing mechanism, it's a releasing mechanism and so it helps get it into that place and supports it healing, supports it to be in a safe zone, to release. There's many feedback where. And I've. And I've done this myself in the live ones where I've been lay there and I'm feeling terribly happy and peace of mind perfectly fine. But my eyes have cried, watered, not cried, as in crying with an emotion. Just emptied, just lay there and my eyes have just emptied without any emotion coming to the surface. And if that's releasing something that's going to be beneficial for me to let go of, I technically consciously don't need to know. I'm just grateful whatever it's happened and lots of people experience that just to

James Mayer: 59:13

see it as a release happened. And that's always a positive.

Maureen Fearon: 59:17

Yeah. And I've had. Well. Well, can I just ask it? I lay there and my eyes just watered and I don't know why. And it's like, yeah, just see what happens. Just see. See what change that is. There's no need. So long as you're feeling good, that's all that matters. There's no need for us to go into analysing and making judgments about things. Just let it be and just embrace and enjoy those positive results. And then of course, there's plenty of people that have had specifics come to mind. You know, all, you know, the usual negative emotional stuff, feeling trapped in life. Feeling sad, depressed, whatever. And it's amazing what, what actually happened to me. Literally, they're a magical experience. And there are, there are some people, as I say, it's outside their comfort zone to do something like that. Well, go and lie down in a sound bath listening to woo woo kind of sound. And so a lot of people, it's like so uncomfortable. And you know what? Those are the people that get the best results.

James Mayer: 1:00:21

Yeah. I find one of the, one of the best times that I actually absolutely love and if I get the chance to speak with the person I always do is when men arrive, especially when men are often with the partners. But if we get men that arrive on their own and often they'll come up to me and say, incredible that, mate. And I say, can I just say well done for, for being here. Because the more men that arrive in this space, and I think there is a connection when they see me holding a sound bath, because there is very few, I would say, on the scale of like male to female ratio of sound bath practitioners.

Maureen Fearon: 1:01:07

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:01:08

And also I'm not changing the way that I am in that space. Like, I'm talking how I'm talking at the start and the end and, and you get the energy of who I am.

Maureen Fearon: 1:01:18

What you see is what you get.

James Mayer: 1:01:19

What you see is what you get. And I think men are resonating with that. And there's some sessions we'll get a high ratio of men. Like the cathedral, if it's the last one or the one before. A lot of men on their own, incredible, fantastic. And they'll happily come and say, incredible that me. And I think when the masculine energy can show up in those spaces, for vulnerability, to be vulnerable, to let go. Because I think a lot of men worry about being vulnerable in the space. Snoring, disrupting, other people, not wanting to

Maureen Fearon: 1:01:54

or just, or just being judged for being there.

James Mayer: 1:01:56

Yeah. And I think when, when I see that on the other side and, and seeing men show up in that space is such a beautiful thing. I've even seen, you know, groups of friends together and it's all men.

Maureen Fearon: 1:02:09

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:02:10

And those bigger sessions, especially as I'm walking around because there's only you, you will have experienced it at some point because in, at the cathedral, I have asked you to play the chimes with Helena. Because the space is so big, there's only so much I can do. So to fill a space, you've. You've been on a, a chime walk. So you will see like pockets of, of couples holding hands and people Just like snuggled into each other. There's so much love in the room and there's such an array of people that arrive at the sessions that it's been incredible. And to be at the third season this year, heading back to Victoria baths and having 3,000 people arrive at a Life Is Sound event. Since the first one was October 2023, we've had 3,000 people through the door, which is just unreal. So to grow. To grow the sound bath to the level it's at now is. Has been such a privilege and pleasure. But to hear people's storeys. And I wish I could speak to everyone after a session.

Maureen Fearon: 1:03:22

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:03:23

But when people choose to share, it is just a moment for me to be like, this is the reason I'm doing it. And I always think about the reason I started from my grandma in the hospital room and that idea growing into. To what it is now.

Maureen Fearon: 1:03:38

Yeah. Well, I remember when she came to a sound bath and I remember talking to her and she did. She told. She said it was because of James, you know, because of his playing the handpan. That I'm here today.

James Mayer: 1:03:54

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:03:54

I'm convinced it was. It was absolutely. That helped me. That helped heal me. And she. And it was just like, oh, so lovely. But it was just so lovely that she could actually come to a live one as well.

James Mayer: 1:04:04

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:04:05

And experience that. And it's just so. But going back to what you're saying about the partners coming, I love it when male partner is with maybe his wife or his girlfriend and it's like, have you been into a sound bath before? Because of course dependent on whether we give some basic instructions. So it's important that everybody knows and has all that they need to thoroughly enjoy it. So some people, it's like they've done it before. It's like, I don't have to give you the other the words. And so often it's like, have you been to a sound bath? And the gentleman may say, watch my eyes. It's like, I'm here with her. And she's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I've dragged him along.

James Mayer: 1:04:46

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:04:47

And he's like, so it's like, so you not really wanted to be here. And then when they come out, they went, wow. Oh, my God. That isn't what I expected. Like, well, what did you expect? Dunno. But that was somewhere else.

James Mayer: 1:05:01

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:05:01

And. But. But you can actually just see it as well. So because of. Because of my work, working with people, you're looking at bodies and looking at tiny changes all the time and it is one of the things that you can pick up on. And because the mind processes and you're doing it all the time, you pick up unconsciously, often. So you might have somebody whose shoulders are up here, but when they go out, the shoulders are down there, relaxed, brilliant.

James Mayer: 1:05:25

And they make the conscious effort to come and say thank you to me. Yeah, incredible that, mate. Top job, however they word it, a firm handshake and a thank you. I just love it when I connect with the people who. Who really kind of probably expect not to get much out of the experience. But there is such a. Such deep work that goes into those sessions. Sound is healing.

Maureen Fearon: 1:05:55

Oh, well, do you know, I saw. I saw a video of sound working on tumours.

James Mayer: 1:06:03

I saw that, I think. Yeah. And that was a long time ago.

Maureen Fearon: 1:06:07

Wow. And. And also recently, because I don't know how, you know, we attract certain things, but recently, away from the sound baths, the. The social media feeds that I'm attracting is. And I think maybe it's teaching me to go and learn the technicals of the different frequencies of healing. And so. So I've got a list of questions I need to go and look at. How do you know what is the healing frequency? So, my friend, wonderful friend. I don't know whether the last year or the year before I went, I've seen some me see something. I want it. Tuning fork. Oh, my tuning forks. And then it was like, oh, my gosh. Oh, it's such a complicated business. I just thought, tuning fork. Just want one thing. Anyway, she bought me one for Christmas as kind of like a fun, kind of like stocking filler. And it's like, wow, that is amazing. And it's like. I don't know if I'm using it properly. It's got the imprint of what. How the frequency is. It hurts. Yeah. But I have no idea whether that's good, whether there's a good gooder or bad or whatever or how you do it. So I've been trying it on all sorts of things. So I've been trying it. I had an ear infection, so it's like, oh, I want to heal naturally as much. So it's like banging all around the side where I had the ear infection and then holding it on the edge and going bang so that it's actually touching and going. Whether that's. Whether that's the right thing to do, I don't know. But I just find that sound is just becoming incredibly powerful as a beautiful, natural way for relaxing, helping our minds to switch off. I When I, when I'm lay there, if my mind is alert, I'd like to fall asleep and go into one of those zonk sleeps that you might have when you're having a. But that's never happened yet. And so if my mind is alert I'll actually use some of the exercise, one of the exercises to shift something and just let my mind just very gently go and shift something that is unwanted. So it could be worrying about something, it could be, I don't know, fear that I don't have enough time, whatever it might be because we've all got stuff to work on. Because, you know, I was with my uncle on Sunday and he had this cassette tape going back to the 70s when cassettes were first. When it first came out to be recording on, you know, where you can record your voice on it. And he'd captured, he'd found it, it's an absolute gem. And it had my grandma on and my other uncle that's passed away and he played it and oh my gosh, the, it just, it was like an electric bolt to my heart and it just made me cry. I don't know quite what the, what the emotions were. I couldn't quite explain them if I had to, but it was just like this, wow. But it was the voices that were just connected. So I picked up on those emotions and then also listening to my uncle's voice because when we were kids we just looked up to him. It was brilliant. But because I know what I know now because of my, my work, I could pick up on his hesitant hesitancy in a replying to a particular question. And I thought, oh my gosh, it might not have been the confident uncle that I believe that he was because to me as a little girl he was just, you know, just so confident. Confident, self assured and wise and old as you do. And so I had those emotions and then I decided to do some EFT on them knowing that it was lovely. So I did and I can't remember video recorded it and it's gone and picked up something from being very, very young. But I'm able to listen. I have done every single day just listening to that same recording and now it's just a beautiful experience that just makes me smile and giggle.

James Mayer: 1:10:20

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:10:21

Whereas on Sunday, less than a week ago, it just kicked me and I couldn't resist the crying. It's like, wow. And that's a, that's. That's the personal journey. Anytime I recognise something, I make a decision. Is that good for me? Do I want it yes or no. And if I can do something about it there and then, then I will. Otherwise I write it down because I easily forget too much. Write it down and then I'll come back to it because it might be I'm feeling all great and it's like, yeah, but on Sunday I felt that and I can just go and I. You can pick up on. And still, even though it's not bothering you right now, you can pick up and make those internal changes.

James Mayer: 1:10:59

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:11:00

Clearing what, what is good to clear.

James Mayer: 1:11:02

And I think it's so important in this day and age for people to keep pouring into themselves because we're all in the same spot. Life is getting expensive. Nearly every one of my bills this month I got a message ping through on my banking app. This bill has gone up by three pound. This bill's gone up by four pound. This, this bill is eight pound more this month. And my reactive response to that straight away was I'm so thankful that people are booking tickets to my sound baths for one reason because everyone's feeling that pinch and the people that are booking tickets are investing into themselves. And I think it's so important whether it's a sound bath with me or someone else or something in the wellness space that you are choosing to spend money on your well being because the systems around us, the powers at play, the people that you know, have the cards and playing controlling us basically controlling those giant chess moves, they don't want you spending money on those type of things. So I think it is so important to be checking in with yourself whether it's doing EFT at home that is a free thing you can do.

Maureen Fearon: 1:12:20

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:12:20

Or, or you are leaving the house to go to an event and be around like minded people that are all there to relax and let go of something.

Maureen Fearon: 1:12:28

And that's the beauty of the audiences. Everybody's so friendly, non judgmental and accepting of each other. So a lot of people are very close, lying down close to somebody and everybody's just so lovely with each other. It's just so beautiful. It's just how mankind naturally is.

James Mayer: 1:12:50

The energy, I think I felt it for the, not the first time but at scale at the first cathedral event when obviously we're welcome, welcoming people and there's a lot of people to get settled. But you can see people having conversations and they might be having conversations with people that not even arrived with.

Maureen Fearon: 1:13:10

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:13:10

And then you can, you can feel the anticipation building and then they might see me walk through the space and they're like, it's starting and then it. The energy starts to settle. But I don't even think I can put it into words of. Of the. The type of people that are arriving at our sessions. But it's such a beautiful energy. But I never take for granted the money that people are spending.

Maureen Fearon: 1:13:37

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:13:37

A Life Is Sound event at this time.

Maureen Fearon: 1:13:39

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:13:40

And it's a reason why I've not changed my ticket prices for the past three years. Because I want it to be accessible for people.

Maureen Fearon: 1:13:46

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:13:46

Might not be the cheapest, but I know for a fact the value that is coming from all angles. As soon as you enter a live-a-son soundbath.

Maureen Fearon: 1:13:55

And also there are an awful lot of costs behind the scenes of. You know, it's not just the ticket price. There's so much involved.

James Mayer: 1:14:02

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:14:03

So many costs.

James Mayer: 1:14:04

You run in a whole.

Maureen Fearon: 1:14:05

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:14:05

A whole business which is behind the scenes that people are never going to

Maureen Fearon: 1:14:09

see and they don't. We don't want them to.

James Mayer: 1:14:11

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:14:12

It's like, no, you just come here and enjoy the experience that's it's come

James Mayer: 1:14:16

to relax and switch off. And I think it's. It's so important that people keep investing in things that work for you. And the thing with a sound bath, I always say to people, your experience today will not be the same experience as your next one because you're not showing up as the same person. How you're feeling, thinking today you could be in a whole different place in four weeks time. So you're going to have a different experience. And I never play the same thing. So I play my sessions intuitively. There's always the same flow. And the reason I keep it the same is because I want people to become familiarised with the pattern and the flow. And I switch up here and there. But repetition creates the best change.

Maureen Fearon: 1:15:03

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:15:04

So when you know, if you've been a few times or the people that come regular, they know what to expect in terms of flow. But I'm never playing the same way. I intuitively play my instruments, meaning I'm playing in the moment. So I can sense when I can play quicker and faster and stronger or I can read and be like, I can feel this just needs to be chilled tonight when I get to like the handpan or I can feel when I can push it and everyone's experience, regardless of how I play. But I do play differently at each sound bath. But every sound bath is going to be different. And I encourage people to, you know, try different sound baths, see what one feels like to another. I have A certain setup and somebody else will have a different one. But one thing I really ask of people is to keep spending money on yourself.

Maureen Fearon: 1:16:04

Well, unfortunately, people increasingly have got to be finding. Because if we. If we put it into one aspect of it is mental health, they've got to be finding their own ways of managing the mental health. Yeah, I was listening to when I was driving in the car about, we've got an increasing problem. It's forever, it's always increasing, but it's really increasing. But the NHS services, instead of just keeping them building on the ones that have got opinions on what they could do to truly help manage mental health. But anyway, they don't want to know, but they're actually cutting down the workforce. So we've got a growing problem and there's less people to. And I heard a waiting list of eight years. It's like, what. That is outrageous. So more and more people have got a fine. I'm going to be writing an article next week because a lot of parents of young children, teenagers and children or their children in their 20s and 30s, and they need that. They're not happy, they're depressed, anxieties, crazy, all sorts of different problems. And so they need help. And there was one recently where they've been. This. This parent has been paying for the child for many years with. For this service, this counselling service. And I asked, and. And how's it. How's that working? Well, it's not. I've not seen any improvement. So it's like it's been years and you're not seeing any improvement. So surely when she comes out, she's. No, no, she just goes straight back up into a room in a sulk and just, you know, that's it. And it's kind of. So many parents are paying for private therapy. So whether we like it or not, and a lot of our NHS services are being pushed to private. You know, if people have got a condition, and I know quite a lot, I've got to go and get a private consultant before I can get a letter that then I can go and get the help that I need on the nhs. It means I don't have to wait for three years. So we're already pushing it out into private. But I think there's a big push on the mental health where people are going to have to go and look for private now, especially because, you know, working class people, low income people, have not got an awful lot of money to spend. So what they need and nowhere's giving it to them. I'M going to write. I might even do a video maybe, or maybe we could do a podcast on how do you choose a therapist for yourself or people that you care about? How do you choose the mental health service that's going to help? And so I'm going to create a guide so that because you're a customer and there are some. So I remember years ago working with this, this lady's teenager and the teenage teenager had been seeing a psychologist for a hundred, this is years ago, 120 pounds for 40 minutes and had had a series and sadly the child had not teased teenager had not had a positive experience and so then came to me and just needed one. It was a long session, about three hours and, and that was. It gave the tools, helped them feel better in, in the session and gave them the tools. But they would never have been able without the recommendation of being able to find this methodology that is going to help. So they should be able to ask questions. So if people come to me and they, you know what, what can I expect? So I would expect if you go with the flow of what I'm doing and the techniques that are available, I expect that you walk out feeling better than when you walked in. I can only tell you that based upon the years that I've been doing it, that if you work, and I've got to be honest, there's nobody walked out feeling the same or worse. And so when you're looking for, you're a customer, you want to check out, is it going to be worth me spending this money? And whilst, oh, that's a lot of money, it's not really, it's just that we're not familiar with the space of good therapy and what it costs. And you know, it's a business as well, just like going to the nhs, but it is so important and you've got the right to go and ask how. Well, what will happen? You can ask what goes on in a session? What do I need to prepare? What will we do? What will happen to me or my child? You know, I have lots of parents, so long as they're the child, whether it's a child that's 10, 15, 40, so long as they're okay. Then the parent comes. If it's on zoom, you're happy, I'm happy that you're in the background or whatever works, you're the customer when it comes to these kind of things. But unfortunately, more and more we're going to have to be self managing mental health because it is massively on the increase and people have got no understanding of how to manage it. I'd love to see it being taught in primary school so that primary school kids can learn strategies so that they don't fall into the problem areas, so that they can just be happy and free and, you know, even. Even for example, the EFT technique, I love sharing that, especially with kids, because they can use it for their exam performance and revision as well. So not only to help them manage and get rid of anxiety so they can be free to be, feel, feel great about themselves, but they teach them how to use the mind, how to get access to memory in an exam so that you can get your best performance in the exam. Because. Because how many students have you heard where it's like, oh, and I knew that when they come out of the exam. So that technique, little basic training, you can use it to improve your exam performance. You can improve it so that you've got self confidence. When life gives you the slap and emotionally you're upset, you can use it to reset and get back to feeling great again. And that's what I'd love to see happening in primary schools. Teachers need it as well, not just the kids.

James Mayer: 1:22:37

Yeah. And there's so many modalities. I think quite a regular thing I've heard from people is you don't realise how much these sound baths have helped me over the past six months with what. What I've been going through. And I think that, again, is just a moment of gratitude from me. First of all, well done for showing up.

Maureen Fearon: 1:23:03

Yeah.

James Mayer: 1:23:03

Because when you are in the thick of the mud going through it, sometimes you don't want to go anywhere and you're entering a room full of 90 people who. You might not know any of them and you might. The person might even come on their own, but they're showing up and they found something that is just helping ease that thing. So I think whatever the modality is, whatever the thing is that can serve you while you're going through that thing, invest into it.

Maureen Fearon: 1:23:30

Exactly.

James Mayer: 1:23:31

If it costs you 20 pound a month, 30 pound, 40 pound, and. And you can afford it, please just make sure you're pouring into yourselves. I think that's such a big thing.

Maureen Fearon: 1:23:40

It's whatever works.

James Mayer: 1:23:41

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:23:41

And I know that there are some who come regularly and they've got stressful jobs, stressful lives, and it is the thing that resets them and then the fresh and free, and then the next month they come back at the plate because of the nature of life, because. And it's just like this is. And I've heard it said, this is my saviour. Yeah. Because it just resets and then life is the same. But it's like, I can. I can start afresh and then with next month. Oh, and I'm so desperate because it all builds up.

James Mayer: 1:24:15

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:24:15

And it's brilliant that you can just let it build because that's the nature of life. If that's your life, then it builds up. It's important to get the release so that you can start again, so that. So that you just don't go into that dangerous. Tipped over into that dangerous zone. It's beautiful.

James Mayer: 1:24:30

And now we've got the podcast back to help support people on the conversational side of things and just offering that. That listening experience when we can hopefully deliver those nuggets that just might help people on the journey. And also with guest episodes, hearing people's stories, what other people go through. I think there's such power in storytelling and sharing and connecting to other people's stories, which unlocks something in our own path. I'm gonna go and try that thing. I've not done that. So I think now we've had all the experience in the sound bath space, holding space for people and just grow in a beautiful community. Now we can take it back to where we started and just get some power in conversation and keep that a regular, accessible thing for people as well. If you can't make a sound bath, you can at least press play on a podcast and hopefully find something that helps you on your journey and shout.

Maureen Fearon: 1:25:29

For those of your audience that don't know, shall we share them how you stole your mind? Yeah, go for it right now. Okay, so there is a relationship between what our eyes are doing. I don't know if the camera can pick up on my eyes. Wild wandering eyes. There's a relationship between the eye movement and the activity of the brain. So have you ever been in one of those meetings where you're just staring at somebody, maybe on a stage, and they're still and your eyes are perfectly fixed on them, and then you just want to fall asleep? If we still our eyes and focus on a spot, blink as much as you need to blink. So just try it. Now have your eyes perfectly still and just take a deep breath in. Keep your eyes perfectly still. Just breathe in, just breathe out. Keeping your eyes. And that's the skill to master. Keeping the eyes perfectly still as though you're staring at a tiny dot. You can imagine that you're looking deep into horizon and there's a tiny, happy boat on the horizon. It's a tiny spot and you just staring at it. Just breathing and keeping your eyes still will still your mind's activity. When your eyes are moving, then it's activating your thought system. Visuals, you know, pictures, what I need to do, what things look like, all the words, oh, I need to remember this, whatever. So. And also emotions as well. So when our eyes are moving, it activates the thought factory, if you like. So by simply stilling your eyes. And if you want to go to sleep, you have. You look down and you just still your eyes and just breathe. And you can do it with your eyes shut as well, but just have your eyes perfectly still. And that's how you stop erasing mind. There's other little exercises you can do, a little bit added onto that, but simply, that's what you can do. So if you're having a meeting and you need to stay awake and the person stood there and you're staring at them and you need to stay awake, get your eyes moving, it'll keep you awake. That's why when people wake up in the middle of the night, they're like, all right, what do I need to do? Because what we think and how we think is related to our eye movements, like dancing. And so when we start doing that, it wakes us up, it wakes up the thought factory. So to send it back to sleep, to send it into calm and with practise, you can use that in so many ways.

James Mayer: 1:27:57

Yeah.

Maureen Fearon: 1:27:58

But if you. If you. If you're going to a sound bath or if you're listening to say so because you've got some. Some music as well and stuff online. There's lots of stuff online. Then close your eyes and imagine a spot and you'll find it'll help relax your mind and it'll help you. But because the more. If you think about your racing mind, it's like a. A car needs petrol, it needs fuel, and if your body needs fuel to heal, then we don't want the car racing around doing stuff that's not useful. We want that energy to be healing and so stop the car from racing and just let the body do what it naturally wants and knows to do. And it's. We're an amazing system. Yeah, absolutely amazing.

James Mayer: 1:28:47

So, Mo, I want to say a big thank you. We're back. It's episode 44. We've hit an hour and 20, which just flies by. It's just remembering how quick. How quick time goes when we're in a sound bath goes so quick. Now I'm remembering how quick time goes when we're podcasting, but we're gonna have so many episodes ahead of us. Being consistent, delivering good episodes for people. So after two and a half years, welcome back. Thank you for being here and thank you for listening. We'll see you all in the next one. If you want to find out about events, anything that we're delivering through Life is sound, just visit lifeissound.com you'll find everything on there from soundbars to podcast episodes and all the the recordings that can help you relax from Handpan music to things like the seven Day Record. Just visit the website and you'll find everything there. All Maureen's details will be in the descriptions of this show. So thank you Maureen for being here.

Maureen Fearon: 1:29:51

My pleasure. Always my pleasure.

James Mayer: 1:29:53

Thank you for just being a part of life. is Sound from the beginning. From podcast to sb, you've been here through awesome. Big thank you and we'll see you again on the next one. Sending big love to you all. Remember, life is good. Life is so.