When it comes to self care, summer meets you halfway! Warm temperatures and more daylight lend themselves to getting active and seeking healing remedies. Downtown has many self care opportunities, including a new, free sound bath workshop at Lincoln Park that is quite a hit with locals. Pick some destinations from our list and get your self care regimen rolling!
SOUND BATH WORKSHOP / LINCOLN PARK, EVERY TUESDAY FROM 6:30 TO 7:30 PM
Instructor Brandi at Lincoln Park’s weekly Sound Bath Workshop
Sound therapist Brandi McCullen has only done three of her weekly one-hour sound bath workshops at Lincoln Park, but she can already see the positive effect the sound baths are having on attendees (and bystanders). “People are loving it! They’re surprised at how relaxing it is, especially in a Downtown environment with dogs barking, kids playing, and buses going by,” said McCullen. “People who aren’t involved directly will end up sitting and watching. Even the kids at the skate park come over to visit, and they’re absolutely quiet.”
McCullen, who was born and raised in Compton and has lived in Long Beach for the last 10 years, described her sound bath role as that of a “host, holding space for people to relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and calm their nervous systems.” To achieve this, she calls on the sound healing wisdom she acquired while being mentored in a community of 50 women of color, the Bloom Sound Healers.
After doing a verbal introduction to begin each workshop, McCullen gives out essential oils to bring some aromatherapy to the program. Then she leads the participants in some breath work and a bit of yoga stretching. These preliminary steps relax the body and mind and prepare attendees to receive the good vibrations.
Brandi leading a breathing exercise
McCullen then begins to play some of her sound bowls, which produce frequencies that correspond to the body’s seven chakras, the energy centers that run from the base of the spine to the top of the head. She works her way up from the bottom, starting with lower tones, making sure people are grounded. Then she transitions into her gongs, which always wow her students. “It’s a very cosmic sound,” she explained. “People tell me it makes you feel like you’re floating.”
McCullen moves into higher frequencies with a rain stick and an ocean drum. “When I play the ocean drum over people, they tell me they can feel it pulling the stress out of their bodies,” she said.
By the time McCullen gets to the end of a workshop, she wants her students to feel lighter and happier. “I go into airy chimes, which often evoke early memories like hearing the ice cream truck while sitting on your grandpa’s porch,” she noted. “I start off by grounding you, and you end up in a ‘happy child’ mentality.”
McCullen takes her sound therapy seriously but maintains a lightness and sense of humor while hosting her workshops. “I’m not doing psychiatry or any kind of intense mind work,” she said. “I just want you to lie there and allow me to play instruments, play different sounds around you, and even if you end up having the best nap of your life, you’re welcome!”
When it’s time for post-work refreshment, McCullen loves to visit the 4th Horseman, Altar Society Brewing Co., and Rainbow Juices. “For my own self care, I love walking barefoot at the beach,” she said. “Hearing beach waves is so relaxing. Nothing recharges me more in this city, which is so accessible for an active lifestyle.”
See below for even more self care stops in Downtown:
YOGA AT LINCOLN PARK / SATURDAYS AT 9:15 AM
Yogee Yancy leading the Saturday Yoga class at Lincoln Park
Join yoga instructor Yancy and your fellow self-healers on the small lawn at Lincoln Park for “Yoga – Movement + Flow,” a FREE class every Saturday morning from 9:15 to 10:30 AM. No appointment or reservation is needed. Drop-ins are welcome!
YOGA 108 / 242 E 3RD ST.
Photo courtesy of Yoga108
Yoga 108 offers a deep connection with yoga through classes, workshops, trainings, and retreats. Whether you are working on fitness or spirituality, Yoga 108 has many offerings! For studio hours, class information, and other details about this amazing studio, click here. Follow Yoga 108 on Instagram @yoga108studio. Studio hours: Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 1:30 PM and 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday from 7:15 AM to 6:30 PM.
RAINBOW JUICES / 246 E 3RD ST.
Photo courtesy of Rainbow Juices
Rainbow Juices makes an assortment of fresh, cold-pressed juices that will refresh and reinvigorate you! Their juices and superfood snacks make Rainbow Juices a perfect nutrition stop for people on a self care mission. Click here for shop hours and to check out the menus and custom cleanses. Rainbow Juices is open Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 7 PM, Saturday and Sunday 9 AM to 7 PM.
THE B ROOM / 209 LONG BEACH BLVD.
Photo courtesy of The B Room Barber Shop
Book yourself an appointment at this barber shop/recovery spa/massage studio and come out feeling like a million bucks! You can get a Thai massage and regular haircut combo. You can even enroll in a cold plunge class to fortify your endurance and discipline! For walk-in and appointment hours, click here.
AMBER M AESTHETICS / 509 E BROADWAY
Owner of Amber M. Aesthetics, Amber Miller
Get pampered with a state-of-the-art hydrafacial at Amber M Aesthetics! Your face will be cleansed, exfoliated, and hydrated like never before. The shop is open Monday through Friday, 11 AM to 7 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM.
SALON ROW / 195 E 4TH ST.
Photo courtesy of Salon Row
Salon Row is home to a variety of beauty professionals, and if you’re in the beauty profession, a suite at Salon Row may be the perfect place for you to do business. Click here to see the full roster of hairstylists, brow experts, and cosmetic tattoo artists, so you can book an appointment. And, you can learn about all the amenities available if you would like to open your own suite!
VERNIS SAGE NAIL BAR / 510 LONG BEACH BLVD.
Photo courtesy of Vernis Sage Nail Bar
One look at the gallery in the Vernis Sage Nail Bar website will sell you. Their nail work is pure artistry! A variety of top-level nail and spa services are available, and you get to choose a complimentary drink (Mimosas are a favorite) to help you chill while the technicians work their magic. This superb nail bar is open Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 7 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM.