The South is full of paradoxes—tradition and innovation, big hair and bare feet, as well as faith and mysticism. For instance, I go to church most every Sunday and listen to God’s word, but I also love some woo woo. You know woo woo: Psychics, tarot cards, manifestation classes, etc. And ever since the start of the new year, every other Sunday I go to sound baths in Atlanta.
The first sound bath I ever tried was during a private party at my home for a group of my girlfriends to start the new year. Bougie + woo woo, I know. (It’s surprisingly affordable!) As one of my friends said when I invited her, “I can’t get my hair wet!” But contrary to the name, a sound bath does not involve water.
What Exactly is a Sound Bath?
A sound bath is like a deep breath for your spirit. It’s a time to close your eyes, lay on the floor and be wrapped in the gentle hum of singing bowls, gongs and chimes. A sound bath is a prayer-like, meditative moment. And it’s meant to quiet the mind, soften the stress, and nudge your body back into a state of healing. No two sound baths are the same.
Two Dudes and Some Bowls
If any two people embody the two-sided nature of the South, it’s the men that performed that sound bath at my house: David Whaley and his husband Steve Hightower. The pair go to church regularly and even sing in the choir every Sunday. Then every other Sunday at 5:30pm they conduct sound baths for a growing clientele.
David is a native Atlantan, born at Crawford Long Hospital, grew up in the Methodist church here in Atlanta and went to UGA for landscape architecture. He’s Southern through and through. None of that past portends to becoming a Reiki master. Not only is he great at Reiki, he’s also a Certified Sound Therapist, Oncology Massage Therapist, Polarity Therapy Practitioner, Deep Tissue therapist, and Deep Structural Release therapist.
He’s been practicing in a private studio inside Steve Hightower Hair Salon for over two decades and has a dedicated following of clients who he has helped release pain and heal. (Including me!)
Steve is a well known stylist who has spent decades perfecting his craft, only to realize that beauty isn’t just about the outside—it’s about the energy you bring to it. So he embarked on a learning path of how to administer sound bath therapy.
Born and raised in Lookout Mountain, Ala. in the Baptist church, Steve took the scenic route to Atlanta. A chance encounter with a modeling scout in Alabama led him from small-town life to the high-stakes world of international modeling. Frankfurt, New York, fashion, fame—it was a whirlwind few years. But as with many stories from that era, the highs were matched by lows. When the industry’s indulgences no longer served him, he traded in the fast life for something more tangible: hair.
Steve’s mother—a deeply religious Southern woman who was raised by a pastor and believed that love transcends doctrine—was a guiding force for expanding this part of his life. “She always said God loves you. Everyone is His child. She never judged. She loved David so much.” That open-hearted spirituality makes me believe Steve’s mom was a a Two-Sided Southern pioneer woman. He credits her for paving the way for his eventual journey following his husband into energy work and sound therapy.
After a life changing spiritual retreat in Arizona, Steve found himself drawn to the idea that healing isn’t just about how you look in the mirror but how you feel in your bones.
And it turns out, the Southern society set—the ones you’d expect to be the most skeptical—are fully on board.
Buckhead Bettys and the Business of Energy
“I get Buckhead Bettys in here all the time,” laughs Steve, referring to Atlanta’s polished, old-money elite. “And you’d think they’d be skeptical [about sound baths], but they’re open. They come for hair, and then they’re like, ‘What’s this sound bath thing?’”
“One of our clients is from a very well-known, wealthy Atlanta family,” says David. “She has chronic joint pain, and the sound bath releases the tension in her body. It allows her to be pain-free and to also release anxiety.” This client admits, “I don’t know all the science behind this, but it works! If you are considering trying [soundbaths], this is the place to go.”
Other patients are cancer survivors who say it helps them with their chronic pain. Still others say that after having a sound bath, it’s the best sleep they’ve had in a long time. It turns out, whether it’s a perfectly placed highlight or a recalibrated energy field, people are looking for the same thing: to feel good. “I didn’t plan on being a spokesperson for healing,” Steve admits, “but when you’ve done something for 40 years like hair, you realize it’s not about making someone look beautiful—it’s about making them feel beautiful.”
Strength to Strength
It’s not lost on me that these two men are in their “second act” with this sound bath work. It reminds me of Arthur Brooks’ book that I love called “Strength to Strength.” It’s a book that speaks to shifting from one strength to another as we move through life. They have an authentic calling and passion for what they’re doing.
The idea behind the book is true happiness comes when the second half of your life is about something different than the first half. Hence, you can’t just keep doing what you did before after middle age.
In a world that often forces us to choose between faith and mysticism, these two prove that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is embrace both. I know I have. Because being Two-Sided Southern? That’s where the real magic happens.
If you are curious about a sound bath I hope you will join me at one on a Sunday soon. The next one is May 4, May 18, June 1, June 15, 2025 and so on and so on.
Call 404.264.9006 to let them know you’re coming and find out the details.
