Sunday Edition: Christina | Lie Down and Listen

Each Sunday, we pause to speak with someone whose work invites presence, intention, and a deeper understanding of wellbeing. This week, we lie down and listen—with Christina, classical pianist, sound healer, and creator of the immersive experience Lie Down and Listen. Born from her lifelong relationship with music and a belief in its transformative, even medicinal, power, her sessions blend classical performance, healing instruments, and deep rest to reconnect the listener to themselves.

We joined Christina at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, to experience and support this immersive performance beneath the stunning Helios in the Painted Hall. Afterward, we sat down with her to uncover the story behind her practice and how sound becomes a gateway to deep introspection.

What inspired you to create Lie Down and Listen? Was there a particular moment or experience that sparked the idea?

There have been several key moments that led me here. I’ve been a classical pianist all my life, and one early influence was my grandmother, who would tell me how her grandfather, when unwell, would go not to the doctor, but to the opera—to feel uplifted and healed.

I also recall playing Liszt’s Consolation in D-flat Major at school when I was about 12. Afterward, my dance teacher, who had just lost someone close, came to me in tears. It was the first time I truly witnessed how music can dissolve barriers and connect us on a purely emotional, spiritual level.

Later, in 2018, I had a chance encounter at the MoMA café in New York with Professor Sir John Strang, head of addiction at King’s College London. We stayed in touch and began a collaboration exploring whether the benefits of a hallucinogenic experience could be replicated—without any hallucinogens—through music and visuals in a lying-down concert setting. Inspired by the New York Hypnotic School of the 1970s (Glass, Riley, Reich), we found that participants experienced altered states: a sense of timelessness, increased creativity, and deep wellbeing. One attendee from the Psychedelic Society said it felt just like a trip—I’ll have to take his word for that.

How did your personal journey with sound healing and classical music begin?

I begged my mum for piano lessons when I was five. My parents were reluctant at first, but music became a self-driven passion from then on. I’ve always had a spiritual sensibility too—I grew up in Christian Science, a faith that believes in healing, so the idea of transcendence through sound was never foreign.

Over the years I practised yoga, and eventually trained in Andalusia with a group called Sound Ceremony, who merge Eastern philosophy with sound, chant, and ritual. The move from classical piano into healing instruments like Tibetan bowls felt like a natural evolution—another way of expressing the voice within.

What do you hope people take away from the experience?

I see myself as a guide, but I don’t want to dictate the outcome. Everyone receives what they’re ready for. There is immense power in the feeling of safety, in the collective energy of the group. People often experience emotional releases because they finally feel held enough to surrender. That, to me, is sacred.

Can you describe a particularly memorable or moving reaction from a guest?

There are so many. One guest in Manchester with diabetes told me her blood sugar dropped five points during the session—she was overjoyed, especially since it wouldn’t normally have responded that way given her pre-session dosage. Others tell me they sleep deeply, often better than they have in months. I’d love to quantify these physical benefits on a larger scale.

You’ve partnered with incredible venues like the Dulwich Picture Gallery and the Natural History Museum. How do you choose the spaces for Lie Down and Listen?

Often, the spaces choose me. Someone attends a session and invites me to bring it elsewhere. I’ll be taking Lie Down and Listen to a heritage museum in Charleston, South Carolina, later this year—after a chance meeting in Burford with a visitor from Charleston who was looking for parking. We kept bumping into each other, stayed in touch, and she eventually invited me. These connections feel destined.

What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspect of curating this program?

The depth of the responses from people—especially those outside the classical music world. They speak from the heart, not the intellect. Traditional concerts often make people feel like they need to “know” the music. I reject that barrier. Music is spiritual. It’s for everyone.

Have you noticed any changes in your own wellbeing through this journey?

Absolutely. I’m learning all the time—from the experiences and from the people who attend. They often leave me notes filled with wisdom and emotion. But more than that, I’ve learned the power of doing what you love. I feel deeply in love with music, sound, creativity—and that joy feeds into everything I share.

Where do you see Lie Down and Listen evolving? Could this type of experience play a bigger role in wellness and mental health?

I’d love to see it used as a therapeutic intervention. I’m currently exploring a partnership with an oncology hospital. But it also has potential as a creative tool—for artists, academics, anyone needing fresh insight or deeper connection to their ideas.

In a world that moves so fast, how do you personally slow down and stay present?

As much as I love silence, I also love movement. I dance 5Rhythms, I run, I even enjoy Barry’s Bootcamp for its high energy. I meditate regularly and still attend sound healing sessions myself. But I’ve found that the true practice is listening with full attention—what Nada Yoga teaches. It’s not just about playing an instrument; it’s about immersing your whole being in the sound.

How has Lie Down and Listen deepened your understanding of music’s relationship with sleep and the mind-body connection?

People always tell me how well they sleep afterwards, which I love to hear. The blend of music and healing sound offers a safe space where listeners can meet themselves—emotionally and spiritually. It’s an invitation to rest, to listen, and to return to what’s essential.

Learn more at: Lie Down and Listen