Frequently Asked Questions
​Everything you might like to know before you join us. If your question isn’t answered here, we’d love to hear from you at info@liedownandlisten.com.
About the experience
What is Lie Down and Listen?
​Lie Down and Listen is a blissful sound healing and lying down classical concert experience, founded by pianist and composer Christina McMaster. You’ll be welcomed into an extraordinary heritage space, settle onto a beautifully made-up bed of soft mattresses, cushions and blankets, and be guided into deep rest through Tibetan bowl sound healing and an exceptional live classical performance. We hold events across England, Scotland, Ireland and the United States.
What is a lying down classical concert?
​A lying down classical concert is exactly what it sounds like: a live classical performance you experience lying down rather than sitting in rows. Resting the body changes everything about how you listen. Free from the concert hall’s formality, the music washes over you, your breathing slows, and many guests describe drifting into the deepest rest they’ve had in years while world-class musicians perform live around them.
What is sound healing with Tibetan bowls?
Tibetan bowl sound healing uses the deep, resonant tones and gentle vibrations of hand-played metal bowls to guide the body and mind into profound relaxation. The sounds slow the nervous system in the way meditation does, but with no effort required from you at all. In our sessions, the sound healing is woven together with live classical music, so the bowls and the instruments carry you through one continuous, beautiful journey.
Is Lie Down and Listen a sound bath?
Yes, and much more. Every Lie Down and Listen session includes a deeply relaxing Tibetan bowl sound bath, woven together with a live lying down classical concert and guided relaxation. If you’ve loved sound baths or gong baths before, this adds an exceptional level of live musicianship; if you’ve never tried one, it’s the most beautiful introduction we can imagine.
What happens during a session?
You will be warmly welcomed into the beautiful space and shown to your own lovingly made up bed of soft mattresses, cushions and blankets. Once everyone is settled, the session unfolds as one continuous, blissful experience where a Tibetan bowl sound bath, live classical performance, and gentle guided relaxation drawing on yoga nidra are seamlessly woven together.
As the music fills the room, it opens you up to receiving a deep sense of inner peace, freedom and light. The gorgeous live classical music and resonant sounds work to soothe your nervous system, melting away the noise of daily life and allowing your mind to drift into a state of pure tranquility. There is absolutely nothing for you to do and nothing to get right; you simply lie down and listen. You will leave the session feeling beautifully lighter, profoundly restored, and wrapped in a lasting sense of calm clarity that stays with you long after you step outside.
How is Lie Down and Listen different from a candlelight concert?
Candlelit classical concerts are beautiful, and ours goes several steps further to create a truly immersive experience. While candlelight concerts focus on a traditional performance where you sit in rows, a Lie Down and Listen session is entirely focused on helping you experience classical music in a state of complete rest. Instead of sitting, you lie down on your own beautifully made up bed. Rather than just a standard concert, exceptional live classical music, including our own original compositions, is seamlessly woven together with a Tibetan bowl sound bath and gentle guided relaxation. We also host our sessions in intimate, carefully chosen heritage spaces rather than large public halls. If you loved a candlelight concert, this is the version where you get to truly let go and let the music transform you.
How long is a Lie Down and Listen Session?
Most sessions last usually around 90mins, please check the website for the specific duration of the event you are interested in.
We suggest arriving 5 minutes before the start time so you can settle in comfortably and unhurried.
Why do you listen lying down?
Because rest changes how we hear. Lying down releases the body’s tension, slows the breath and lets the music reach you in a completely different way than sitting upright ever could. It’s also how founder Christina McMaster first dreamed the experience: classical music of the highest level, received in a state of complete rest.
Is this a yoga or meditation class?
No movement or experience is needed at all. Our sessions include guided relaxation inspired by yoga nidra (a beautiful, entirely still practice sometimes called yogic sleep), but there are no poses, no chanting to join in with, and nothing to learn. If you can lie down, you can do this.
Is this experience religious or spiritual?
While many of our events take place in beautiful historic churches and cathedrals, the experience itself is completely non religious. We focus entirely on creating a space for rest, music, and deep listening. Some guests find the atmosphere and the music deeply spiritual, while others simply find it the most relaxing evening of their year, and both are exactly right.
Is this experience religious or spiritual?
While many of our events take place in beautiful historic churches and cathedrals, the experience itself is completely non religious. We focus entirely on creating a space for rest, music, and deep listening. Some guests find the atmosphere and the music deeply spiritual, while others simply find it the most relaxing evening of their year, and both are exactly right.
Locations and Venues
On the Day
Accessibility and Wellbeing
Where did the idea of lying down concerts come from?
Lie Down and Listen was founded by classical pianist, composer and sound healer Christina McMaster. The seed was planted in childhood, when her grandmother told her how her grandfather, whenever he was unwell or low, would go to the opera to be uplifted and healed. Years later, a chance meeting at the MoMA in New York led to a series of research events at King’s College London with Professor Sir John Strang and Dr Sally Marlow, exploring how a lying down concert of carefully chosen music could recreate the profound wellbeing effects of a psychedelic experience, without any substances, inspired by the 1970s New York lofts where the hypnotic music of Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Steve Reich was played. After training in sound healing in Andalusia, Christina wove these threads into the blissful sound healing and lying down classical concert experience of today. The full story is on our About page.
Will I fall asleep? Is that ok?
It’s more than okay; it’s wonderful. Drifting between waking and sleeping is one of the most restorative states there is, and the music will still reach you there. Some guests stay in that floating in-between place for the whole session, and many tell us it’s the best rest they’ve had in years.
What if someone snores?
It happens, and honestly, we take it as a compliment, it means someone has found the deepest rest of their week. The live classical music and Tibetan bowls carry beautifully through the space and gently soften any sounds of sleep around you, and most guests find they drift too deeply into their own listening to notice.
Booking and Tickets
I bought tickets but haven’t received or can’t find my confirmation email. What should I do?
Please check your spam, junk, or Promotions folders, as confirmation emails sometimes slip in there. If you still cannot find it, please do not worry at all. Your details are completely secure on our guest list, so you can simply give your name at the check in desk when you arrive and our team will get you settled straight away. There is no need to print anything.
If you do have your confirmation email and simply need to make a change, you can now use our easy self service option. Just click Manage Booking directly inside your email confirmation. From there, you can view your tickets and easily swap them for another time slot of the exact same event yourself, completely free of charge.
Can I swap my tickets to a different time slot or date?
Yes, absolutely, as long as it is at least 14 days before your scheduled event. We know plans change and date mix ups happen, so as long as you request the change outside of this 14 day window and there is availability in the new session, we will happily swap them over for you free of charge. You can easily do this yourself using the Manage Booking link in your email confirmation, or you can reach out to us at info@liedownandlisten.com with your original booking details.
What is your cancellation and refund policy?
Tickets are non-refundable unless an event is cancelled or significantly changed by us.
If you can no longer attend, you are very welcome to transfer your ticket to another person at any time, and you don't need to contact us to do so. If you'd like to move your booking to a different time slot or date, you can do this yourself in a couple of clicks using the link in your booking confirmation email, up to 14 days before the event and subject to availability. We're unable to offer date or time exchanges within 14 days of an event.
In the rare event that we need to cancel an experience, all ticket holders will be notified by email and offered a full refund, or the option to transfer to a rescheduled date where one is available. If an event moves to a significantly different venue or is materially changed and you're unable to attend as a result, please contact us and we'll happily offer a full refund.
We reserve the right to make minor changes to the programme, performers or venue where necessary, and minor changes don't constitute grounds for a refund. In exceptional circumstances beyond our control, such as extreme weather, venue closure, performer illness or public health emergencies, we'll always endeavour to reschedule and offer you a transfer or credit; refunds in these circumstances are at our discretion.