About
Karen Middleton
Hello, I'm Karen, founder of Marylees Sound Sanctuary.
My journey into sound wasn't something I had carefully planned. It evolved naturally from my own love of wellbeing, yoga and the importance of creating space to simply slow down and reconnect with ourselves.
Like so many of us, I understand how easy it is to spend years moving from one thing to the next — looking after everyone else, managing the demands of everyday life and rarely giving ourselves permission to truly stop.
Karen — FounderThrough my own yoga practice, I began to appreciate just how powerful those moments of stillness could be. That journey eventually led me to sound — and particularly to the beautiful resonance of crystal singing bowls.
There was something about sound that reached beyond simply relaxing the body. I loved the feeling of being able to lie down, close my eyes and allow the sound to take over; no expectations, nothing to achieve and nowhere else I needed to be.
I knew I wanted to learn more.
I began my training in sound and discovered not only the beautiful instruments themselves, but the art of creating a journey through sound — using crystal singing bowls and other carefully chosen instruments to create an immersive space where people can rest, soften and simply be.
And from that, Marylees Sound Sanctuary was born.
The name Marylees is very special to me. It is the name of my home, and it felt completely natural that something created so much from the heart should carry that name too.
Today, I offer Sound Baths and Sound Journeys throughout Leicestershire, as well as collaborating with yoga teachers and beautiful wellbeing spaces to combine practices such as Yin Yoga, meditation and breathwork with sound.
For me, though, Marylees Sound Sanctuary is about far more than the bowls.
It is about creating a sanctuary.
A welcoming, nurturing space where you don't need to perform, achieve or be anything for anybody else.
You simply arrive.
You lie down.
You get comfortable.
And for that little pocket of time, you give yourself permission to switch off from the outside world and prioritise you.
I particularly love creating smaller, intimate Sound Baths where every person feels welcomed and held within the space. Blankets, cushions, eye masks, candlelight and all the little details matter to me because I want the experience to begin from the moment you arrive.
My own journey with sound is still evolving, and I think that is part of its beauty. I continue to learn, explore and deepen my practice, bringing those experiences into every journey I create.
Whether you are completely new to sound, already have a regular wellbeing practice, or simply feel that life has been a little too loud lately, you are very welcome here.
Marylees Sound Sanctuary is your invitation to pause, soften and come back to yourself.
I look forward to welcoming you into the Sanctuary.
Karen x
Sound, The Moon & Me
My connection with the Moon began long before my journey with sound.
For the past seven years, I have been part of a Lunar Circle, exploring the different phases of the Moon, working with its energies and learning what it means to live life a little more cyclically.
It has become a beautiful and important part of my life.
Rather than constantly expecting ourselves to have the same energy, motivation and capacity every day, cyclical living encourages us to notice the natural rhythms around us — recognising that there are times for beginnings and growth, times for action and expansion, and times for slowing down, reflecting and letting go.
I love bringing this philosophy into my Sound Baths.
Every Marylees Sound Sanctuary journey is created with an awareness of the Moon as it is in that moment.
A New Moon may invite us to turn inward, consider our intentions and gently plant the seeds of something new.
As the Moon begins to wax, we can explore growth, momentum and the energy of moving towards what we want to create.
The Full Moon offers a beautiful opportunity for illumination, reflection and release.
And as the Moon wanes, we can begin to soften, surrender and make space once again.
I also weave in the qualities traditionally associated with the zodiac sign the Moon is moving through, allowing this to inspire the intention, meditation and theme of each journey.
This means that no two Sound Baths I create are ever exactly the same.
The phase of the Moon, its zodiac placement, the season and the energy of that particular moment all help shape the journey I offer.
I don't believe we always need to be striving forwards.
Nature isn't constantly in bloom.
The Moon isn't always full.
And neither are we.
For me, combining sound with the rhythm of the Moon is a beautiful reminder that we are allowed to move through our own phases too.
To rest.
To reflect.
To release.
To grow.
And to begin again.
This connection between Sound, Moon and Sanctuary sits at the heart of Marylees Sound Sanctuary — and I look forward to sharing it with you.
My Sound Journey
My journey with sound began simply by experiencing it.
I had attended a few Sound Baths and was instantly drawn in. There was something about the experience of being immersed in sound — the stillness it created and the way it allowed me to completely switch off — that really resonated with me.
I knew I wanted to understand more.
I spent time researching many different sound practitioners and training courses before eventually finding the person I knew I wanted to learn from. It was important to me that my training went beyond simply learning how to play the instruments.
My training took place over five months and explored the many different aspects of sound — from the science and understanding behind it, to the beauty of the instruments themselves, and, perhaps most importantly for me, how to create and hold a safe, nurturing space for the people who choose to journey with you.
When it came to choosing my own instruments, I was naturally drawn to Quartz Crystal Singing Bowls. Their sound and resonance felt right for me.
I now work with a complete 4th octave set of Quartz Crystal Singing Bowls, alongside an additional A bowl in the 3rd octave. Its beautiful, deep tone brings a lower, grounding quality to my sound journeys that I absolutely love.
But there was another part of this journey that made everything fall into place.
For many years, the Moon had already been an important part of my life. I had always known that I wanted to work with the Moon in some way, but I hadn't necessarily known what that would look like.
And then I found sound.
Suddenly, my two worlds aligned beautifully.
Sound and the Moon.
It felt completely natural to bring them together, and I have never looked back.
Today, I create each Sound Bath with an awareness of the phase of the Moon and the zodiac sign it is moving through, weaving that energy and intention into the journey while allowing the sound itself to take each person wherever they need to go.
For me, one of the most important parts of what I do is creating a space in which people feel safe enough to simply let go for a while.
There doesn't have to be a breakthrough.
There doesn't have to be an intention.
And there certainly doesn't have to be anything to achieve.
You may choose to use the space for reflection or your own inner work. You may find emotions arise. You may simply enjoy being surrounded by the sounds and vibrations of the bowls.
Or you may just need to rest.
All of it is welcome.
My role is simply to create and hold the space for you — a little sanctuary away from the noise and demands of everyday life, where for a while, there is nowhere else you need to be.
And that, for me, is the heart of Marylees Sound Sanctuary.
Training & experience
Trained with
I completed my Sound Practitioner training with Holly Husler Sound — an immersive five month programme exploring far more than simply how to play the bowls. My training covered the principles and practice of Sound: the science behind it, working with different instruments, and importantly, how to thoughtfully create and hold a safe and supportive space for others. That understanding of how a space is held became central to the way I work at Marylees.
Continuing my training
I believe in continuing to learn and deepen the way I work. I am currently training towards a Breathwork practitioner qualification, with the intention of gently incorporating Breathwork into selected Marylees experiences once qualified.
I am fully insured to deliver my Sound sessions, events and retreat work, including public liability cover.
My approach
I am not a healer, and I don't believe I can heal you.
Any healing or inner work that takes place at a Marylees Sound Journey belongs to you. My role is to thoughtfully create and hold a space where you can feel safe, supported and free from expectation. Within that space, you may find room to rest, reflect, explore what arises or connect more deeply to yourself.
You may reflect, you may feel something deeply. You may find clarity. Or you may simply rest and enjoy the sound.
I hold the space. The experience is yours.
Outside the Sanctuary
Books
I love to read, and run a book club with friends. One of my favourite things about it is being introduced to books I might never have chosen for myself — and occasionally finding one I simply can't put down.
Morning Walks
Most mornings, you'll find me outside. I walk in the countryside without my phone — just daylight, fresh air and a little space to myself. It's one of the simplest ways to feel grounded before the day begins.
My Horses
I have three retired horses who are very much part of everyday life. Looking after them keeps me connected to nature, routine and the seasons, although kissing their nose in the morning might be my favourite part.
A favourite memory
One of my favourite Sound memories came from an outdoor retreat where the weather had very different plans from ours.
The guests were safely tucked beneath the event shelter while I stayed outside with my bowls — and the heavens opened. Within minutes, most of them were too wet to play properly, leaving me with just two.
So I worked with what I had.
Ten minutes later, that rain disappeared, the sunshine returned, and the rest of the bowls gradually joined us again. Afterwards, several people told me it had been one of their favourite sessions.
It was a lovely reminder that a meaningful experience doesn't need to be a perfect one. Sometimes you simply meet the moment as it is.