Jamie Was Here · Colorful Colorado
TEDxManitouSprings provided media admission for this visit. These are my own experiences and opinions.
The sound started, and I felt it down my spine. Immediately.
I was lying inside Cave of the Winds for a sound bath, and suddenly it felt like the cave and my whole body were vibrating together. There was no buildup. Every part of me wanted to be part of that cave.
Now, I have had the occasional granola boy invite me to a sound bath as a Friday-night date. I have my suspicions about whether there was a dinner budget involved.
But a sound bath inside a cave? That had my attention.
I already love caves. This was a very good starting point.
Caves make me happy. I had never been to this one, and getting to experience it this way was something I knew I wanted to do.
I went to TEDxManitouSprings ECHOES at Cave of the Winds on September 13, 2026. The evening brought TEDx talks and live performances into the cave, followed by a sound bath from Singing Bowls of the Rockies.
I do have a little dream of giving my own TED Talk someday, so that part of the invitation already meant something to me. Then you add a cave and singing bowls, and yes. I wanted to be there.
The purple and red lights across the rock made the whole space look incredible. There were blankets and pillows, bowls set up nearby, and all these shapes in the stone to look at while getting settled.
And there were TEDx cookies. Please appreciate the tiny branded cookies.
Once the sound started, the connection was immediate
The closest I can get to describing it is that the cave’s vibrations and my vibrations felt connected. Like we had all become part of the same thing.
I could feel that tingling down my spine. It happened so quickly that there wasn’t a stretch of waiting around wondering whether I was going to feel anything.
I was already there.
That is what made this experience so different for me. I love looking at caves, but lying there with the sound all around me felt like being part of one. Every part of me wanted to stay with that feeling.
The ending felt like coming back to myself
You know how sometimes an experience ends and you’re sad because you want more time?
This didn’t feel that way. When it was over, it was time for it to be over.
It felt like I returned to my body and became one with myself again, in a way that felt better. I was happy to have been there, and the ending felt complete.
That is the part I keep coming back to when I try to explain the evening. How immediate the connection was, and how right it felt when it was time to come back.
A few things to know about doing this in a cave
ECHOES was a specific September 13 event, and registration is closed. For another sound bath, check the Singing Bowls of the Rockies calendar for the actual venue, dates, and instructions. A regular cave visit and this event are different bookings.
For our evening, the organizer told us to dress for a 54-degree cave and bring our own chairs or mats, pillows, and blankets. The ground inside is uneven, and there are places where you need to duck. The walk from the parking lot goes downhill toward the entrance, which means uphill on the way out. Those are useful details to know before choosing what to bring.
Read the instructions for whichever event you book, especially the seating and access information. Cozy takes a little planning when you’re settling into a cave.
I already knew caves made me happy. Now I know what it feels like to lie inside one while the sound goes right down my spine. I’m very glad I said yes.
For another of my local stops, here’s the magick shop inside a vault at COATI.
