Today we speak with our multifaceted sound healing, yoga, and somatic bodywork practitioner, Grace Magnusson.

Grace, if you could whisper something to your younger self about purpose and destiny, what would you say? 

I would tell my younger self that there’s so much love out there that surrounds you, and don’t worry, one day you’ll feel it. The discomfort will pass.

I was a very sickly child, and that created quite a shadow in my life. It made it hard to connect with others, even my parents. I think that’s where the reaching outward began, because my own physical body was so uncomfortable. I felt like that would never end.

Do you believe being sickly as a child brought an experience that is part of your purpose? And if so, how did that illness serve you?

I think it really showed me what it was like to be uncomfortable in my body. Now I do a lot of work with nervous system regulation and somatic bodywork because I know what it feels like to be so uncomfortable that you can’t sit still or be with yourself in stillness.

Growing up, I didn’t have that compassion for myself. I actually felt like I was quite a selfish child, which is a hallmark of someone who’s been through trauma. But I’ve come to realize it wasn’t that I wasn’t compassionate, I was just so focused on my own experience because I was in so much discomfort. Being able to forgive myself for that changed everything.

It helped me see how sometimes people can’t connect, not because they don’t want to, but because they’re just feeling uncomfortable in their bodies. Even if someone seems selfish or self-absorbed, it’s not always a conscious choice.

You lost your first job in marketing after college. How did that affect you? What did that transition feel like, going from corporate security to following your passion?

Losing that job at Whole Foods was devastating; I felt like I’d let people down. After yoga training, things didn’t magically fall into place. I went through what I call a “squeeze,” with tight finances where I had to rely on support from friends and community. I had three different jobs but looking back, all those odd jobs and uncertainty built toward something greater.

What helped was paying attention to small signs of alignment. I remember needing a new apartment, walking down the street, and seeing a “for rent” sign just blocks away. I moved in two weeks later. That moment reminded me: I’m being listened to, and I can trust the unfolding.

So many people are skeptical about energy healing. Was there a specific moment in your journey when you personally experienced something that erased all doubt? 

As a Virgo, I’m very grounded in reality and naturally skeptical, so trusting the unseen wasn’t easy. But moments like finding that apartment helped me realize there’s more at play than we can explain. Sound healing really opened that up for me. Sound for me is a connection between the seen and unseen.

It’s an experience rooted in physical reality. You’re resting on the Earth, supported by the ground, hearing the sounds, but also feeling them in your body. You can feel the effects long after the session ends. It reminds me that not everything can be seen with your two eyes. Sometimes we need to trust that the unseen is supporting us. Now, I feel like I see miracles all the time, but maybe that also means redefining what we think of as a miracle.

You mentioned being called to this work. What do you believe is your deeper purpose as a healer in these challenging times?

I think my purpose is to help people remember how alive they are and how special being alive in this physical reality is. As a teenager and in college, I spent a lot of time trying to escape. But through yoga, I began to see that physical reality is actually a pretty good place to be.

Yoga teaches the balance between turning inward and outward. Skillful action, self-compassion, and understanding yourself first then sharing that with the world, even in small ways, creates a ripple effect.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the world, but our life is unfolding right in front of us. If we can’t be present with what’s here: our neighbors, our own inner world…then what’s really there?

I spent years chasing things outside myself or doing what I thought I should do. Now the most important thing is what brings me joy and connection and how I share that with others, right here in my community.

How does Reiki weave itself into your offerings as a healer and a teacher?

I think of Reiki as the energy of all love, love that comes from the grounded quality of the Earth. The Earth, being the mother of us all, holds that energy of support and care.

So in all the modalities I share with people, I’m holding that energetic quality of love, care, and support. Whether I’m speaking or silent, I feel like that energy of holding space for others shines through. And to me, that’s one of the most powerful things we can offer, letting someone know: you’re whole just as you are and you’re loved without needing to change a thing.

What role does intuition play in your sound baths? How does it move through you, and then move you through your class?

Intuition is the biggest thing that moves me through the sound bath. But when it comes down to playing the instruments, the greatest teacher is really practice. I worked with the instruments and played them for hours and hours. That’s what led me to be able to hold space in the way that I do.

I think about the experience of the sound bath almost like a wave itself, like a wave of sound. There are peaks and valleys, where intensity builds, and then it goes back to a calming baseline.

I use intuition to tune into what people need to be able to move in and out of a state of subconscious and consciousness. It’s like the breath being that wave of experience that connects us between the conscious and subconscious minds.

I know a lot of teachers go into class with plans and playlists. Has there ever been a moment where the energy in the room takes you in a different direction and something unexpected happens?

Definitely. I had a teacher once say, “Planning is priceless, but plans are useless.” It’s great to plan in a yoga class, but if the plan is too rigid, it can get in the way of holding space for the people who actually show up. So I’m always shifting. Living in a small town, you never know who’s coming to class. I always teach to who is in the room. I’ve even started a playlist and then realized it’s not right for the mood. It was too upbeat for what people needed and I had to change it. So yes, that happens to me all the time.

I’ve seen you in action filming, leading classes in sound baths. How are you able to speak so perfectly? You flow so beautifully.

Well, thank you for that. When I’m in the moment and I’m centered on holding space, the words just flow for me. I did some competitive public speaking through the youth development program in 4-H and that certainly helped me get over stage fright. I think that assisted me in just staying in my center and having the presence. But in terms of the words, once I’m in that state, the words just flow, and I’m really just speaking and sharing from the heart. Saying what I think the people in the group need to hear, and usually that’s exactly the right message.

You used to work with teenagers, who were dealing with mental health challenges. What was one of your most meaningful breakthrough moments working with them?

The breakthroughs really came when I got to work with clients one-on-one, especially kids already interested in yoga or sound healing. I remember singing I Release Control with one of them, just the two of us, and it was so special. We played the track and sang together, and something shifted.

That moment showed me the power is in connection. Yes, sound healing and nervous system work matter, but the most powerful thing is when we can connect heart-to-heart and see each other in the purity that is our own spirit. That client messaged me years later to say his life had improved and he still thinks of that moment. I still think about that moment too.

Your first international retreat was with Gaia Goddess in April in Costa Rica. I’m  curious to know what that was like for you personally. Any notable takeaways?

That experience was really big for me, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity. It had always been a dream of mine to go on an international retreat. During the retreat, I shared that it felt like a deep confirmation, a solidification that I’m in the right place, at the right time, doing the work I’m meant to share.

I get affirmations in my everyday life, but to be in a new place, surrounded by such powerful women and feeling that connection was very affirming. I just felt really inspired and recommitted to the path.

What do you believe is missing in our current approach to healing and well-being, and how do you hope to fill that gap?

I think the establishment of spiritual practices that connect us to a greater whole, something outside of ourselves, is really important. Whether you call it God, Creator, nature, or just life itself, figuring out what that means for you is key.

Sometimes it’s more effective to ask, “How is my heart connected to the heart of the world?” or “How is what I’m creating connected to the creation around me?” It’s a duality, turning inward, then connecting outward. Being able to move between those energies in a balanced way is so empowering. That’s what I hope to bring to others: helping them feel safe in their bodies first, and then guiding them toward that unfolding of connection.

How do you balance being in both the healing world and the startup world with your work at Gaia Goddess?

It’s exciting! Now I’m marketing myself as a yoga teacher and I studied marketing in college. It’s cool to see that come full circle.

Balancing both has felt pretty natural, especially with Gaia Goddess. I like doing good work, and there’s something satisfying about completing tasks and seeing the results. With yoga or sound healing, the impact can feel less visible, but in marketing and production, you see the arc: effort, results, then the next phase. It’s rewarding to be part of that in a growing business.

When you imagine yourself 10 years from now, 20 years from now; what evolution do you see in your healing practice? What dreams are you nurturing?

I certainly see myself doing some larger scale sound healing events. I wrote down a goal once that I wanted to do a sound healing for 300 people. So that would certainly be a goal of mine.

I think just having a wider reach and sharing the practices. I look forward to seeing the different ways that will unfold.

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