Of all the instruments used in sound healing, the Gong is perhaps the most powerful, and the most mysterious. Used in ancient Chinese palaces and temples, and also in the tradition of Kundalini Yoga, Gong Medicine Journeys, also called Gong Baths, are deeply nourishing and restorative. Through the intense vibrations of the sound, the body and mind are able to relax and surrender to the healing energies of the Gong, and as the waves of sound wash over participants, a deep energetic clearing occurs, leaving the participant feeling balanced, peaceful, and light.
I first encountered the Gong in 2007 in a Kundalini Yoga class. At the end of the class, while we were resting in savasana, one of the teachers began to play the gong, and the room was filled with the most amazing and strange sounds I’d ever heard! The ripples, waves, and moans of the sound vibration passed over me, under me, and through me, and I was both fascinated and utterly transported by what I experienced. When I heard that they were offering a whole hour of Gong Bath Meditation later that month, I made sure I was there. Similar to an extended savasana, and also similar to Yoga Nidra, the Gong Bath journey I experienced was truly one of the most extraordinary things I’d ever experienced. The softer sounds were incredible and soothing on a deep level. As the sound levels would build, I found that at times it was rather uncomfortable, but I could feel something magical happening within me. At the end of the 60 minute session, I felt like I’d been cleaned out in ways I had never even thought about! My body was relaxed, my mind was quiet, and my energy was more balanced than I could ever remember. I went to these Gong Bath Meditations as often as they were offered. Then, in 2009, my teachers moved. I occasionally found a similar event with Gong being offered, but mostly in faraway places. In the greater Baltimore/Washington area, I have yet to find anyone offering Gong Bath Meditation.
And then, in 2011, I began to feel myself being called to the work of playing the Gong! Intuitively, I felt myself being taught about how to create a variety of sounds, about the energy of sound itself, and how the vibration of the Gong can bring energetic shift in people’s lives. I listened closely… but also didn’t have a Gong to experiment with! Finally, in late 2012, a wonderful 26 inch Chau Gong came into my life, and I have been playing it ever since! If you would enjoy hosting a group Gong Meditation in your community, please be in touch!
I also enjoy offering these Gong Medicine Journeys as private sessions, and they serve not only as a personal energy balancing session, but also as a major energetic clearing for the home! It is my pleasure to arrange a Gong Medicine Journey for you and your family to bring energetic balance into your home and life!
If you are curious about the Gong, and would enjoy hearing what a Gong Medicine Journey sounds like, you can listen via SoundCloud below ~ scroll to the bottom of the tracks for several samples of the Gong recorded LIVE in Gong Medicine Journeys!
I like your description of the gong sound: “amazing and strange”
Great post- thank you!!