WHAT IS GONG MEDITATION?
“The gong is the spirit song. It is the primal whisper for the soul. Its sound is the echo of the original word that created the universe, the SOUND within all sounds.”
- Yogi Bhajan
Healing with sound is one of the oldest & most natural forms of healing known to man. For centuries & in all countries & traditions, harmonious sound (chanting, drumming, etc) has been used as a way of soothing the mind & emotions & in some Eastern cultures it has long been realized that the beneficial effects go much deeper than just a sense of emotional well-being; harmonious sounds also have a healing effect on the body at a cellular level.
Gongs date back to the Bronze Age, about 3500 BC and were found primarily in Mesopotamia, Burma, China, Java and Annam. Since the time of Buddha in 600BC all sacred Chinese gongs have been inscribed with ‘Tai Loi’ meaning ‘happiness has arrived’. Rumor has it that ancient sacred gongs included pieces of meteorites that fell from the heavens, ‘sweeping the darkness by bringing in the light’.
Some of the ancient uses for the gong include meditation, healing, initiation, communication and ceremonies including the exorcism of negative spirits. In 1790 gongs were used in European orchestras for the first time where they remain today.
The gong is an idiophone, ie. It resonates with the whole of its’ being, producing many harmonics from its’ fundamental tuned note. When played it produces the primordial and original sound ‘Om’, which is an extremely powerful and healing to the human ear. Essentially it ‘is’ what ‘it does’
GONG BATH EXPLAINED
The sound of a master quality gong induces a state of spontaneous meditation and relaxation that facilitates the movement of chi or prana (positive life force) throughout the body. The movement of which on a physical level, eliminates tension, stimulates the circulation and glandular systems, and regenerates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Not only do you hear the Gong sound but you also feel its vibrations on and inside your body. Listeners experience a sense of connectedness and peace. They are lulled into a Theta or REM sleep state where one is neither asleep nor awake. This is the state of dreams and at which time our bodies begin to heal and rejuvenate.
Other benefits include:
calming the mind and stopping internal dialogue
rebalancing the physical, emotional and spiritual bodies
awakening higher states of consciousness conducive to healing and transformation
This in turn leaves you feeling content, clear headed, energetic and optimistic.
All the listener need do is to relax, preferably prone, and allow the sound to bathe the body and carry the mind. Sessions are held for one or many participants at a time.
Gong baths are an excellent remedy for stress related issues, depression, fatigue, addictions, anger and hostility, feelings of fear, separation and loneliness along with many other conditions related to the lack of balance and harmony in the body. In conclusion, a gong bath allows your entire body to relax, renew and rejuvenate.
ALL GONGS ARE NOT ALIKE
The gongs here are meditation gongs made by Paiste, a company founded over 100 years ago and is considered to be the pre-eminent gong manufacturers in the world. Their team of eight gong masters is based in Germany.
Paiste has taken traditional gong designs of the East and have made a number of changes with regard to design, construction and tuning.
Firstly they begin with a smooth metal disk made of Nickel Silver or German Silver consisting of 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. The metal has been highly condensed through a process of heating and rolling under pressure which brings the metal to a consistency carrying minimal internal resistance and eliminating the possibility of any cracks or fissures when used correctly.
Then they hand forge and tune the gongs to achieve a state of sustained resonance one by one, producing gongs ranging in size from 20-80” diameter.
Paiste manufacturers a number of different types of gongs: planet gongs are tuned to the specific frequencies of each planet as calculated by Hans Cousto. In this case their sound color is described as extremely mysterious and conveying an unusual, unfathomable atmosphere.
Symphonic gongs on the other hand offer harmonic and universal sound structure. The fundamental note of the gong is balanced with the instrument's complex overtones. To the average listener, it sounds like many instruments being played at once.
To find out more about Paiste, please check www.paistegongs.com.
ARTISANAL GONG
Age of Aquarius Reflections and Revelations by Martha Collard
Birth and Christening
Tony Robbins said our life is a series of defining moments that shape our destiny and forever change our trajectory. The day Martin agreed to make the Age of Aquarius gong was one such moment for me.
In May 2019 Martin was visiting and teaching at Red Doors Studio in Hong Kong. During his visit I learned that the Global Wellness Summit scheduled for Hong Kong in October changed their venue to Singapore. I was a keynote speaker. They were the first international conference to move due to the ongoing violent protests in the city. The 600+ attendees are owners and operators of the top hotels and spas in the world and this was the opportunity of a lifetime to present the benefits of gongs to an influential and prestigious group. I had expected to showcase my entire collection of 30 gongs at the Grand Hyatt in Causeway Bay.
With a change in venue I was at a loss. The largest gong I normally travelled with was my trusty 32” symphonic, which could not make the impression I had hoped. I explained my dilemma to Martin who mentioned he was thinking his next large gong would be a 55” titanium in memory of his spiritual teacher. He generously agreed to undertake this special project and to entrust me as keeper of this sacred and sentimental instrument. The honor and responsibility left me breathless.
Martin spent the good part of September tapping, hammering and shaping, working his magic on the metal. Each blow done with precision and consciousness, the result is a stunningly beautiful art piece that is captivating to look at and transcendental to listen to.
The gong arrived in Singapore and was delivered to the hotel. My local students and I gathered excitedly to open the wooden crate. The sheer beauty, colors, and sound left us speechless. We were in the presence of untapped transformational potential
I was the last speaker on the first day of the conference, Oct 14. The room was full of anticipation. We chanted Ohm together to bless the gong and set the intention of collective world peace. Once I started, the room became silent, I glanced behind me and the entire audience was transfixed, holding their i-phones in an attempt to capture the moment. I played twice that evening for deep relaxation before bed to full houses leaving one and all at a loss for words. Healings occurred, many experienced spontaneous releases of resistant blockages.
Afterwards Nancy Davis, Chief Creative Officer of the Global Wellness Summit wrote:
Not a day goes by that I don’t hear from someone who attended the Global Wellness Summit in Singapore, telling me how your gong baths and main stage performance changed their lives. I think it’s fair to say that you were the talk of the Summit, and that’s quite something. The only other person in recent memory who achieved that status was His Holiness the Dalai Lama, when we were in India. It’s particularly noteworthy because our audience, as you know, is invitation-only, C-suite executives, most running multi-national corporations. For them to not just experience what you offered but to be so moved by it is a testament to the power of what you do. I was also personally moved by your work, and if it were possible, I’d make sure you were present at every future Summit. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your exceptional, unique and powerful expertise and gifts. It was a remarkable, memorable experience.
I was booked to perform in Singapore in November and after deep consideration left Lady Aquarius in the good hands of a trusted student and returned to HK. Unfortunately the event was cancelled and she was shipped to her new home at Red Doors in December. In January I was invited to play for the GWS global press conference in New York. Cathay Pacific generously offered shipping, my friend accommodation. While in New York I played for Mitch Nur, Don Conreaux and others as well as a large gathering of international press. She has turned heads and brought people together from all walks of life, truly embodying her purpose. To unify, transcend and transform.
The inspiration for Age of Aquarius came from Martin’s spiritual teacher, Johannes Löffler.
Here is his art work and original description.