Gongs Away!

A month ago today, I attended my first ever gong bath with Ann. It was a unique experience! I'd like to share what I learned about gong baths and some of my observances with you. I'll begin by being upfront with what I thought it would be like - then tell you what it really was like.

What I imagined:

• there would be a ton of gongs there making a bunch of noise - might be good noise; might be bad noise
• there would be lots of granola hippies there
• there might be an uber granola hippie that broke into twirling action during the gong session (think whirling dervishes)     Rach, that reference is for you!
• my ears might not be able to handle the stimulation
• a lot of "energy" speak could happen
• how could I stay still for 90 minutes?
• how could this guy possibly play a gong for 90 minutes??

What I experienced:

There were a handful of hippies there, but nobody quite as airy-fairy as I expected. Okay, except one gal that was pretty spacey and focused on sharing her deep, meaningful experiences (past and present). But this post isn't about her! :) Most folks looked like your average, everyday person. The one thing that you couldn't see that was palpable was that everyone seemed to be there for a reason.

Richard and his gong.

Ann and I got there early to ensure a "good seat" relative to Richard Rudis and his gong setup. "What's a good seat at a gong bath?" I inquired. "Close up!" said Ann. We chose a spot directly behind Richard and his gong. (Truth be told, Ann wanted to semi-spy on Richard during the performance so she could check out his techniques. The sound is also so piercingly crisp up close.) We set up our yoga mats, makeshift pillows, blankets, etc. I learned that the recommended positioning for a gong bath is with your head closest to the gong. As more people came in, they set up their mats in a starburst pattern around Richard.

We used the time before his performance to check out items being sold at the event: Tibetan singing bowls, tingshaws, gantas and vajras, crystals, and special oxygenated water (!). We played every one of the bowls and balked at the prices. We passed the time quickly.

All the lights were turned off before the performance. Richard explained a bit about how his performance would begin, crescendo, and end. And then it began. The tingshaws were used first. Then a singing bowl. Sounds from singing bowls are like chicken noodle soup; they're comforting, warm, and nurturing. They can help settle all the mind chaos and chatter that's bouncing to and fro in your noggin.

HALF of the striking tools used.

Then the gong. Oh, that gong! Who knew a gong could make such a variety of tones and sounds. As you can tell from the pictures here, he had MANY different striking tools to use. It was a cacophony of sounds with the volume waxing and waning. It didn't take long before my brain started floating a sinusoidal path like the gong's sound waves...in and out, high and low, deep relaxation and profound awareness. It was all very cool. (I did have to plug my ears for a few minutes during the ultimate crescendo of the gong.) I imagined that if a gong sound could look like something, it would be a concentric path of sorts.

The other half of the striking tools, a singing bowl
(with a neat fabric cover for transport), and a tingshaw.

The performance came to a close the same way it began; with a singing bowl and the tingshaws. The gong bath concluded with us eating a piece of dark chocolate (70+%) to release endorphins. The entire 90 minutes passed quickly and I felt relaxed and serene afterwards. Would I do it again? -- Absolutely!


More about gong baths:

- If attending a gong bath, you might want to bring:

• a good mat/pad (yoga mat or sleeping/camping pad) lay on - you'll be laying down for the entire experience
• comfortable clothes
• water - always good to stay hydrated
• pillow or other prop for your head - for comfort
• objects to heal - think paper pieces with names of those who need healing, or objects you may want to "cleanse," etc.)
• blanket - your body temperature will decline as you lay there during the experience

- Gong baths are said to positively affect all cells in your body. Sound strange? Check out this video to see and decide for yourself.
- Richard says his gong baths are about empowering people to heal themselves through creating the ground conditions for transformation to occur. The gong helps participants release traumas held in cellular memory and awakens them to an expanded state of consciousness. (Source URL)


More about Richard:
- Read this fairly recent (6/2011) Denver Post article written about Richard, his gong sessions, and how a Buddhist Temple complex changed his life.
- Richard also plays at a place called The Star House in Boulder, CO.