Cultural Appropriation?! Framing Gong Sound Baths Today

How did Gong Playing Start?

Gongs have been forming part in special ceremonies and rituals on this planet for thousands of years. They found their way into the consciousness of the Western world with Yogi Bhajan in the 70s. He was focusing on Kundalini Yoga but some of his first students like Nanak Dev Singh, Mehtab Benton and Don Conreaux have kept developing gong playing, also apart from him and any yoga practice, each dedicating decades of their lives and essentially shaping different versions of how gong playing is being practiced today.

Why did the Gongs Appear Again in Our Times? 

When the gongs appeared in the Western world in the 70s, people were experiencing (psychedelic) drugs on a quite massive scale, distorting their perception of self and affecting the connection with their soul and spirit. Both yoga practice and gong sound came in to help people reconnect with themselves and their higher selves. The gongs were played quite loud (white noise level) to be able to get through to the person, passing through their affected nervous system.

Today, half a century later, we live in a world where our nervous systems are constantly facing an extreme overload of information. It is extremely hard for us to simply find a moment of inner peace, to hear our inner voice clearly, or feel inspired instead of overwhelmed. 

What Is the Effect of a (Gong) Sound Bath Today?

Playing the gongs loud is nowadays causing most people’s nervous system to shut down even more. This is why there is a huge tendency to play the gongs far more gently, with softer sound and for gong baths to quickly become available on a far larger scale. 

We all simply need a moment where we can let go and do nothing, where we quit our mind and start to feel again This basic ceremony of checking in with ourselves on an individual basis is becoming a preferred ritual of our times.

Gong Sounds are a tool for personal transformation: A Gong Sound Bath is an invitation for you to enter a space where you are being lovingly held, so you can take the necessary steps for yourself, your being and your soul. Anything is possible in a Gong Bath: you might fall asleep, feel right in between (meditative state), receive visions, see lights and colors, have an out of body experience or whatever is happening for you on that day. 

Each session is unique and will never be the same again. We all have been in the same place and time and listened to the same sounds, but every person in the session made their individual experience.

We Need to Feel Who We Are

These experiences show how unique we each are: we all have our unique point of view and bring in our unique set of character and previous experiences. It is impossible to predict which effect the gong sounds will have on each person of a group. It’s only possible to predict that it will be different for everyone. The range of experiences and emotions can vary widely within the same session.

One of our biggest wounds nowadays is feeling ignored and disconnected. Our souls long for “the village” of ancient times, the connection even with strangers, the feeling that we all belong together and take care of one another. We all walk each other home. We are so many and still, each single one of us does have a constant impact on everyone else.

Framing a Gong Sound Bath

Personal connection and a safe and loving space can seem a rare find nowadays, yet represent exactly what is most needed by humans in these turbulent times. Small groups, personal dedication, enough time, loving attention to detail, open communication go a long way, especially when framing a gong meditation.

This is why it does not fully feel right, that Gong Sound Baths are quickly consumed on a massive scale: The sounds have an incredible force to effectively guide people on their individual processes of establishing inner peace and balance.

This is why the space is ideally held in a tranquil and comfortable environment, lovingly and safe. There needs to be enough time and tools for people to settle back in before they go back to everyday life. Ideally there should be a sharing circle, where experiences can be processed as needed. There should never be a rush by the end of a session.

Which are the Consequences?

Working with sacred sound “normal” rules of business etc. should not be mindlessly applied as they have caused a lot of harm to people and the environment so far. They are usually not aligned with the original purpose of gongs: special ceremony and ritual, uplifting people and taking care of the planet.

For me it’s necessary to create a new version even though it takes trial/error and reflection/time to get it right. Respecting the essence of the incredible force gong players are working with should be the priority, the rest only follows. How can we help people find balance if facilitators or the framing for the session are out of balance? We can only re- establish balance in a world that is out of balance if we start with ourselves and the impact we can personally have. 

This is why I chose to opt out of renown Marketing platforms for sports offers and opened my own channel for people to find me. This is why I put my own pricing for my work instead of locations determining it for me. This is why my regular sessions are dedicated to small groups only, I usually know the name of each person walking in and there is always time for a chat and a cup of tea together as it ends. These changes ensure that I can take excellent care of my own energy and be able to hold the space for others with my full dedication and presence, every single time.

The Role of Personal Truth

I prefer to stay true to the essence of what I create playing (Gong) sounds for others: personal connection and a safe and loving space for personal transformation. It might not be the fastest way but I deeply believe it will take gong playing the farthest. I hope to inspire those who feel it too, to be brave and also create the version which they feel aligned with and deeply believe in. If we each step into our power and align our actions with what feels right inside, we will create a new world together.

These have been my personal, first steps into this new direction. More will follow :) 

If you like to receive newsletter notifications about new blog posts and relevant gong information:

Feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have, so we all can benefit from the exchange.