18
awakenedheart
GONG GUINEA PIGS Everyone’s experience is different , here’s what two newcomers to gonging had to say... “Gong Bath meditation sends different kind of vibrations in your body. It makes you feel calm and at peace. At first, my body did go a little numb but after a while, I felt a sudden flow of energy going up and down in my body. It was as if I was getting a virtual massage. “I experienced something much more. In the middle of the meditation, I felt as if someone asked me to open my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I could see dark energy from people’s body moving to the ceiling. One to try for people wanting to experience a different form of meditation.” Kajal KB, Karama
“I tried Gong Bath meditation recently and found it delivered its promise of a feeling of centredness - the feeling lasted a couple of days. The gong sounds were very soothing and had a calming effect on me. As someone who is hyper most of the times, it is a huge thing for me! At one point, I experienced a little pain in my right leg but it soon passed. Overall, it was a good experience I will definitely be going back.” Caroline Paul K, Bur Dubai
“I don’t know what happened to be honest. I fell into a deep sleep and the 45 minutes felt like five minutes. I think I even snored but felt super relaxed afterwards.” Grant Jualag, Springs 15 cont. from pg17
silence the monkey mind and stop the chatter in my head. Gonging for me was an easy way into meditation.” Why is gonging so conducive to meditation? Because the sounds switch the brain waves into Theta state, which is the second lowest of frequency of brain waves, consequently and very quickly inducing a state of spontaneous meditation. Theta brain waves cycle at about four to seven times per second (4 Hz – 7 Hz), you are in Theta state in the early stages of sleep and as you are waking up; while you’re dreaming; when you’re in periods of enhanced creativity, as well as deep relaxation.
The reason the gongs can change your brain’s wave frequencies is because there is no fixed rhythm to the ‘music’. The brain cannot follow this non-rhythmic throng of harmonics so it surrenders to the process. “Gong players do not play a song, melody or a recognisable pattern,” Aman says. “So the brain quickly gives up trying to find a pattern and lets go; it disengages from trying to process the sounds as having a logical structure. This allows the left, logical side of the brain to rest while the right, creative side of the brain is stimulated. That’s why gong meditation is great for creative inspiration and problem solving – because a different part of the brain is brought in to work on an issue.”
www.awakeningsme.com
While the gongs will most often switch your brainwave frequencies to Theta, you may also go even deeper and slip into Delta (one to four hertz), which is the state of deep sleep and complete relaxation. Delta brainwaves bring a number of benefits including reducing cortisol levels – the hormone released by stress that can damage parts of your body, and rejuvenation.
GOOD GONG
“Humans are hard-wired at a primal level to respond to vibration and percussive sound, Aman says. This has presented itself for centuries across the globe where percussion instruments like drums and DECEMBER 2012