21/11/2025
The most wonderful soul-fulfilling week in Stroud - from blowing conch shells, singing with shrutis, meeting a gong maker, playing birdwhistles, inprovised group performances, rolling on massive 50” gongs & eating lots of CAKE!
I’ve loved leaning in to my curious, playful, childlike nature!
It’s been almost two years since I began exploring & sharing in the world of sound baths. And whilst my training with the British Academy of Sound Therapy offered a great foundation, an accredited qualification & structure into where to begin, in recent months I’ve felt I was ready to explore where next with my instruments, especially gongs…
Hence me stumbling upon the story of Don Conreaux and his legendary gong training academy; Gong Master Training UK Further Journeys into Gong Mastery course. A 5 day intensive course based in the wonderful grounds of Hawkwood College.
Over the last week I’ve learnt the different brands, shapes, sizes and names of the gong family.
The different materials and places they’re made.
Why it’s essential to have a lot of mallets to hand (you can never have too many…)
Filled my toolbox with 34 new types of strokes, including one or two where you swing the gong!
I’ve deepened what I know about Himalayan singing bowls, therapeutic percussion & incidental sounds - the wonderful sounds which guide us in and out of the transcendental state.
But above all I’ve danced, sang, laughed and cried with a group of brilliant people. Peope who’ve filled my soul in so many ways!
Sometimes the world of sound baths can feel heavy. A place where people only come if they’re sad or stressed. It’s all so serious.
I’m spending a few days decompressing to look at ways I can rejuvenate my own sound bath sessions, always looking for ways to grow and improve - to keep things fresh, fun and relevant for my participants.
This week has taught me that sound baths CAN be playful & fun.
I can’t wait to share these concepts as gong yoga, gong meditation, even chanting with laughter & lightness!
Ever a student. In life, work and all I do 🙏
Elsewhere, I’ll be sharing some exciting gong-related news tomorrow, courtesy of Glossop based record label Sensory Leakage … Watch this space for more info! 📯