The other night, my wife and I had a phenomenal experience playing the titanium gong together. We’d both had long days and just happened to simultaneously walk into our living room. It was two weeks before our wedding and the stresses of planning were catching up to her. Mine were the anxieties brought on by work and life; things we all experience.
Instead of heading right to the wine bottle, we sat down at the gong. She took the mallet and placed herself on the front side. I grabbed a wand and sat crossed-legged on the back side. And we played together. The soft taps of the mallet emitted these wonderfully clear tones that pulled my thoughts away from the stresses of the day and into the warm energy of its vibrations. I used the space in between her rhythmic taps to drag a wand over the backside to create a sound so ancient and deep it completely rooted me.
We continued playing for nearly 20 minutes. Time was not of the essence. Our minds were given completely to the music of the gong. It was an incredibly relaxing and reinvigorating experience for both of us. It took nothing more than sitting with the gong and connecting to ourselves, each other, and the music.
Playing the titanium gong is a form of meditation that can be performed alone, with a partner, or a group. It’s easy. It’s restorative. It helps collect and redirect sensory currents, scattered energies, thoughts, and feelings to a singular place. As you lose yourself in the music, you won’t even realize that’s the only thing you’re doing in that moment; listening to the sound, being in the here and now without distraction.
Here are four reasons to try gong meditation.
Gongs have been around for centuries as a means of sound therapy. And meditation, while it is mostly used to relieve stress and calm the mind and body, largely began as a means to get in touch with and understand the deeper meaning of the sacred and mystical forces of life. While transcendental meditation can take years of patience and discipline to fully reap the benefits, gong meditation is something you can begin right away with immediate results.
Gong meditation can be performed solo, with a partner, or group of people.
Today, in our technologically driven world, it can be difficult to quiet the busy mind. However, the titanium gong is designed to do just that. When you play it, you can simply close your eyes and follow the sound. The immediate feedback allows you to concentrate on the music and totally immerse yourself in the warm tones.
Gong meditation can help you sleep better as well by reducing the amount of harmful chemicals you produce as a cause of stress. The conscious mind is at its best when it is relaxed and rested. When I feel overwhelmed at work, I try to play the gong for at least five minutes each night before going to bed. The music, which is a direct result of the energy I put into it, has a way of centering and relaxing me. Nights of sound sleep will result in increased energy during the day.
When your attention is scattered, it’s hard to get anything done during the day. Playing the titanium gong first thing in the morning, or anytime throughout the day, helps increase focus. Crystanium Gongs are very sensitive in that you barely touch the metal and away you go into its music. It’s a real exploration. Every time you play is a bit different and it’s always new. The music helps recollect and focus sensory currents in the moment, especially before or during the work day when you need to recollect your divided attention to fully concentrate on a certain task.
The harmonic sound of this instrument is the medium of a spiritual transcendence. Through multiple harmonics, multiple dimensions, it has the ability and power to focus our attention like you can’t get so easily from anywhere else.
The gong is a tool, a sonic tool. It’s also an instrument that anybody can use to support a spiritual practice or focus. Think of it as a way to expand your point of view and embrace it from a 360-degree perspective. There’s a lot to be said about someone who can see the world from more than one point of view.
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in The Crack-up, “The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” Playing the gong can help create understanding through duality.
As a matter of fact, look at the shape of the gong. It’s a circle; a two-dimensional representation of a sphere with no beginning and no end. And when you play it, it has the ability to activate multiple perspectives through the myriad of harmonics it emits. You can think of the different frequencies embedded in the sound as different states of consciousness. Sometimes to find truth, to see the big picture, it requires many different states of consciousness.
Of all the instruments in the world, the gong is one of the easiest to learn. Anyone of any age can play the gong. You don’t need any of what some deem “musical skills” in order to make music. Simply hold the mallet, tap the gong, and let the harmonic tones surround you. All it takes is a sincere desire to explore and truly listen to the different sounds created as you strike the various areas of the gong.
You’ll find that each gong has its own unique voice that is set free to vibrate in direct response to the intention and focus of the player. It’s immediate feedback. And a direct reflection of the energy you’re putting into it. So whether you’re looking to add an element to your spiritual practice or just want to relearn how to be still for a few minutes amidst this fast-paced world, the gong can easily become an essential component in your life to achieve those things.
You’ll discover very early in your gong meditation journey that gongs play all the notes. You’ll hear full spectrum sounds through all kinds of overtones and deep subtones. Much like the sun gives us full spectrum sunlight, gongs give us full spectrum sound. It’s an elixir for the nervous system. It balances the brain with what some may call highly nutritious vibrational food.
Perhaps the best part of all is that the results are apparent right away and you don’t need anybody else to help you achieve a relaxed state of consciousness. Gong meditation is instant sound therapy.
