Why You Need To Indulge In A Gong Bath Now!

If you’re stressed, a long “soak” in a gong bath could be just what you need. It’s one of the most relaxing mindfulness and self-care rituals you’ll ever experience. It’s so effective, in fact, that gong bath meditation has been used as a healing technique since ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman times. But what is a gong bath, and what does it do? 

A gong bath is a type of passive meditation where you “bath” in the vibrations of sound made by a gong or group of gongs, which lull your mind into a meditative state and has been said to have a transformational effect on body, mind, and spirit. 

The benefits of bathing in sound

Enthusiasts believe that sound therapy during a gong bath session can help reduce stress, promote vitality and assist healing. It’s even been said that gong bath meditation liberates emotional blockages and enhances happiness by “re-tuning” the body and mind to restore harmony and balance.

Some of the benefits of gong meditation include: 

• Improved memory and concentration
• Better sleep
• A healthier immune system
• Enhanced creativity
• Heightened awareness

Does it include meditation?

Unlike your morning meditation routine,  a gong bath is a form of passive meditation, meaning all you need to do is lay down comfortably, close your eyes, and let the sound vibrations do their work. No experience is required – even if you’ve never meditated before, you can easily give yourself up to the sound and reap the benefits.

A gong bath session often starts with breathing exercises or guided chanting to relax and prepare you for the experience. The gong sounds are then gradually introduced, facilitating a process known as entrainment – when your fluctuating brainwaves become synchronised with the stable frequency of the gong. 

The first brainwave state to be reached during gong bath meditation is alpha, which is your “daydream state” where your imagination reigns. This is followed by an influx of theta brainwaves, the state in which you will experience deep meditation. 

Gong baths feel amazing!

No two gong bath experiences are the same and your reaction will be entirely personal, but most people feel totally blissed out after a session. Because gong bath meditation leads your brain into an uber-relaxing alpha or theta brainwave state, your brain has time to download and process your thoughts and emotions from the day. The whole experience will leave you feeling calmer, happier, and less anxious. On a physical level, you might experience vibration in the body due to the intense and powerful sound waves and vibrations produced during gong baths.

How to take part?

Gong bath sessions take place either individually or in a group and generally last between 45 minutes and 2 hours. You can attend a live workshop with a sound healer or join an online session led by a gong therapist. You can even download an app for sound baths on tap.  

If you’re attending a virtual gong bath session or using an app, here are a few tips to set yourself up at home:

• Use headphones to listen to the session or connect to an external sound system or Bluetooth speaker.
• Find a comfortable place to lie down, whether it’s your couch, your bed, or on your floor with a comfy cushion or yoga pillow.
• Grab a throw to keep yourself warm. We love this luxury wool-cashmere blanket by The White Company London.
  
• Light some candles and rub some aromatherapy oil into your pulse points. 

Follow up your home gong bath session with an invigorating spritz of Eau Dynamisante treatment fragrance. 

What to wear to a gong bath session

The beauty of gong bath therapy is that it does not require you to undress for a massage or wear stretchy pants for twisty stretches. It’s a wonderfully accessible practice that can be done in any attire. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable in, whether it’s jeans and a tee or your favourite activewear. 

Does gong therapy really work?

If it all sounds a little woo woo for you, there is scientific evidence that suggests gong bath therapy is effective in alleviating anxiety and stress whilst promoting healing. Sound Therapy as a whole (which includes Music Therapy) has been linked to a wide range of health benefits, from managing moods to assisting immune function. 

But whichever way you look at it, as a sceptic or a devotee, lying comfortably on your back with your eyes closed and letting the soothing soundscape of gong therapy wash over you is surely one of the most relaxing ways to spend 45 minutes!