The "relaxing" sound of a giant gong is said to bring stress relief and put one into a deep state of meditation - which I'd argue can also be achieved with wine.
The sound vibrations of the gong are meant to move through the body and cut through mental chatter. It's said these vibrations are a powerful way to reduce stress – perfect for a highly-strung individual like myself who's brain is forever in overdrive.
The history:
Sound bathing is linked to ancient practices in many cultures and religions, from Tibetan monks' singing bowls for spiritual ceremonies to Hinduism's development of "Om".
For over 40,000 years Aboriginal tribes have used the didgeridoo as a sound healing instrument. And in ancient Greek times sound was used to induce relaxation and sleep.
As the modern world's interest in yoga and meditation has increased, gong bath sound therapy has found its way into the mainstream. Its growing popularity has been helped in part by celebrity interest in the practice. Miranda Kerr and Charlize Theron are said to be fans while Russell Brand has reportedly learned to "play the gong".
The science:
Stress and tension have been linked to increased chances of developing heart disease, diabetes and mental health issues. Converts to sound bathing claim it can help eliminate stress and therefore reduce chances of developing certain conditions.
A study seeking to determine the impact of sound healing on mood, tension, pain and anxiety levels tracked a group of 62 people who engaged in singing bowl and gong meditation.
Published in the Journal of Evidence-based Complimentary and Alternative Medicines, the results showed the subjects experienced significantly less anger, fatigue, tension and "depressed mood".
The researchers also noted other forms of meditation are often avoided due to the time and discipline required to learn them. But they found the ease with which the group engaged in gong bathing, that is, to "merely lie down and listen", made it an approachable option for experiencing a meditative practice.
And a 2017 study on the healing complexity and transformative power of sound, conducted at the California Institute of Integral Studies claimed heart surgery patients exposed to low-vibration frequencies had faster recovery times and needed less pain medicine following surgery.
The reality:
The class at Golden Yogi in Takapuna started in a dark room with chanting. With hands clasped in front of my chest, I was unable to quite catch the chant, so I just moved my lips in a mumble - attempting to fake it till I made it in front of my new yogi friends.
After 10 minutes of mumbling we were instructed to lie down and wrap ourselves in heavy blankets. And for the next 40 minutes the gong was sounded in a steady rhythm.
For the first 15 minutes I lay there wondering, am I doing it right? And have I actually just come to what feels like a really loud sleepover in a dark room of 20 people? But once I set these thoughts aside I did start to doze off into a very meditative state. The million things inside my head - from to-do lists to Game Of Thrones predictions - disappeared. In basic terms, I fell asleep. When I woke up and was brought back into the present, the teacher advised spending 10 minutes at ease, and taking a walk before driving. Yes, it's meant to be that relaxing that it puts you in an almost zombie-like state - in Lululemon tights rather than torn, bloodied clothes.
The verdict:
The sound bath was definitely an effective way to cast aside the many thoughts of a constantly stimulating world. After a stressful week this was a nice way to relax. I found I slept incredibly well that night and had no issues hauling myself out of bed the following morning. Would I pay $20 to go back, wrap myself in blankets and lie on the ground for an hour while having my thoughts quite literally drowned out? If it can relax a self-confessed stress-head insomniac like me then I'm willing to splash out on another sound bath.
