Did you know? Sound baths may be all the rage today, but they have been practised since ancient times, and music has been used as a form of therapy for thousands of years.
My first encounter with sound therapy and gong baths was in Singapore at One Heart where I did my Reiki 1 and 2 workshops. Sound therapy got me through 16 rounds of chemotherapy while I was going through rigorous cancer treatment in Singapore.
I didn’t get around to continuing sound baths in Hong Kong until I found Red Doors Studio, which also happens to be home to Asia’s largest gong collection. Founded by Martha Collard, Red Doors Studio also offers Kundalini Yoga, meditation as well as Reiki workshops.
My first experience at the studio was on 12 December 2019 during a full moon, where I learned about all the other initiatives and workshops at the studio including sound baths for cancer patients to all-night-long gong baths sessions. That evening featured her largest custom-made titanium gong with deep grounding vibrations that embraced and tickled every vertebra—its effects felt days after my session.
“The sound of a meditation gong induces a state of spontaneous meditation and relaxation, which facilitates the movement of chi or prana (positive life force) throughout the body. (M. Benton) On a physical level, the vibrations eliminate tension, stimulate the circulation and glandular systems, and regenerate the parasympathetic nervous system. Listeners experience a sense of connectedness and peace. They are lulled from a Beta, or awake state, into a Theta, or lucid dream state; a state that allows our bodies to heal and rejuvenate. The sound waves gently clear blockages to restore inner harmony.”
Red Doors Studio
During my session, tears voluntarily flowed out of my closed eyes and I found myself in a state of complete relaxation. This happened several times to me before with crystal sound baths, and I was told it was just another form of energy release. I always feel rejuvenated and refreshed after a gong bath—there’s just something about the mellow grounding notes that vibrate through the cells and creates some magical recalibration of the human body.
Located in Wong Chuk Hang, the expansive studio is home to all of Collard’s gongs and every session ends with some hot tea and brownies for a little recharge.
It is difficult to explain the effects and changes at a metaphysical level and perhaps the best way to find out how it’ll affect you is to book a session and experience it for yourself. I have benefited plenty from sound baths—from giant gongs to crystal bowls—and would highly recommend everyone giving it a try.
Red Doors Studio, Flat A, 21st Floor, Lee Fund Centre, 31 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, +852 2110 0152
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