This past Friday, the day after the fall equinox, I went to a Gong Bath. What you ask is a gong bath? The advertising flyer invited the public to “Come bliss out to gentle Kundalini yoga, with transformative meditations, a symphony of gong, singing bowls, didgeridoo and tuning forks”. It was titled “The Mothership, An Epic Equinox Offering a Magical Journey into the Primordial Sound Current.”
Currently, I am in the throes of grieving for my mother and finding each day a challenge. I practice daily yoga but this type of class was beyond the realm of my comfort zone. As I read the flier I formed a mental picture of how it would be and thought, YES, this might help me to temporarily move beyond the physical world and without the aid of drugs and alcohol. I hoped it could release some of my pain and that after I’d feel less of the heaviness that was now ever-present and feel more at peace with her passing.
I invited a friend because I didn’t feel brave enough to attend something like this for the first time on my own. We arrived early to suss out the crowd and find spaces. Some of the attendees wore yoga clothing but the majority of the crowd wore loose, bohemian drawstring pants, sarongs with blouses and caftans. Already I felt I had entered another world. The fragrance of sandalwood and patchouli were in the air. One couple arrived with yoga mats and a large blanket for two and then set up in a corner as if camping. When I saw them and the beatific smiles on their faces, I knew we were about to experience something special and also that they must be regulars.
Our leader, Jade Rajbir Kaur, was dressed in white with a “tree of life” emblazoned t-shirt. She wore a head wrap that made her look regal. The musicians, also in white, sat on either side of her on the stage looking ethereal and pure, completing the tableau. The lighting was low and the stage was rimmed with white rope lights. Fittingly, it was dusk and the effect was perfect- otherworldly.
The event began-it seemed more “event” than yoga class, with kundalini breathing exercises while seated with our legs crossed in front of us. We progressed repeating Sanskrit blessings and did visualization exercises to welcome the fall and attract happiness and positivity to our lives. We connected as a group by chanting and singing in rounds and it brought the experience to another level.
For the next section we were invited to relax and listen, laying on our mats, ironically in corpse pose (shavasana). I took in all of the sounds and vibrations of the back-round music and instruments, trying to feel peace and visualizing the happy spirit of my mother hopefully hovering somewhere nearby.
Yes, I did bliss out a bit and felt a release while doing the chanting, but I also found myself wishing for additional yoga asanas and less time in shavasana. But that’s just me. I’m not evolved enough yet to keep my mind free of thoughts for long and need the physical poses with which to focus upon.
I will challenge myself go to more events like this and I hope Jade will continue to inspire and enliven Puna with her presence. You can find Jade Rajbir Kaur's future events listed on her website
Namaste
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