A gong bath is a gift you
give to yourself.
A gong bath as described by those who have been there.
When it comes to how a gong bath is experienced, there is a big difference between the person who plays the gong and that of those who come to receive a gong bath. So we have asked participants to describe their experience in their own words.
“…an internal journey of discovery.”
For me the gong bath is always an internal journey of discovery – each one a different adventure. The vibration of every sound touches a part of me inside. As the sounds change the energy moves to different parts of my body and internal images arise. There are times when the sounds are incredibly beautiful and times when the sounds are unfamiliar and challenging (both can be difficult to stay with – but always worth it).
It keeps moving. There is always a beautiful stillness at the end – a very beautiful stillness.
– Vera, Scientific Copy Editor
“…opens up new spaces in my mind.”
For me, the gong bath experience is soothing and cleansing. It helps me to let go and opens up new spaces in my mind. In the process, sound images form in me, such as a flock of birds or a strong wind, alternating with calm images of nature.
It is best not to have any expectations.
Highly recommended.
Veronika, Therapist
“…a more effective meditation experience than anything I’ve done.”
Coming back to gong baths again and again was an amazing journey of gradually dropping into deeper and deeper meditations, and of waking up to a clearer and clearer sense of what is. The sound of the gongs is unexpected and seductive, pulling the essence out of me and helping me distinguish what is real from what is perceived.
I loved the music of the gongs and as a result of joining repeatedly I feel the ability to transcend this moment and to choose to descend back into it at will. What could be better than that.
If you’d like to quiet your mind and start to experience the self beyond the mind, this is an extraordinarily effective way of getting there. This has been a more effective meditation experience than anything I have done in the past.
I especially like that these gong baths took place in the midst of my life, rather than on retreat, as I was forced to integrate the experiences with normal life as they happened.
El, Yoga Teacher, Owner of Yoga Studio
“…my body feels light and cleansed.”
Every time I immerse myself in the sounds of the gongs, it is as if I were traveling into known and unknown worlds of the universe. I experience how powers and forces meet, sometimes even wrestle with each other, or how lost things finally find each other again. When the last note sounds, I wish it wasn’t over yet.
Afterwards, my body feels light and cleansed, and I go back to my everyday life feeling invigorated. I am glad and grateful that the gongs give me courage especially in these uncertain times and bring me back to an inner balance.
Thank you Alan for making the gongs sing.
– Ulrike, Singing Bowl Therapy
“…cleansing and healing.”
Each gong bath I attend is a different experience and that’s because it’s alive and fresh in the moment. What takes place is a dance between my being and Alan playing the gongs. The sounds are felt deep within my body and in some ways I am feeling them as well as hearing them. They are very tangible, like raindrops falling on me. .
It’s a true gift to myself to lie there and let the sounds wash through me, cleansing and healing me as well as providing a portal to access deeper layers of myself.
It’s a beautiful space where the baths are held and I feel very supported in the room. Alan is a genuine guy with a sincere intent and this plays a crucial in how I experience the bath.
Nirosha, Attorney
“…deepest sleep ever.”
For me gong baths have been an intense experience. Every time I have noticed the sleep afterwards is as deep as never before. Thank you very much!
Anja, Nia Dance Instructor
“A wonderful and relaxing space.”
I’ve never heard someone play gongs like you. And it was great. You created a wonderful relaxing space and I could feel your firm relationship with your gongs.
– Madeline, Gong player, Gong Teacher
“…helps me to relax and recharge.”
A gong bath with Alan helps me to relax, and recharge. For me, the gong baths symbolize the different emotions of life. Sometimes these are loud, agitating and intense, then again tender and quiet. Highly recommended.
– Daniela Gerber, Medical Assistant
“…I am much more focused.”
I am still fascinated by today‘s gong bath. I have the feeling that I am much more focused since this morning.
– Tobias, Photographer
“…helps me observe my thoughts in a relaxed way.”
The gong bath opens a space of clear being for me and helps me observe my thoughts in a relaxed way. Afterwards, I always feel very refreshed and satisfied.
– Olivier, Owner, Hair Salon
“It was like a massage times 10.”
– Brianne, Yoga Teacher
“It was beautiful and opened up my senses.”
– Jason, Professor of Mathematics
“…beautiful and enriching.”
The gong bath was a beautiful and enriching session.
It taught me through the changing sounds, how to let go of the past and the fears and the worries and remembered me how to just simply be human.
– Antonella, Flight Attendant
“…the perfect way to set the tone for the day.”
Alan masterfully creates a state changing symphonic sound cathedral. A sacred space to deeply relax into and re-emerge from refreshed and centered.
For me, it’s the perfect way to set the tone for the day, take a break in a busy week or to kick off a re-energizing weekend.
– Jan Bonhoeffer, Doctor, Founder of Heart Based Medicine and Author
“…touching, exhilaratingly magical.”
Recently I spent two weeks recording at Younity, and on that occasion I participated in a gong bath by Alan Steinborn there and enjoyed it very much. We have some gongs of our own in TamanGa, and I would never have thought what bewitching and enchanting sounds could be gotten out of them – it was touching, exhilaratingly magical, and I highly recommend it.
– Ruediger Dahlke, Doctor & Internationally Recognized Author
“…was wonderful.”
For our yoga teacher training this year, we integrated Alan’s gong bath as part of the training because we care about personal self exploration through sound and the related growth for our participants. As expected, the effect of the gong bath on our yogi(ni)s was wonderful. We will have him again this year.
– Florian Simon, Yoga Teacher Trainor
“…I saw how everything is sound.”
In the end in my mind I saw how everything is sound. Sound in sound in sound…there is nothing but sounds.
And the word Nadabrahma came in my head.
And I asked, who is the player of all life’s sounds?
– Anonymous
“…meaningful dream-like trances.”
I love the unpredictability of each bath.
I really appreciate the sound itself and the way it makes me at once aware of my body and outside of it somehow. I always appreciate trance states, and those definitely happen a lot.
The visuals I get from those are always interesting and sometimes really meaningful dream-like processing happens in that space.
– Mary, Therapist
“…mystical/transcendental experiences.”
At each gong bath I have had repeated mystical experiences I had only to offer myself by being a willing participant to get. Mystical not as in regarding a deity, but as a transcendental experience.
I feel grateful.
– Anna, Retired Teacher
“…100 times better than this website.”
Your website looks good, but your gongbad is 100 times better! How do you communicate that?
– Enya, Highschool Student, Babysitter, Blogger
Acknowledgments
I would have to say that playing gongs, for me, has been one of the great blessings of my whole life. It is a path perfectly made for me and I feel very grateful to those involved. Here are a few that come to mind who deserve a big thank you from me.
Stephanie Lange, my wife
I would like to thank my wife Stephanie Lange for her massive support over the years. She has let me take over living rooms and bed rooms and turned them into gong rooms. She has financially supported the project also. Mainly she has encouraged me through thick and thin with lots of love.
Matthew Conners, the person who led me to my first gongs
Thank you to Matthew, whose wonderfully sensitive aesthetic, combined with grounded knowledge and gongs, and of the most importance super generous heart, gave himself to me for that crucial first week when I was figuring out what sort of gongs I should get, me who knew nothing about it, depended on Matthew… It was a wise choice on my part.
Oetken Gongs, Oetken Gongs
I don’t know where to begin with the thank you to the maker of every one of my gongs. I only use Oetken gongs… I really don’t know if they are the best, but they are certainly the best for me. Beyond the incredible gongs, which I recommend to anybody wanting to get into gongs, I need to give you a little bit of a story to give you an idea of how special Broder and his wife Ines are.
It was right before Christmas of 2019 and I decided to get a couple smaller gongs… I contacted Oetken Gongs to see if I could come visit the workshop in Northern Germany… I figured I would get to see the place where my instruments were made and maybe get an hour or so to try out different gangs before making my choice…But then again I didn’t know Broder and Ines.
I took the train from my home in Basel and arrived Saturday afternoon. Broder and Ines picked me up at the train station. This by itself astounded me. That the maker of these exquisite instruments was taking the time to meet me at the train station. Amazing! We went and had a big meal, and at 4 PM on a Saturday, we went straight to the workshop where I proceeded to try out the gong after gong after gong after gong… for seven full hours!
The amazing part about this was what Broder and Ines (and their 2 or 3 huge dogs) did, or rather didn’t do. They didn’t do much of anything. They just hung out on a big cushion and listened to me playing, without bothering me at all, except when I took a break to bring me coffee and chocolates.
Seriously. Who gets service like this! The question is rhetorical. The answer is NO ONE…no one, that is, but someone going to Oetken’s Gongs. By 11:20, I had chosen my two small gongs. Also I truly understood that when you buy a gong from these people you’re not just buying the gong, but you become part of a family…Thanks, Broder and Ines. I love you both.
Bear Love, Blove Flumies
I had the pleasure of meeting Bear for a seminar on how to play his flumies. What I can say is that the man lives up to his name. He is all heart. Seriously. One look in the eyes is enough to know what I mean. But that doesn’t begin to say what his flumies have done for my gong playing.
Where to begin? The drones, the drones, the drones! Soft steady drones, high high pitched drones, drones and angelic overtones, deep white noise undertones, thick pulsing waves of tones. True magic happens whenever I hold a Blove flumi in my hand and fortunately for me and those who attend the gong baths, that is quite often. Besides being a wonderful person, in my view, and I have tried every kind of flumi I have found, his are the best, by far!
The Mallet Makers
All the makers of mallets that I use and love, the most of which are: Dragonfly Percussion, Oli Hess Mallets, Rohema Mallets, Gong Walkabout Mallets, Innovative Percussion, Grover Percussion to name the most used mallets.
The Gong Stands
I have used all kinds of gong stands over the years. At this point I only use Tone of Life Gong Stands. They are gorgeous, silent, easy to assemble and take down and sturdy for travel. Worth the money.
Gongs Unlimited, Gongs Unlimited
When I was getting started, I didn’t know what mallets were best for my needs. I was lucky to find Gongs Unlimited. The knowledgable and friendly folks there always gave wonderful advice on new mallets based on my hazy descriptions of what sounds I wanted. Their advice and products always delivered as expected.
Utsav the developer of this website, Utsav Singh Rathour
As web developers go, there aren’t too many as good as Utsav. I should know. I have been having websites built for me for over two decades.
Not only am I thrilled with the final product, which is the best website I have ever had, but with the process itself. It is a pleasure to work with Utsav. He is a consummate professional; a great communicator who listens carefully, is very organized and he clearly knows his craft.Once the website was done, I wasn’t willing to say goodbye to him so I asked him, and he graciously agreed, to manage the sites backend. Thanks Utsav, you are my secret weapon and it is a pleasure to know you.
If you need a website, make sure to give Utsav a good long look if you want the site done right.
Tobias Sutter, Photographer, Tobias Sutter Photography
All the photographs you see on this website as well as my posters and postcards were taken by Tobias. Working with Tobias was one of the best marketing decisions I have ever made. Looking for a photographer, I knew a couple of things: one is that the gongs had to be the star of the show. They are gorgeous and tell the story of a gong bath as much, or maybe more, than any words. The other thing I know is that I am not in any way photogenic. I am as carefree a person as you may ever meet, EXCEPT WHEN IN FRONT OF A CAMERA.
Then I met Tobi. Tobi is not just a photographer. He is an artist of light and placement. He is a perfectionist who will work long and hard to get it exactly right. Not only that, he is such a gentle guy that I felt more or less comfortable when in front of the lense. Nobody in my life has captured my natural essence the way Tobi did.
It is no exaggeration to say that this great photography has attracted many people to the gong baths. I know. They have told me.
Kisu Motion, Videographer, Kisu Motion
Speaking of Tobias, I also must recommend him for his follow-up project, Kisu Motion. Working with him and Lorenz Killer was one of the best business decisions I have ever made. It was an instant level up in terms of gaining interest to work with me and showing the work I do in the most beautiful and accurate way. Their work really does communicate, as much as possible, the power of a gong bath. I highly recommend them. The combination of Tobias’ sensitive eye and Lorenz’s mastery of visual story is a winning combination.
Gabi, logo design, poster and postcard design at 99Designs.
I couldn’t believe it on January 18, 2020 when I gave my first gong bath in Basel, after just moving here 6 months previously, that the gong bath was sold out with a waiting list. The reason for this marketing success was the wonderful work by Gabi. She is a lovely and generous person who happens also to be an amazing talent. Highly recommended.
Michael Schär, Bom Communication, initial marketing conception, text conception, translation and models
When I first moved to Basel I contacted Michael Schär and he helped me through my initial marketing concept, initial marketing copy and when it came time for the photos, the Schwindlschär team showed up at Tobi’s studio. I didn’t know anybody at the time here so this was a HUGE gift. All these beautiful people you see in the photos. That’s Schwindlschär. THANKS!
AnJa Schneebeli, Owner Walztanz, first home for public baths in Basel
In late 2019, when I was ready to give my first public gong bath in Basel, I was told by a friend about Anja and her gorgeous space. Upon meeting her, I was struck by her quick generosity in not only renting the space to me at an ‘introductory’ rate, since it was my first gong bath and we didn’t know how it would fare, but she personally came and brought people with her to that first gong bath!
When there was a lull in the Corona virus the summer of 2020, I wanted to regain the momentum I had initially won but lost with the virus. I contacted Anja again. I asked for her help and she responded by sending out a heartfelt recommendation to her whole mailing list. That next session was filled, and about half the people came because of Anja.
Thanks for your friendship. I look forward to future adventures together.
Erica da Vega, Owner, Soul City Yoga in Zurich
When I started to reach out to yoga studios about them hosting gong baths, I was rather selective. I wasn’t looking for the biggest studios. I was looking for kindred spirits. With Erica, I found such a one. Her studio is a gem of community and Erica is the hostess with the mostest. She is amazing.
Another thing I want from the yoga studios I work with is for them to really be into the gong bath experience and what it can bring to their community. I contacted many studios who just wanted to fill in their calendars and were happy for another event. That wasn’t for me. I was looking for studio owners who were are least curious enough to come for a gong bath. Erica and I immediately clicked, even before we spoke and then she made the trip over here to Basel to check it out personally. It was at that point, I knew that Soul City was the Zurich home for me. Thanks Erica. Looking forward to more great events together.
Ralf Schultz and Daisy Bowman of Soma Yoga in Freiburg/BRSG in Germany
Speaking of commitment, I am super happy about my yoga studio home in Freiburg. Like Erica, Ralf and Daisy also were curious enough to come and sample a gong bath before I ever gave one at their beautiful studio. Without naming names, I will say that one of them snored throughout… 🙂
So we immediately felt a deep in presence kind of connection and also a connection in terms of our spiritual paths, if I may say so. This was brought home to me my first weekend giving gong baths at Soma Yoga. I needed a place to stay as we were to have a gong bath Saturday and Sunday. Ralf and Daisy graciously opened their doors to me. What a lovely feeling in their place. Thank you for opening your home and hearts to me. I am excited about our future events and adventures together.
Florian Simon, Lebensraum
In October of 2020, I found out they were going to be tearing up my street for 6 months! at the time, I had my gong studio in my home which was on the first floor right above said street. Upon finding out about this terrible fact, I did the smart thing and denied it and kept on playing at home….all the way until, in December, I noticed a group of engineers standing outside my door with vests, hard hats and everything. I walked over to them and asked them about their intentions. I had to face the fact that they were going to turn my street into a construction zone from January all the way to July.
The time for denial was over and the time to act was now. So I thought for a moment who could provide me with a gorgeous studio where I could both practice the gongs and give gong baths. The first person I thought of was my friend, Florian.
Florian is like a greek hero. He exudes virility, good humor and a whole lot of words, always punctuated with his trademark smile. A sweet guy. I had been once or twice in Lebensraum and liked the vibe so I decided to reach out and see what he thought about housing me.
Luckily for me, he was elated at the idea. It was a quick and complete YES!
Little did I know that playing gongs at Lebensraum was such an upgrade that after the very first time practicing there that I knew decisively that I had played my last at my home studio. That week I transformed the studio to a hang out space and home office space for my wife. I haven’t looked back since.
Lebensraum is a product of love, intention, a whole lot of sensitive awareness, creativity and physical follow-through. It is actually a miracle. You need to come and see it to know what I am talking about.
The gongs belong in this space. Thank you Florian for having me there and for your friendship. It has been a huge blessing to me.