The gong: a journey through sound and vibration

From a simple singing bowl to a lifelong exploration of sound, vibration and resonance.

By Jaye Roberts

My relationship with sound began back in 1997 during a Reiki course, with something as simple as a singing bowl.

That experience literally changed the way I worked with my clients. I recognised how quickly sound could invite someone into a deeply relaxed, parasympathetic state, creating space for healing and restoration.

But the real turning point came in 2004.

I had just returned from China, where I had been studying Qigong, when I walked into a Mind Body Spirit Festival and met Don Conreaux.

Hearing the gong for the first time was instant love.

Don offered me a ten-minute healing, chanting over the vibrations as they were directed towards me. It was an extraordinary experience that opened the door to a much deeper exploration of sound.

By 2005, I was completing a ten-day intensive training with Don Conreaux and Aidan McIntyre.

Later, when I stepped into Kundalini Yoga, I discovered how naturally the gong integrated with the practice. This deepened my curiosity even further about how sound influences our vibration, shifts our energy and interacts with everything around us.

So, how does the gong work?

The gong is an idiophone, an instrument that produces sound through the vibration of its own body. Like the human body, it has many layers of vibration and resonance.

When played, the gong produces a rich and complex spectrum of tones, frequencies and overtones, often associated in traditional sound healing with the primordial sound of Om.

The vibrations are experienced not only through hearing but also through the body. Within traditional sound healing practices, these vibrations are understood to move through the meridians or Nadis, helping to release energetic blockages and restore balance.

Sound can also influence our nervous system, our perception of time and our sense of wellbeing. Many people experience deep relaxation, stillness and a sense of spaciousness during a gong immersion.

There is also growing interest in the relationship between sound, vibration and physiological processes, including the body’s relaxation response, circulation and immune function. While research continues to explore these connections, the experiential effects of sound have been recognised across cultures for centuries.

Singing bowls work through similar principles of vibration and resonance, offering their own unique sound experience.

We can think of resonance not only as something we hear, but as something we participate in, a meeting between sound, space, attention, feeling, focus and our shared experience.

The art of playing the gong

Although the gong may appear to be a simple instrument to play, learning to bring out its full range of sounds requires skill, sensitivity, knowledge and practice.

Over the years, I continued working with Jens Zygar and hosted Don Conreaux in Australia for many years, right through until 2020.

Having completed eight levels of training under Don, I eventually stepped forward to begin facilitating my own trainings.

Today, our approach brings together gongs and sound work with water practice, one-on-one sessions and group immersions, creating opportunities to explore the transformative experience of sound in different ways.

What began with a simple singing bowl in 1997 has become a lifelong journey of learning, exploration and sharing.

And perhaps that is the beauty of sound. There is always something more to discover, experience and listen to.

Explore gong and sound training

As part of a larger project myself along with other Gong players around the world produced a movie that demonstrates how we all perceive the Gong you can watch it for free here:

We all just need to gong!

If you feel called to explore the transformative power of gongs and sound, I would love to connect.

Applications and details are now open for our next training in May 2027.

For more information, visit www.jayeroberts.com.