The Great Gong Bath Survey
The Great Gong Bath Survey is part of research I conducted on the theme – ‘Do gongs have a place in psychotherapy?’. The survey investigated who attends gong baths, why, how they are experienced, how people feel they work, the benefits, the bad experiences, solo v group gong baths and more.
Please feel free to share these charts and use this data. A big THANK YOU to the 138 people who took the time to take part and especially Masha Bennet, Richard Hite and Elham Kashefi for their wise insights.
Bear in mind that the survey relflects the opinions of only those that took part - gong bath ‘fans’ that attend regularly, and not those who may have attended once but found it wasn’t for them.
Some of these charts might be easier to read on a laptop rather than a phone screen.
Thank you :)
Sam x
Who goes to gong baths?
First up is an overview of the demographic of people that my survey reached and that attend gong baths. No surprises here. Since I was interested in whether there was a difference in perspectives between Sound Healers, Psychotherapists and people that are neither, my survey separated these groups. Bear in mind that this chart reflects who the survey reached rather than a typical audience - a typical audience is likely to be in the ‘Neither’ group.
Why do people go?
The perceived helpfulness of gong baths with specific issues, and the main reasons people attend according to which ‘group’ (healers, psychotherapists and neither). The survey shows people find gong baths are most helpful with stress and anxiety. Perhaps unsurprisingly sound healers mostly seek spiritual connection, psychotherapists seek psychological well being and people that are neither seek physical relaxation. But the numbers were all quite close.
Are Gong Baths always pleasant?
In a nutshell – no they’re not always pleasant. Almost a third of people have had unpleasant or distressing experiences. Surprisingly high since the respondents are gong bath ‘fans’.
The main issue is playing too loud, followed by people who are perhaps more sensitive in nature or are carrying trauma or anxiety and have had unsettling experiences during a gong bath irrespective of the volume. This doesn’t mean a third of people in any audience are having this experience, but a third have attended gong baths where at some point they have had a bad time.
So most people don’t like loud gong playing, Although a significant number of people feel it does have a place. If done correctly, with sensitivity and not for long, it can be powerful and cathartic. But since a typical gong bath audience is often quite large it might be safe to assume that it’ll include people who find loud playing distressing or may be of a disposition where the experience (irrespective of volume).
What makes a good gong bath? How do gongs compare with other sound healing instruments? What about solo v group gong baths?
The survey suggests that the most important quality of a good gong bath is the setting and comfort, followed by the structure of the session and the choice of instrumentation. Interestingly (i thought) people were in favour of less talking by the practitioner.
It was felt gongs were more powerful and immersive than other sound healing instruments, offered greater variety of tone and range and take you to a deeper place (these are gong ‘fans’ don’t forget).
In terms of solo v group gong baths, it was felt solo sessions were more tailored and personal, and being closer to the gong for a more immersive and vibrational experience was appreciated. Despite the possible distractions during group sessions, many people felt the communal and connecting nature of group sessions beneficial.
What do gongs do?
There are so many different opinions and world views as to how gongs work I thought it would be interesting to enquire further. I’m not sure the data revealed anything conclusive. Most people felt gongs work on a ‘mystical’ and ‘sacred’ level. The weight towards these two will have been influenced by the fact that half of those surveyed were Sound Healers who are likely to embrace a more spiritual world view.
In terms of the psychological effect people were pretty split over the four choices given. The same can be said for altered states experienced – nothing conclusive. I guess we’ll never get to the bottom of this one!
How do gongs work?
Another one of these questions that depend on your world view and personal experience. The most common beliefs being ‘vibrational resonance’ (equally favoured by the three groups) ‘nervous system regulation’ (most favoured by psychotherapists) and ‘brainwave entrainment’ (but not by psychotherapists much). I was surprised that the ‘Cosmic Octave’ belief scored as low as it did, since the more astrological and ‘cosmic’ angle has significant support and quite a presence in sound healing groups online. Perhaps because it lends itself to social posts - evocative mystical language and spectacular imagery that resonates with an already established belief in astrology. I think it’s unlikely gongs operate in all the ways highlighted in these charts though. Without proper trials, EEG and FMRI measurements etc. to sort the wheat from the chaff I’m not sure we can get beyond ‘I believe that…’. And maybe that’s all that is needed - the listeners belief that it works, whatever that belief may be, a placebo effect perhaps.
Could gongs have a place in psychotherapy?
My final chart suggests a cautious ‘Yes, gongs could have a place in psychotherapy’. Since it’s not clear on what level gongs operate, it’s hard to know quite how best and safely to use them with people who are in therapy. Therapy is much more ‘boundaried’ and considers the safety of clients very seriously. Due to the group setting of sound healing, and that little is known about the psychological state of those who attend, Sound Healing is less safe, people are generally invited to ‘let go and see what happens’ .
Whatever state gongs put people into, it is a deep one. Since it’s non-verbal, psychotherapists can have no insight into what’s ‘going on’ whilst their client is ‘under’. That in itself is reason for caution. Certainly gongs aren’t suitable for trauma – altered states aren’t a safe place to be if traumas are likely to be surface.
Group work could be suitable for therapy. Gongs played to groups fosters a sense of connection within the room, which might be therapeutic with groups who share similar issues and struggles, or specifically feel a sense of detachment or aloneness from others.
There is also a huge difference between lying on your back and willingly and trippily letting everything go for 45 minutes, and using a gong for 5-10 minutes say, during a standard 50 minute therapy session that may be focussing on specific issues. Perhaps shorter durations will help keep clients ‘in the room’ without drifting too far into their subconscious or into possible dissociation.
So the consensus amongst people that attend gong baths was mostly a cautious ‘yes, gongs could safely have a place in therapy.
Hopefully this research will encourage further enquiry and help move sound therapy with gongs towards safe use within counselling and psychotherapy.
Thank you so much to everyone who took part in The Great Gong Bath Survey. I learned so much. I hope the results have provided food for thought, and will help further our understanding of how gongs can be used therapeutically.
Sam@epicmallets x