Abstract

Subjects were first time ever attending a Gong Meditation. They could not have prior experience with Gongs. They knew what meditation was, but were not practicing.

QUANTITATIVE measurements on looking at four specific criteria.

 1. Creativity

 2. Stress

 3. Physical Pain

 4. Feeling Connected to Life.

These were measured on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 meaning strong, and 10 meaning nil. This study was to look at Subjects for 10 Gong sessions. They were able to choose min of 1x a week, and maximum of 2x a week. Spanning a total maximum duration of 10 weeks. They were given 7 questions before Gong Meditation, and the same questions after Gong Meditation.

What it is about:  I wanted to find if Gong Meditation made meditation would have the same affects as other modes of meditation. noting that it would help them cope with less stress, less pain, and be more creative and connected to life.  

Regular Meditation and relaxation, lowers blood pressure, calms the nervous system, releases tension in muscles, enhances immune system function, and reverses the damage done by negative stress. For relaxation to work its magic on the body, both the body and mind need to be still, and calm. As left side activity of the brain decreases, the intuitive, creative, right side of the brain becomes more active. We need to quiet the rational side and draw on our inner-wisdom, capacity for empathy, ability to love, and faith that you would be given answers. 

Meditation is a state of deep relaxation in which breathing slows, alpha and theta brainwaves increase, and the mind to become calm, yet alert. Meditation increases oxygen levels in the blood, stimulates the whole body and reverses feelings of tiredness. In meditation, the body must be calm and the breathing regular, and easy. 

If you practice meditation daily for six weeks, you will find it bring tranquility and joy into your life. I wanted to see if Meditation to Gongs instead of silence would have the same affects as Meditation, and also carry the Sound Healing qualities of pain reduction and stress.

There are many studies on Tibetan Singing Bowls, and crystal singing bowls, as well as didgeridoo tuning forks and Solfeggio frequencies. But few and far between with Gongs. In fact researching the web, I found none.  I found Sound Therapy, but not actual subject studies on Gongs and their affects. There is a website that shows the biology of subjects who experienced one hour of gong meditation with a live blood test, before and after gong meditation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ-JDNfviDM

I hoped to find that the Gongs would have the same effect as regular meditation, and carry additional benefits being a sound healing instrument. I was looking at Creativity increasing, Stress, Physical pain, decreasing, and the feeling of being connected (spiritual) to life would increase.

Method.  Asked subjects who have never been to a gong meditation, and have little experience meditating on a regular basis to participate in my study.  They would receive 125 dollars’ worth of free Gong Meditation. They were required to come 1x a week min.  they could come 2x if they wanted. They were to complete 10 Gong sessions, within 10 weeks.

QUANTITATIVE data are numbers

Questionnaire was ranked from 1 to 10 for participants to circle how they felt before, and after a gong meditation.  Then I would graph these finding to see if they were improving or declining in beneficial ways.

Measures:  Circle 1-10 with subjects of; Creativity, Stress, Physical, Mental, and emotional pain levels, Spiritual condition and Feeling connected to life. 10 meaning extreme to absolutely to 1 meaning not at all.                   

Design:  7 questions Before Gong, with answers 1 through 10, and 7 questions After Gong, and some fill in the blanks and yes, no answers.  Questions are as follows

1.      Rate your CREATIVITY from 1 – 10

2.      Rate your STRESS from 1 – 10

3.      Rate your PHYSICAL PAIN LEVEL from 1- 10 (WHERE IS THE PAIN?)

4.      Rate your MENTAL PAIN LEVEL from 1 – 10 (quiet and peaceful in your mind)

5.      Rate your EMOTIONAL PAIN LEVEL? From 1 – 10

6.      Rate your SPIRITUAL CONDITION? From 1 – 10

7.      Rate your FEELING CONNECTED to life? From 1 – 10

Subjects seemed to get spiritual condition and feeling connected to life differently.  I believe they are one in the same. That is why I asked the former question. Spiritual can be interpreted in many different ways, like the word God.

Also Mental and emotional pain are were just added in their for questions about pain. Subjects, also had an extra page AFTER the Gong Session to provide feedback, for a QUALITATIVE view point

Procedure:  I talked about the gongs and meditation techniques for 15 mins, (I made a point not to talk about Gongs or this session relieving stress, or pain in the body, or increasing spirituality or feeling connected.) Gongs used in session: 32″ Paiste Symphonic, And 4 Planetary Gong; 38″Sedna, 32″Nibiru, 26″Venus, and Sabian 28″Zodiac Planetary Gong. I played the Gongs for 35-40 mins, bringing them out of  the meditation with an ocean drum, chimes and positive affirmations. 

Results:  

All case  studies even if they did not complete the total 10 gong sessions showed an immediate trend of stress relief, physical pain relieve and increase in creativity and feeling connected in life.

I found that the subjects on average dropped out around 7 gong sessions. Some only completed 5, and those who dropped out trended successfully with the reduction of stress, and pain, and increase in creativity and feeling connected. 

But, I did see that with the subjects that dropped out there was an interesting discovery.  Which I have noted when teaching flying students in Aviation flight Instructor Handbook. AC 60-14 U.S. Department of Transportation FAA 1977. Which is called a learning Plateau. “Keep in mind that this apparent lack of increasing proficiency does not necessarily mean that learning has ceased” Which I see as awareness when I taught students, they thought they were doing worst, but in fact they were just becoming more aware that they were making errors, and this fact made them better pilots. The book also explains that “If the student is aware of this learning plateau, frustration may be lessened”

As stated simply by Dan Millman, in the book, The inner Athlete, Realizing Your Fullest Potential, “One sure sign of growing awareness is that you feel as if you are “getting worse”.” Awareness heals, but it is not always pleasant. “ … we have a built in internal resistance to awareness so that you can avoid discouragement and frustration”  

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