The Way of the Gong™

All Good Things… My initial reaction is,  “How did we get here, to the last day?” The week has gone by in a flash (refer to my presentation about the elasticity of time). What a week it was. And now we are wrapping things up. Lunch was bittersweet, as we knew that we would all be moving on, back to our own lives. So many friendships were started or renewed here. It's difficult to part and leave it all behind. This has been a life changing event for many of us.  We all got together in the barn room one more time. Mitch summed things up and thanked all the presenters and other people involved in making this Summit happen. There was laughter, there were tears, and there was a collective sigh realizing how much the time spent together meant to each of us.  Last purchases were made of Gongs and accessories, and finally, it was time for goodbyes. And then packing it all up and loading things back into the trucks. Fortunately, the trucks were much lighter, as Sha...

Day 4 and the energy level is still high. Everyone seems to be riding a wave of euphoria. And why not? There are Gongs everywhere and the vibrations are flowing. I'm tired, but the sheer energy in the air keeps me going. Who is this Teutonic madman???? No one is prepared for the morning Master Class presented by Jens Zygar from Germany. Jens brings a blitzkrieg assault of the Cosmic Octave that leaves everyone stunned in their seats.  Jens telling me, "Michael, don't use your thumb!" Jens brought an intense sense of humor to his presentation. But he also shared a lot of knowledge about the idea of the Cosmic Octave and how it works and fits into our lives. He certainly cleared up some misunderstandings I had about the system.  He also demonstrated a beautiful way to approach the Gong and play it, which brings you into the Gong and its sound. I have more work to do when I get home. Mike Tamburo Mike drove to the summit as part of his east coast tour...

Today was the midpoint of the Summit. Things are moving along and there are brisk sales of all things Gong and accessories. Where else can you ever have the chance to try out so many wonderful instruments and even talk to the people who made them? I bought more stuff and easily went through my allotted budget. I'm good with that.  Where else can you ever find Gongs lining the hallways?  Do you need mallets? Perhaps some Noah Bells or other small percussion. Michael Bettine Wednesday morning and I was a bit nervous to be presenting a master class. While I've done hundreds of sessions and classes, presenting your ideas to such a group of Gong fanatics seemed a bit daunting. But I had no need to worry, as these are my people, my tribe, and they embraced me with such warmth and love. I was both honored and humbled. I also had a lot of fun. Some guy talking about Gongs. (Photo borrowed from Jens Zygar) How do I describe or critique my own class? I won...

Yes, this post is a few days late, but It's been an intense past 3 months for me, and Tuesday night I just needed to get some sleep so I would be fresh at 8:30am for my session.  Shawn Aceto Shawn's a big guy who makes BIG Gongs. While he makes all sizes, 40-60" are his specialty. His 60" Gongs tower over the presentation room. While he's only been making Gongs for a few years, he's made steady progress is really dialing in the sound. His Gongs are expressive, as well as artistic. Shawn helping with a Gong selection.  The mirrored finish makes it difficult to get a photo of the stunning artwork. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful than the art of Shawn's  Planet Jupiter Gong? It sounds as good as it looks. Stunning! Day 2 started off with Mitch Nur presenting a history of the Gong. His research drew on various ancient books and documents, as well as interviews with people around the world. There's so much misinform...

It's 11:30pm as I write this after the 1st official day of the Gong Summit. Lots of action today as most of the people arrived and settled in. More Gongs were also brought out and set up. Gongs line all the downstairs hallways. It's definitely a candy store for Gong players. Most everything is for sale, and there's also a great selection of mallets, Burma bells, singing bowls, and related instruments and accessories. It's all magical. Where else can you try out so many fantastic instruments in person and choose the ones you want? I must admit to having to hold back from buying more things than I already have bought here! Some of the mallets, bowls, and smaller Gongs for sale. I just spent all day absorbing everything, all the vibrations, all the conversations, and all of the camaraderie. As you might imagine, the vibe here is amazing. Everyone is wonderful and open to the whole experience. Grotta Sonora One of the most impressive things here are the offerings...