Can you tell me a little about your background in sound therapy? He said “I’ve been playing drums & percussion since age nine, I turned fifty this past year so I guess I’ve had a romance with rhythm and sound for quite some time. I’ve always been attracted to music on a level of texture, color, feel and energy. Music has always to me represented an entire universe to explore, another language to learn, and through learning music of other cultures and eras it’s become a vehicle to learn aspects of myself. It’s all about vibration.”
He added “ As far as my background in sound therapy, I’ve been immersed in the school of doing, learning on the job, experimenting, listening and observing for 5 years pursuing this dream on a full time basis. I’ve been very fortunate to be one of a handful of sound practitioners worldwide to play the gong in traditional clinical settings. I had a contract with the State of Illinois for two years to provide sound therapy for patients at the state’s largest mental health facility in Elgin, Illinois. Primarily my sessions were held in the forensics treatment program to a wide variety of patients with a multitude of symptoms from diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. I have an ongoing relationship with Cancer Treatment Centers of America where I facilitated weekly gong meditation or drum circle sessions for patients, staff, families, caregivers and anyone else who wanted to attend.”
Kenny plays a combination of gongs, drums and rattles, many which are the same instruments that shamanic cultures from all over the world have used for centuries. “The more I learn and grow in my work, the more I realize that this approach is really a very old technology” he shared. The primary instrument is a Paiste 30 inch Platonic Year Earth Gong, it’s tuned approximately to 172 hertz – this is the frequency that the Earth rotates in our solar system.
This is a wonderfully expressive instrument and when played with sensitivity it can create an entire world of sonic possibilities. Attendees over the years have shared that they hear all sorts of unique sounds emanating from it – from whales, to flutes, to thunderstorms, to violins, to didgeridoos, to waves crashing on the beach.
He combines playing the gong and drums/rattles together creating a trance like effect that helps people to relax-meditate incorporating simple rhythmic structures and the broad expansive sound of the gong.
He added that he does not have any data personally from the sessions he has led, but there are some great resources out there, here’s just one:
“Sound affects healing in several ways: It alters cellular functions and biological systems through entrainment, to function more homeostatic ally; it calms the mind and the body; affects the emotions, which influence neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, which in turn regulate the immune system” the healer within.”
– Mitchell Gaynor, M.D., Medical Oncologist, Director of Medical Oncology and Integrative Medicine. Strang-Cornell Cancer Prevention Center, New York Hospital, author of "Sounds of Healing"
Kenny shared that he has facilitated over six hundred and seventy five gong meditation sessions at yoga studios, churches, hospitals, holistic centers, schools, chiropractic care centers, universities and medical conferences.
Everyone that we visited with about this amazing event had a positive experience and planning to attend another session.
A local Burleson resident who helped to plan this event as well as another where a group traveled to Kenny’s location had this to share.
Coralee Flug, Social Media Architect and gong enthusiasts shared “I will never forget meeting Kenny, I was at a networking event downtown Ft.Worth and he was told to come over and introduce himself to me. After a short conversation, I was completely intrigued with what he did and there was just something telling me this was not the last time we would meet.”
The first event that Coralee participated in was when Kenny planned a special event when his friend Nancy May yoga instructor was in town from Chicago. She invited some of her friends laughing and saying “ my friends are crazy enough to come along with me to try it.”
Although this type of musical event is not common to our area, none of those who attended felt like they were crazy for attending. They all just felt gratitude for being introduced to this art and musical led meditation.
Now having attended several of the events Coralee added “ Each time I experience something different. It is very hard for me to just turn off my brain aka my squirrels or even to sit still. Kenny and his gong just have a way of slowing it all down.” Most everyone who stays to visit after the events shares that it was relaxing and/or energizing, each person’s experience is unique.
If you are local to Burleson TX, you can attend one of the many events Kenny performs in the DFW metroplex. The next Burelson Event will be at D’Vine Wine at 114 South Main Street, Burleson, TX 76028. You can call manager of Burleson D'Vine, Karrie Grundy at (817) 744-7595 to get more information. Space is limited so if you are sure you would like to attend you can also rsvp by going to facebook event, the fee for this event is $25 but price varies according to event and venue.
When we asked about others experiences, Kenny shared the following:
Several years ago after a session in a woman shared that she thought she had an orgasm during the gong meditation. Everybody laughed and I had no idea what to say. Fortunately the yoga studio owner shared her experience, which was similar but different and very personal. Well this opened the floodgates and several other people shared some powerful insights they experienced. I never know what will transpire during the questions/sharing part of the evening - sometimes folks stay and we talk for half an hour or more & sometimes nobody says anything cause they are really in an altered state.
The other day at one of the gong sessions a woman shared her experience during meditation: She said that she has been going through a very trying time in her life ( I will not go into the details as it is a private matter ). Her Father passed away several months ago as well and during this difficult time she has been unable to hear her Father's voice, disconnected from his presence. During the gong session she was able to quiet her mind and get to a very peaceful state and out of nowhere she could hear her Father's voice again. Through her tears she found some joy.
This is why I do this work - I am humbled & blessed to play a small role in providing a backdrop for people to have experiences like this.
Kenny is from Illinois and still travels back each year to perform a "tour" of events for many of his followers, and the events are often sold out. It is an amazing experience that so many folks enjoy.
For more information about Kenny and his gong meditation visit http://gongmeditation.com or on facebook www.facebook.com/gong.meditation.7
Other local events include:
Dec. 14th - 6:30pm The Dallas Yoga Center 4525 Lemmon Avenue, Ste. 305 Ph. 214-443-9642
Dec. 15th 7:00pm- The Dallas Meditation Center 727 S. Floyd Rd. Richardson, TX 75080 Ph. 972-432-7871
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