Birthday Reflections - The Mysterious Journey with the Gong
Autumn is my favorite season! It's My Birthday (Oct. 12th), and my birthday has become a special process for me each year.
For the last 10 years or so I have made an effort to allow my birthday to be a time of reflection....with the efforts of gearing toward positive reflections.
You see, so many of us are looking to the next 'thing', the next project, the next job, the next goal, the next relationship, the next vacation - without really ever taking time to reflect on things like:
how far we've come,
what we've accomplished,
what we've learned,
how we've grown,
what we've gained,
who we met,
what we've experienced,
who we've become.
I used to be so focused on how much I had to do, how much healing I needed, and how much I had left to learn, that I never really gave my Self credit for what time, effort and being had granted me. I still get stuck in this old mentality throughout the year with time flying as fast as it has been.
So what better time than your birthday to create some extra moments to honor thy path and thy self?
This can be quite the uncomfortable process for some, and it used to for me as well, but now this ritual practice gifts me with so much more appreciation for this human journey.
I put together the little collage above because I am reflecting on how much the Journey of the Gong has granted me in the last 8 years, and believe me when I say, it has been radical, spontaneous and something I NEVER could have dreamed up…it has just sort of happened, and I would love to share some of it with You.
In 2015 I was offered a position as marketing director for a woman I didn't know.
It was presented to me one morning before my workday at the wellness center I used to help manage.
At the time I was working 60+ hours a week, I wasn't trained in marketing, but for some reason this woman wanted little ol' me.
I went to work that day thinking "there's no way this will fit for me."
3 hours later, I was let go from my job unexpectedly...and my boss was the nicest she had ever been to me.
It was surreal and none of it made sense, but then...
I heard a voice in my head that said "Remember your meeting this morning."
And somewhere in between panic of not having full income and shock of why my boss was acting so gentle, so nice, so out of character, I just knew that I was 'supposed' to take this path with the woman I met with that morning.
Little did I know, that decision would change my entire world, my entire path, completely and fully.
I ended up learning how to play the Gong that week, and so this woman - her name is Barbara - became my teacher and my boss in the blink of an eye.
Barbara showed me a book written by a gong master in Europe that shared her stories about meeting people who just 'knew' how to play the gong; Like they had played it before, even though it may not have been in this lifetime.
Barbara was sure I was one of those people and suggested that I start playing with her / shadowing her in her sound meditations weeks after learning.
There is no amount of gratitude that would suffice how important these acts of kindness, trust and guidance Barabara shared with me were.
Her willingness to show up for me, with me, changed my life forever - for the better.
There were times we had 20+ events in a month.
We traveled across Europe for two months together with the Gongs, sharing sound therapy with thousands of people, playing at random festivals, caves, temples and peoples homes that we were guided to.
'Coincidentally' there happened to be a very special event taking place in eastern Europe during the same time we were going to be there. So we joined the first ever Gong Caravan of Peace in Slovenia with 33 gong players from around the world, including the Grand Gong Master Don Conreaux, and played 14 ceremonies for thousands of people across Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia.
One of my favorite memories from those travels (and there are Many), was offering a gong ceremony on the top of the Bosnian Pyramid of Sun.
When my teacher left the island at the end of 2015, I realized that whole year I had dedicated to growing her business was actually building my own as I inherited all that had been built when she left. (what?!)
I've offered Thousands of hours of sound meditations for people here on the islands, playing in some of the most magical places, festivals, hotels, yoga studios, meditation centers, churches and the list goes on.
I've gone traveling on my own with my gong up the west coast and down through Sedona.
One of my favorite memories from that adventure was waking up with a vision of playing on a boat, and my friends in Oakland drove us out to Lake Tahoe where we talked the owner of the only tour boat running at the time to let me share gong vibrations on the boat in the middle of the lake with the group of people who had no clue what it even was. The intention really was to send the sound vibrations through the waters to all beings and land it touched. It was magical!
I have shared the gong vibrations throughout New England where I am from, and landed myself in Europe again last year (Sweden) during a self-care trip that was much needed and was blessed to offer sound with another sound artist over there.
The Gongs have granted me more than I could have Ever imagined and continue to do so.
And part of those blessings is being able to share and connect with You.
The people I have met and been able to support through this crazy, beautiful human journey of awakening has been the biggest blessing yet.
I absolutely LOVE being witness to others reclaiming their power, to remembering their Truth and embodying acceptance and appreciation for who they really are.
For You reclaiming your power and being You is Exactly what supports the positive evolution of our planet.
The Grand Gong Master is on a mission to create Peace through the Gongs, and I gotta say....he's onto something.
It has been said that the Buddha has reincarnated through the Gongs and shall eradicate war through peace by 2025. That time seems to be approaching fast, and while a part of me questions whether that's even possible, I look back on my life and remember the mystery and magick that has been presented to me thus far. If anything, all this reflecting on my past reminds me that the Universe always has bigger plans and can offer so much more than we could ever dream of....
if only we can be brave enough to say Yes and embrace the unknown.
There is no need for comparison, as we are all living Very different lives with different learning lessons, but I pray that me sharing all this helps you to see that saying YES to the unknown and to things/people/places that you are feeling 'called' to can turn out to be the biggest blessing of your life...and to others.
Are you willing to reflect on your own life - maybe even just this past year?
What have you said yes or no to this year that has served you well?
What have you learned that has gifted you expansion and positive growth?
How have you shown up for your self in ways that you never had before?
What are some moments to celebrate that you have supported others?
Really though...please share with me! I want to hear your celebrations!
One of our celebrations Together could be that we made it through one of the toughest world-wide challenges of our lifetime these past few years.
My hopes for You is to see how far you've come. To see that We are warriors of Love, and the Universe is always conspiring in our favor if we would only listen to her guidance and nudges.
I love you SO much. Thanks for BEing in human form with me at this crazy, beautiful time. We are giving bearth to the new earth, and I’m honored to be co-creating it with You!
I’ve had some lovely people ask if I was open to birthday gifts. The answer is, If you are feeling abundant, I Am Open to Receive! I love hugs (even distance hugs!), organic food and, of course, monetary means always help….so below is my Venmo, Ca$h App & PayPal! Either way, your presence alone is perfect. I appreciate You!
Donations:
Venmo: @SuperNovaSarah
Ca$h App: @SuperNovaSarah
PayPal ( <- click)