“The knower of the mystery of sound knows the mystery of the whole universe.”
– Hazrat Inayat Khan

Gong Master Practitioner Intensive Harmony of the Spheres Residential & Training

Please be advised we are not currently running this residential training.  Gong Master Practitioner Training is held in East Hertfordshire as a non-residential at the present time.  We are running a residential in Ceremonial Sound in 2025.  Please visit our Retreats Section for further information.

Download: Brochure

The Gong is one of the most ancient and important instruments, thought to have originated nearly six thousand years ago in Sumeria, it has been used for healing and ceremony ever since. It has experienced a renaissance in recent years here in the UK and throughout the World and has been adopted as part of their therapeutic or personal practise by many therapists, sound healers, yoga teachers, shamanic practitioners and those following a spiritual path. Gong Healing practitioners offer Gong Baths or Immersions either in a group setting or as a one on one. Recipients report very deep states of relaxation, along with a feeling of totally letting go, often going into a state of deep meditation where healing can more readily occur.

From our own varied experience conducting many sound baths and attending a large number of different certified sound healing and gong trainings, we have developed what we feel is a unique and comprehensive training in the Gong. Our Gong Master Practitioner Training is comprised of two parts. A residential training followed by a distant learning correspondence course. Firstly you will attend the Harmony of the Spheres residential training.

The Gong Master Practitioner Harmony of the Spheres Intensive is a mixed ability residential workshop. No musical experience or experience of the gong is required to attend. The workshop is suitable for complete beginners as well as advanced, experienced players who wish to immerse themselves in the gong space.

This intensive training will provide participants with enough knowledge and practical experience so they have the confidence and competence to practise in a healing environment or group performance situation. Participants will be taught everything they need to know about playing the gong, giving one on one treatment sessions and group gong baths/performances at a relaxed pace. It is a complete course in how to play the gong from basic to advanced playing techniques. The aim is to impart as much knowledge and teaching about the gong as possible within the timeframe. The residential is held over five days in a very high vibrational centre of which we have exclusive use over the duration of the stay and its private and quiet location is perfect for the work we undertake. The Intensive is suitable for those who wish to use the gong for transformation and healing, both for themselves and others in a non-professional capacity. You may attend the Intensive only if you wish, or you can also proceed to Part Two to complete your professional qualification.

A wide range of gongs will be available during the residential for participants to use. If participants already own their own gong, they are invited to bring them to the training to be included within the gong space.

All participants will take part in the all-night gong puja ceremony and for those proceeding to Part Two, this is an essential part of the certification. You should bring bedding, cushions and covers with you for comfort during this session as we will be spending the night in the gong space. Please note it is not permitted to use the bedding from Dev Aura. All participants will remain in the sacred gong space, each taking a turn during the event at playing the gong for all present. After the puja ends, participants will have the opportunity to rest for a few hours before continuing with the training.

The emphasis of this residential is upon practical, hands on experience mixed with relevant theory. Participants will truly be immersed in the gong for the entire length of the residential.

Residential Syllabus

History & Background of the Gong
Intention – Intuition – Meditation
Mallets and Flumis
Types of Gongs
Choosing your Gong
How to approach and play the Gong
Taking care of your Gong
Basic and Advanced Playing Techniques

Conducting a one on one Gong healing session
Giving a Group Gong Bath
Hand held Gong
Journeying with the Gong
Other Instruments to accompany the Gong Bath
The Universal Greeting
Using the voice with the Gong – mantra and toning
All night Gong Puja

The Course fees for the residential is £815 which includes all tuition, accommodation and food and Part Two distant learning curriculum. You will need to make your own travel arrangements. It is advised that participants take out their own insurance to protect their booking. Deposit to secure your place is £250 (plus £60 supplement for a single room – limited availability). A monthly payment plan is also available.

We are running a residential in Ceremonial Sound in 2025.  Please enquire for non-residential gong training.

Should you wish to continue your training and receive the qualification as Gong Master Practitioner, you can continue to Part Two after you have attended the residential training. Part Two follows a distant learning syllabus separated into five modules which are based on both practical and theoretical study. The aim of Part Two is to provide practical and theoretical learning opportunities for students to really explore both their relationship with the gong and also experience working with “clients” on a one to one and group basis. The explorations are both interesting, developmental and fun and on completion the students will have extensive practical and theoretical knowledge and the confidence to practice professionally should they wish. For further information please download our Brochure or go to the Gong Master Practitioner Training course page.

The Gong Master Practitioner Intensive – Harmony of the Spheres Residential is facilitated by Sarah Gregg, Sound Healer, Natural Therapy Practitioner and Reiki Master Teacher with twenty years clinical and teaching experience. In 2007 she introduced Reiki Drumming into the UK and was instrumental in making it available on a wide scale throughout the country. She also developed the ever popular Usui Reiki Kotodama & Buddhist Chants workshop as well as the Ancestral Resonance Process™ Celtic New Year Residential which incorporates ancestral healing with sound healing techniques. She has received extensive training with leaders in the field of Sound Healing and specialises in the gong, drums, crystal bowls and voice. She practices as a sound healer from her base in Sawbridgeworth and holds weekly community healing and sound events including Sonic Exploration evenings. As a qualified Reiki Master Teacher Sarah runs regular Usui, Reiki Drum and Karuna Reiki® Workshops. She holds residential retreats in beautiful places throughout the UK, as well as holding regular Sacred Sound & Light Immersion Workshops. Sarah is a fully qualified holistic therapist in a variety of different therapies. Her teaching reflects her interests in Sound Healing, Reiki, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Eastern Healing Arts, Buddhist Philosophy and Shamanism. She is a member of the UK College of Sound Healing as well as the International Sound Healers Association. Her organisation Reiki Drum & Sacred Sound Inspirations is a registered college with the Complementary Medical Association (CMA).

Some quotes from past gong residential and sound healing retreat participants:
“I attended the Harmony of the Spheres Gong training retreat in Oct 2016. The venue was a delightful old renovated rectory in Tetford, Lincolnshire called Dev Aura, and what a perfect location it was for this very special training course. Sarah is a warm and welcoming beautiful soul and an amazing teacher, the whole weekend was quite life transforming. We not only learnt how to play the gong but also we were introduced to many other musical instruments that complement the gong during a gong bath meditation. By the end of the course I was totally hooked and I had already ordered my gong on line by the second day. I am a Reiki master so I’m used to working with energies but the healing vibrational frequencies of the gong are limitless. A gathering of like minded people on a retreat is a beautiful experience and we all attended and contributed an hour of playing the gong in an all night “Puja” or gong bath meditation, this really gave us an opportunity to immerse ourselves fully in the beautiful vibrations, it was truly a magical experience. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in music, healing and well-being. We had the option of going on to do an accredited distant learning syllabus which I did. This involved continuous assessments on 5 modules that had to be completed in 12 months. I had to document all my experiences with the gong. 36 one on one case studies had to be documented. I received my certificate in July 2017. It was an amazing experience and I learnt so much about myself and my gong during this time, hidden emotions were released, issues were dealt with and released, it was quite a journey. I now hold sound bath meditations in the Brighton area, it started off slowly but I’ve build up a clientele and next week I have 25 people attending. Sarah is so open to sharing her passion with anyone and everyone and she holds Reiki drumming courses which I completed with her and now include this in my sound bath meditations”. – Ruth Mougharbel
“When I was first introduced to Sarah’s Gongs and sound healing I became completely in awe of the Gong. At that time I never thought that I would be in a position to play or own one, today I do. Having enjoyed Reiki drum, I also took my Reiki Master with Sarah, so when I saw the Gong Master Practitioner training I enrolled. Sarah could not have picked a more beautiful place then the Dev Aura centre in Lincolnshire. The Gong course, grounds, accommodation and food were excellent. In one word the whole experience was ‘Amazing’. During the stay Sarah encouraged us to try all the Gongs and other sound Instruments. We were given an in depth easy to read manual which helped to under pin the course information being taught, too which I still refer to on occasion. Any course work can seem daunting, especially if you have been out of education for a while as I had been. However I found the modules to be very well explained and easy to read, we had a year to complete. During this time Sarah was very encouraging and supportive. The modules are made up off practical work and theory. The contents of the modules taught me a lot about myself and the dynamics of how sound heals. On completion I had learnt to become a proficient gong player with the opportunity to become CMA registered. Thanks to Sarah’s Gong practitioner training it has enabled me to have the confidence and knowledge to stand up in public and facilitate my own gong baths”. – Anita Panayiotis.
“I’m writing to thank you for the magical 5 days I have just spent in Lincolnshire on the Gong Master course. It was an amazing experience and far exceeded any expectations I may have had. I thought you were brilliant, and the house, and the group together made the whole experience unforgettable. After all my indecision about which gong to buy I woke up the morning after reaching home suddenly clear, and I ordered it that morning. I’m missing the gong a lot. Looking back it seems to me that it helped me find solutions to what felt like intractable problems. It seemed to introduce a line of thought that I could accept. I wasn’t going to do Part 2 for example, but my mind was changed, and it now feels obvious that it’s the right thing to do. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness, intuition and wisdom that made the 5 days a life-enhancing experience.”
“Firstly, sincere apologies for not being in touch sooner to say thank you for the whole experience – and what an experience! Have found myself using the word ‘beautiful’ frequently since returning. Dev Aura is beautiful, the space and energy the gardens, food and freedom. The people I met were all beautiful souls in their truly unique characters. The gongs needless to say were beautiful – even more than I could have ever imagined. The course was beautiful – so well thought out and structured, informative and practical and lastly you Sarah – a beautiful soul through and through – you enthralled us with your passion for the gong and sound, whilst keeping us all on track. Beautiful – definitely; life-changing – without a doubt. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul”.
“Thank you again for an amazing training. I came home and slept for 10 hrs and feel light and recharged today. The weekend gave me an unforced sense of ‘this is what I am meant to be doing’. i.e. working with the gong. It was so wonderful to play without expectations, to receive healing from others and to experience your teaching and holding space; you offer from a place of deep humility and wisdom. And of course the venue and its Devi energy was the perfect support for our inner work.”
“Thank you for a fabulous time it was amazing. I loved the photos of the white group we all looked so good! The whole event was amazing and you of course were fantastic. Bless you. Hope to see you again sometime soon.”
“Thanks again for an amazing weekend, gorgeous place, great food, but most importantly, amazing love and heart vibrations, I was blissed out many times! Will be back next year!”
“I just wanted to thank you for a fabulous weekend. The inspiring content of the weekend in the tranquil Dev Aura, great teaching space, nourishing whole food and meditation gardens gave my whole being a refreshing break and real boost. I came home feeling ready to take on the world.”
“The retreat at Dev Aura with Sarah was a joy forever. The place was perfect and the food superb, so it was a good start! Sarah was in top form and made the whole retreat wonderful, taking us out of our comfort zone and I learned that yes I can use my voice, it’s fun and it’s effective (as I found when I used my voice with a client making everything very special). As for being able to use the gongs, well that was magic and I want one in my tiny house so something will have to go! I totally recommend the whole experience!”
“This year’s Sound & Light Retreat at Dev Aura was indeed a treat, fun and uplifting. The place was stunning – the atmosphere, the colours, the crystals, the garden – everything about it was marvellous. You facilitated the event splendidly, I loved the time out, the gong bath and the many opportunities to use our voices, – such a great powerful & portable tool that I hadn’t made much use of before. Definitely a highlight in 2011.”