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A gong, a singing bowl and a handpan create very different listening experiences. Your preference is worth sharing so a relaxation session can be shaped around it.

Three instruments, three very different experiences

Choosing between a massage, a counselling session and a sound session is partly about what you enjoy, and the same goes for the instruments within a sound session. A gong produces a wide, rolling wash of sound. A singing bowl offers a single sustained tone that fades slowly. A handpan plays short melodic phrases with a softer, more musical feel.

Many people find they respond warmly to one and feel indifferent, or even uneasy, with another. That reaction is useful information, not something to push through.

Saying which sounds appeal to you

Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, offers sound sessions in Lane Cove purely as a relaxation experience. Before you begin, it helps to mention:

• whether you prefer long tones or gentle melody;
• how loud is comfortable for you;
• whether you enjoy pauses and silence between sounds;
• any sensitivity to noise or vibration.

You do not need to explain or justify a preference in medical terms. Liking the bowl and disliking the gong is reason enough to adjust.

Keeping expectations in proportion

An instrument shapes the atmosphere of a session, but having a particular gong or bowl in the room is not a basis for expecting a specific health result. Think of the choice in the way you might choose music for winding down at home: personal, flexible and focused on enjoyment.

Small adjustments that make a difference

Comfort can come from simple changes such as moving the instruments further away, lowering the volume, sitting up instead of lying down, or stopping for a moment. There is no correct feeling you are meant to reach, and you are free to shift position or open your eyes.

If you have a health concern you would like addressed, that belongs in a separate conversation from a relaxation session, and it may involve your GP or another form of care. For a calm stretch of listening at the Lane Cove clinic, simply say which sounds draw you in, and the session can be shaped around them.