Health

Written by Dorothy Tong, Founder Heart of Gong
 
Since 2020, Covid-19 has disrupted our daily life, leading to increased stress-related health and emotional problems in our community. Organizations concerned with emotional health agree that many Hong Kongers are under extreme stress during the pandemic. A way to relieve this stress is through Quality Relaxation, essential to support one’s physical and emotional development. With lower stress levels, many problems related to physical and emotional health, chronic diseases, sleep quality, mood, and relationships can be effectively improved.
 
As a meditation instructor who has practised yoga for almost 20 years, I would be delighted to share my experiences to help others achieve a healthy, enjoyable life. Meditation helps promote well-being and inner peace, which makes people feel calm and joyful. Regular practice also enables a clear mind, a state of being present in the moment, and allows us to focus on ourselves.
 
People approaching retirement age and beyond used to contribute most of their time and energy to their families and society without paying attention to their health. Now that you have found time, embarking on the path of self-care is never too late.
 
Anyone can learn to meditate. Meditation is an exercise of the mind. Through specific postures and breathing techniques, our body changes. Our heart rate will decrease along with blood pressure, and even the secretion of brain chemicals alters to achieve a feeling of inner balance and peace. Meditation comes in many forms, such as chanting, singing, mudra, music, sound, etc.
 
The meditation I want to introduce is Gong meditation.
 
Gong and the popular singing bowl are both sound therapy instruments, mainly based on the principle of sound resonance, to bring high-quality relaxation to the participants. Since ancient times, Chinese tradition has advocated that the way to pursue health is to harmonize our Qi, achieving this through sound vibrations. We do not simply hear sound through our ears; we can feel it all over our bodies. Pleasant sounds relax us. Conversely, noise stimulates the body, which can cause irritability, anxiety, and negative emotions. Gong is a unique sound therapy system that uses vibration to promote the movement of Qi and restore physical and emotional health. The gong has the most powerful resonance among today’s most commonly used sound therapy instruments. Because of this, it can eliminate distractions, balance emotions, and promote inner peace.
 
Respecting and caring for yourself is the easiest way to lead a healthy life. This means taking care of your emotional health just as you would with your physical health; they are equally as important. I hope you find peace under the “new normal”.