Snoring during a Group Gong Session:

Navigating Extraneous Noise During a Group Gong Session

“To snore or not to snore… that is the question.”

Picture this. You’re lying down in a dimly lit room, surrounded by soft blankets, eyes gently closed, waiting for the first resonant hum of the gong to wash over you. The space is calm, serene, and full of promise.

The vibrations begin, and just as you’re slipping into a deep state of relaxation… a soft snore cuts through the air.

You crack an eye open, half smiling, half wondering whether to ignore it or send a playful nudge to the person next to you.

In theory, snoring at a group sound session is something we would ideally avoid in order to maintain a peaceful atmosphere for everyone.

There you go, that’s the simple answer to the question in the title.

But hang on a minute. This topic is far from simple, and that statement doesn’t quite hold up. In reality, almost every group gong session will have at least a few people snoring at some point.

Here’s the thing. When we relax, snoring is a common byproduct. This post isn’t about why people snore. It’s simply recognising that it often happens when we lie down and let go. So the real question becomes, how do we handle it in a shared space?

I was curious to hear what other professional gong players thought, so I brought this up during dinner at a training session. The responses were surprisingly varied.

Some practitioners tell participants at the beginning that if snoring occurs, they will gently walk around the room and wake the person. Others encourage participants to wake the person next to them if it becomes disruptive. Some, especially those offering gong meditations, invite people to incorporate the sound of snoring into their experience.

And then there was one story that really stayed with me. A woman was kicked a little too firmly in the back to stop her snoring, which left her feeling deeply unsafe in the space. I found that particularly difficult to hear.

Personally, I do not feel comfortable creating an environment where people may be woken or touched without consent.

If someone has fallen asleep, my view is that it is likely what their body needs in that moment.

For me, a group gong session should be a safe space for everyone. That includes the person who is asleep and snoring, and the person lying awake trying to stay with their own experience.

Because of this, I now address the subject right at the beginning of each session.

Our bodies are intuitive. When someone drifts off during a gong session, it can be a sign that the sound is reaching deeper layers of the nervous system. Interestingly, the human ear only perceives a small portion of the vibrations created by a large gong. Much of the experience is felt through the body rather than heard.

That said, in a group setting there will always be some level of extraneous noise. Light breathing, movement, and sometimes snoring can be noticeable and, at times, distracting.

While the gongs continue to do their work regardless, these sounds can pull others out of their own experience.

If you ever find yourself in that situation, where someone’s snoring is drawing your attention away, there is a simple and effective option.

Change your position.

Rather than lying down, try coming into a seated position. You can then gently watch the instruments being played. You will still receive the full effect of the vibrations, but in a way that feels more anchored and less interrupted.

It also shifts your experience slightly. Watching the gong being played can become part of the journey in its own right.

And let’s be honest, many of us have sat in a session feeling irritated by someone else, only to then judge ourselves for not being particularly calm or “Zen” about it. It’s a very human response.

Some practitioners describe their sessions as gong meditations. While meditation may be part of the experience for some people, I take a more pragmatic approach.

A sound journey can bring a wide range of responses. Some people relax deeply or fall asleep. Others find themselves processing thoughts or emotions. Some simply enjoy the sound.

I don’t promise a meditative experience, because every person’s response to sound is different.

There is also an interesting physiological aspect to consider. Sound vibrations can influence the body on a measurable level. Research suggests that sound can support shifts in brainwave activity, moving from more alert states into slower, more restful ones.

When someone falls asleep during a session, they may be entering theta or even delta brainwave states. These are associated with deep relaxation and restoration.

In that sense, sleep during a session isn’t a disruption. It’s part of the process.

Another layer to this is the idea of silence itself.

Many people arrive expecting complete silence apart from the instruments. But real life isn’t silent, and neither are shared spaces.

There will always be small sounds. Breathing, movement, distant noise from outside. Rather than seeing these as interruptions, it can be helpful to view them as part of the environment.

An opportunity, perhaps, to let things be as they are, without needing to control them.

That said, if you know from experience that you struggle with any external noise, a private session may be a better fit. I offer one-to-one sound sessions in Bridgetown, Totnes, which provide a quieter and more tailored environment.

By normalising these experiences and offering simple options like changing position, we create a space where people don’t feel pressured to have a particular kind of experience.

It allows for more ease, more honesty, and ultimately, more rest.

And finally, a practical note. If you know that you are a particularly enthusiastic snorer and are planning to attend a group session, it may be worth having a quick chat with the practitioner beforehand. There may be simple adjustments, such as positioning or props, that can help.

See you in the sound space soon