Gong SoundSmith (full length certified course) – Manchester 2018-19

To register your interest in attending this course, please contact Martyn on schoolofsoundsmiths@gmail.com or 07850 955810.

Graduates of this course will be fully qualified (internationally) to give gong baths to individuals and groups, and will be able to acquire insurance as sound therapists.  The School of SoundSmiths is pleased to be recognised as approved training providers with the IPHM Accreditation Board (International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine). Our students may also apply for membership with the IPHM, and for discounted insurance (student or qualified) with Westminister Indemnity (details below).

The course involves 20 case studies and 5 training days (no more than 3 students per day, such that full attention can be paid to each student, and separate rooms can be provided for their practice).  You will also carry out an investigation into a gong-related topic of your choice (the results of which you will share by informal presentation with the rest of the group before the end of the course); give the rest of the group a short gong bath such that you have the opportunity to benefit from their feedback; take part in a mini-puja; have the opportunity to experience and try many complimentary instruments and see how they might fit into a gong bath structure.

• The case studies are to be arranged by you, in your own time,  but the qualification will not be awarded until all case studies are complete and all sessions have been attended.
• If you cannot avoid missing one of the group days you will have two options:
  • Option 1 – you can attend its equivalent the next time the course is run (your qualification can only be given to you once that session has been completed). You will pay for the session you missed, but there is no extra charge for coming to the equivalent session the next time the course is run.
  • Option 2 – you may be able to arrange a one to one catch up with your tutor at your mutual convenience. The cost of this one to one session will be charged on top of the cost of the group session that you could not attend.
  • In either case, the entire course must be paid for including the session you miss. This is vital as our ability to meet the costs of the course depend upon your commitment to pay for all sessions.
• The case studies are an important part of the course as they are an opportunity for you to encounter many different real life scenarios, work with many different people, and to be personally affected by the gongs over an extended period of time, thus developing a good understanding of the effects they may have on your clients.  If you have not completed the case studies by the end date, but have attended all other parts of the course, you will receive a certificate of attendance at the end date, followed by your full certificate of qualification once the case studies have been completed.
• It is recommended that (if you don’t already own a gong) you wait until after Part 1 of the course before buying one.  There you will have the opportunity to try many gongs, and also to learn a lot about them, their manufacturers, different styles, different uses, etc.

Who is the course suitable for?

This course is suitable for beginners or for those with previous experience playing gongs who would like to broaden their skill sets, deepen their relationship with the gongs, engage with and learn from other players and become fully qualified to work in the field.

Where will it be held?

• All five days will be held in my Gong Rooms in Chorlton, M16.  There are three separate rooms so that individuals or pairs can enjoy hearing themselves when they are playing/practicing.  There is a nice back garden with a couple of hammocks and lots of chairs, so we can relax out there for lunch and breaks.  We are 10-15 minutes walk from the very popular Unicorn Supermarket (organic produce), and there are many lovely places to eat in the area.  There are regular buses that go right past the house and into the city, and there is a metro link just 10 minutes walk away.

The course is non-residential but for those who need somewhere to stay, please contact me on 07850 955810 or schoolofsoundsmiths@gmail.com and I can suggest local, recommended B&Bs, hotels, or we may be able to find another solution.

Course Outline, Dates and Costs

Part 1 – History and manufacture of gongs; equipment, manufacturers, suppliers; initial skills development; effects of gongs

10th Nov 2018 (Group 1 – SOLD OUT)) or 11th Nov 2018 (Group 2) – £175 (please pay a deposit of £50 to guarantee a place on the course, and complete the full payment at least two weeks before the event date – contact me on schoolofsoundsmiths@gmail.com)

Action Point – after completion of Part 1- If you don’t yet have one, you should now buy a gong and become familiar with it before Part 2, and begin reading suitable online material or books (suggested during Part 1). Also consider a topic you’d like to investigate throughout the duration of the course and clear it with your tutor.  You will then share your findings  with the group before the end of the course by means of an informal presentation.  In order to make this interesting for yourself and the rest of the group, you should choose a topic that is of interest to you.  This must include research that you have done yourself….. not just information gathered from the Internet.

Part 2 – Preparing for case studies; one to one gong baths; intermediate skills development; client positions; roles of a gong player; self-assessment; related topics (harmonics, brain waves); the significance of the body in playing

19th Jan 2019 (Group 1 – SOLD OUT) or 20th Jan 2019 (Group 2) – £175 (full payment must be made at least two weeks before the event date)

Action Point – after completion of Part 2 – Begin case studies and write-ups and continue reading suitable online material or books and working on own topic

Part 3 – Advanced skills development; skills and tips for group gong baths; working with yoga classes; meditation and playing; fluency in the language of music; habits of mind and the application of intelligences; bookings, payments, advertising, promotion, websites, flyers, social networking, etc

16th March 2019 (Group 1 – SOLD OUT) or 17th March 2019 (Group 2) – £175 (full payment must be made at least two weeks before the event date).

Action Point – Continue with case studies, continue with investigation into own topic and if you haven’t already, arrange and give a group gong bath (at least 3 people attending)

Part 4 – Individual gong baths (20 mins per person) for observation and feedback by group; skills sharing; sharing of flyers and other promotion ideas; informal topic presentations (not more than 15 mins per person)

18th May 2019 (Group 1 – SOLD OUT) or 19th May 2019 (Group 2) – £175 (full payment must be made at least two weeks before the event date).

Action Point – If not already finished, complete case studies.

Part 5 – Complimentary instruments (such as crystal bowls, singing bowls, rattles, shakers, bells, wah-wah tubes, frame drums, etc); also mini-puja, pairs gong bath, group playing; observed one to one session by each student; Q&A and final graduation.

21st September 2019 (Group 1 – SOLD OUT) or 22nd September 2019 (Group 2) – £175 (full payment must be made at least two weeks before the event date).

Action Point – If not already finished, complete the case studies (note: if you have not yet completed all aspects of the course, you will only receive a certificate of attendance at this point, and you will receive your qualification certificate only upon completion of the entire contents of the course.

Insurance

Click the link below to make arrangements for insurance whether you’re still studying or you’ve already gained your SoundSmith qualification.

Insurance with Westminster Indemnity  

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT MARTYN:

MOB: 07850 955810

EMAIL: SCHOOLOFSOUNDSMITHS@GMAIL.COM

 

MANCHESTER GONG SCHOOL