Gongs Under the Stars
Our gong baths at Let's Retreat have always welcomed nature through the open doorway of the yurt. This summer, we're taking one gentle step further. Join me beside the lake as we gather beneath the stars for an evening of sound, stillness, firelight and connection.
Lydia Freeman
7/7/20263 min read
From the Yurt to the Open Sky: Gongs Under the Stars
One of the things I love most about holding gong baths at Let's Retreat is the setting itself. The yurt sits quietly beside the lake, surrounded by trees and open skies. As we gather inside, nature is never far away. We often leave the door open, allowing birdsong, the gentle rustle of leaves and the changing light to become part of our evening. It feels as though the boundaries between indoors and outdoors begin to soften, with nature quietly joining us in the space.
Every time I leave, I find myself wondering what it might feel like to take one step further. This August, for the very first time, we'll be doing exactly that.
Rather than inviting nature into the yurt, we'll be stepping into nature's space.
We'll gather beside the lake as daylight begins to soften, settling onto our blankets beneath an open sky. As evening unfolds around us, the sounds of the gongs will mingle with the breeze through the trees, the calls of birds preparing to rest, the gentle movement of the water and, as darkness falls, the stars appearing overhead.
There is something deeply humbling about lying beneath the night sky. Without walls around us, there is a sense of spaciousness that is difficult to put into words. We are reminded that we are not separate from the natural world, we are part of it. For a little while, there is nothing to achieve, nowhere else to be, just the invitation to rest within something much bigger than ourselves.
As a psychotherapist, I often think about how much of modern life encourages us to disconnect. We move from one enclosed space to another, our attention constantly pulled towards screens, schedules and responsibilities. Our nervous systems rarely have the opportunity to slow enough to notice the world around us. Nature has a quiet way of asking very little from us. It doesn't need us to perform, to explain ourselves or to have everything figured out. It simply offers space. When we allow ourselves to meet it, even for an hour, something often begins to soften. Perhaps that's why so many of us find ourselves drawn back to places like this. Not because anything needs fixing, but because they remind us of something we can easily lose sight of in the busyness of everyday life - that we belong here too. We belong within nature, within community, and within ourselves. Sometimes, all we need is the opportunity to remember.
The gongs feel beautifully at home in these surroundings. Rather than being the only sound we hear, they become part of a wider conversation. The vibrations travel through the air alongside birdsong, wind, water and eventually the stillness of the evening itself. No two moments will ever be the same because nature is always changing, and we change with it. Perhaps that's what I'm looking forward to most. Not creating a perfect experience, but sharing a real one. A moment where we can simply gather together beside the lake, breathe the evening air, watch the sky slowly transform, and allow ourselves to be held not only by the sounds of the gongs, but by the landscape that surrounds us.
And when the sound journey comes to an end, there will be no rush to leave. Instead, we'll gather around the warmth of the fire with a hot drink and something to eat, allowing ourselves time to gently return before stepping back into everyday life. There will be space to share reflections if they arise, to chat with one another, or simply to sit quietly and enjoy the comfort of the fire beneath the stars. So often we move quickly from one thing to the next, but this feels like an opportunity to linger a little longer, to let the experience settle, to warm ourselves, and perhaps to find connection not only with nature, but with one another too.
It feels like a natural next chapter for the sessions we've shared in the yurt. The yurt has always offered us a beautiful sanctuary, where nature has quietly joined us through the open doorway. This time, we'll step beyond its canvas walls and allow the whole landscape to become our sanctuary instead.
I can't wait to share this first Gongs Under the Stars evening with you.
With warmth
Lydia
Creatively Curious Therapy
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