Cosmic Octave Gong Concert
“Welcome to the Cosmic Octave Experience! Our trip to the moon is about to begin.”
I stirred from where I’d been laying on the ground, stifling a yawn as my eyes blinked open. Oops, I’d thought to myself. Apparently, I'd gotten a little too comfortable while waiting for the performance to start. It was hardly my own fault, though; how was I not supposed to doze off in a dark room lit dimly by faux candles and star projectors?
The voice that had roused me from my slumber continued to speak. Truthfully, I couldn’t tell you what was being said. At the moment, I had more pressing matters to attend to– matters such as the sandal-clad foot digging into the pillow beneath my head. I was having a hard time appreciating the ambiance when there was someone quite literally toeing their way into my personal space. A quick glance to my left told me who the offending appendage belonged to; it was an older woman, sporting washed-out capris and a blissed-out expression. Irritated, I not-so-subtly tugged my pillow away and scooted out of her shoe’s reach before settling back down.
The whole interaction had me wondering why I was even there in the first place. Maybe this lady’s foot in my face was a sign from the universe to get up and go before I became a sacrifice to their moon goddess. Well, I’d winced, confronting my inner cynic, maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to judge these people. Sure, this definitely wasn’t my usual scene, but that didn’t mean it was inherently wrong. Who was I to barge into their sacred space and make false assumptions? I took a deep breath, registering the scent of incense in the air. It smelled vaguely like the kind my mom would waft around the house; lavender, usually, with hints of sage and rosemary thrown in. Reminding myself that I was here to keep an open mind, I turned my attention back to the program and willed myself to relax.
I want to say that after those forty-five minutes of listening, I finally came to understand the true meaning of spirituality through the music of the universe. I want to say that the low and steady thrum of the gongs drowned out the static of my brain, that the gentle twinkling of the stars in the night sky put me at ease, or that I’d finally found a means to escape the clutches of Earth’s gravity, surrendering myself to the galaxy’s embrace. I could sit here all day and wax poetic about what didn’t happen, but I’d have to live with that fabrication for the rest of my life, so I won’t.
What I will say is this– I’m glad that I got to experience something that holds a lot of meaning for a lot of people, even if I’m not one of them. That evening, I saw clasped hands trembling in their own embrace, moved by the music they heard. I saw eyes squeezed shut to hold back tears and eyes letting those tears fall freely without remorse. I saw just how much love they held for the universe and was moved by their conviction. Sound doesn’t exist inside of vacuums, but these people managed to dance anyway.
I contemplated all of this and more as I drove back home, the sun having set hours ago. Stopped at a red light, I looked up at the sky to see if any stars were visible. There weren’t many, but I could make out a few against the bright lights of the city surrounding me. The light turned green, and as I lifted my foot off of the brake, I smiled, reminding myself to call my mom soon and ask her for the name of the incense she used.
