Gong aficionado Eduardo Gómez founded his company in Lanzarote in 2013 to promote gong therapy and encourage every home to have one
‘The sound of a gong chiming generates an inner vibration that leads you to the answers you need. It reveals the truth, even when it is ugly, because that’s what’s necessary in the moment. Ultimately, the gong always fulfills its purpose.’ This is the credo of gong practitioner Eduardo Gómez, who’s been on Lanzarote for over twenty years. A computer scientist by profession, in his free time, he is a passionate advocate for the therapeutic benefits of the gong.
Personal circumstances led him to discover his spiritual side and the world of holistic therapy. ‘I’ve been on a journey of emotional recovery, and gongs have helped me regain my will to live.’ He has met leading figures in this field and acquired a wealth of knowledge about how gongs are made and work. Nevertheless, he has never considered himself an artisan or therapist.
In 2013, Gómez founded Instrumentos Terapéutico Solidarios S.L. to promote gongs and their benefits. ‘I am convinced that if there were a gong in every home, the world would be a better place and people would be happier. But I’m not as interested in making and selling them as I am in helping people learn how to make their own. That’s why we give workshops wherever needed.- in Portugal, Mexico and throughout Spain… It’s also a trade you can make a living from.’
‘At the moment, there is no permanent workshop; it’s itinerant. Our mallets go everywhere we go. When we hit the road, they come with us, like cooks carry their knives.’ He doesn’t believe in classifying different types of gongs according to how they’re made or what they’re made of. ‘Every gong carries the essence of all gongs. But it is true to say that they produce different sounds and harmonics depending on their material composition.’
‘We craft them out of a nickel and copper alloy called nickel silver. The process is both creative and intutive, yet experience is equally crucial. Being centred and aligned as you make a gong is paramount, as one wrong strike can cost precious hours. The rest is a matter of heating and hammering with passion.