Gongs in the Garden - Equinox Sound Bath

On the evening of September 22nd, the year quietly tips. The autumn equinox arrives in the late afternoon and the season turns toward the darker months. We'll gather in the stillness of the Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden to mark it by lying down and letting go. Take a pause at the exact point of balance, before the busyness of fall begins. -------------------------------- The Garden, to Yourself The Garden closes to the public at 4 PM. From 6 PM, it's open only to attendees of this event. Arrive any time from 6 PM onwards to wander the garden paths, courtyards, and still spaces at your own pace before settling into the Hall of One Hundred Rivers for an immersive gong sound bath. The $16 garden admission is included with your ticket. What to Expect This is a deeply restorative, lying-down experience. No effort, movement, or prior meditation experience is required. The session unfolds gently and progressively: • Arrival & grounding to help you settle into the space • Intention setting to consciously arrive and let the day go • Guided breathwork to down-regulate the nervous system • A full gong sound bath for deep rest and inner stillness • Quiet closing to integrate before re-entering the evening The session features large gongs, including two 38-inch Sun Gongs. Their layered resonance creates a surrounding "sound envelope" that many people experience as timeless, floating, or spacious — allowing the mind to quiet and the body to rest deeply. Each sound journey is unique and unfolds organically in the moment. Who This Is For • Anyone feeling busy, overstimulated, or tense • Those looking for a non-effortful way to rest deeply • Experienced meditators seeking deeper rest and integration • First-timers curious about sound journeys What to Bring • Yoga mat • Pillow / blanket • Water • Eye mask Event Details When: Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026 Garden access: Starting from 6:00 PM Sound bath: 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM (75 minutes) Where: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, 578 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2 Climate The Hall of One Hundred Rivers can be heated or air-conditioned, so the indoor portion stays comfortable regardless of the weather outside. The garden walk is outdoors, so please dress for the evening conditions. Cancellation Policy Refunds available with 48 hours' notice before the event. Detailed arrival and preparation instructions will be emailed to you before the event. Your Guide Aravind Vanchesan (Theta Space) is a meditation teacher and sound practitioner with over 25 years of daily practice. His work focuses on using sound as a gateway into deep rest, nervous-system regulation, and meditative stillness. Aravind has led group meditations and gong sound baths for thousands of participants across Vancouver in the last 5 years. The Venue Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a registered museum and one of Vancouver's most distinctive cultural sites. Opened in 1986, it was the first Ming Dynasty–style classical garden built outside of China, and remains one of the few of its kind in the world. The Instruments Traveling with Me to the Garden Gongs 38-inch Pure Titanium Sun Dance Gong from Colorado 38-inch Paiste Planetary Sun Gong from Switzerland 36-inch Blue Moon Chau Gong from Australia 32-inch Spiral Sufi Ammonite Gong from Iran Sound Instruments 33-string Monochord from Spain Triple-Layer Ocean Drum from Italy Spiral Rainstick with Blue Micro-beads from Pennsylvania Crystal Quartzophone from Quebec Kailani Sound Sculpture from Brazil Moon Chimes from Vancouver Island Koshi Chimes from France