Today marks the seventh anniversary of Red Doors. Little did I realise the studio would be where it is today. Beginning with a visit by Don Conreaux it is now a centre of excellence for Paiste, represents gong artisans Martin Blasé, Rolf Nitsch, Ross Barrable, Tom Soltran, collaborates with gong masters such as Don, Jens Zygar, Mehtab Benton and others and up until Covid was building a collaborative footprint throughout Asia and beyond. Red Doors is an appointed wellness destination for the HK Tourism Board, ‘the best kept secret’ according to City LUXE guide and a popular place of calm in the city. A significant highlight was presenting the magnificent Age of Aquarius gong at the Global Wellness Summit in Singapore in 2019. The journey thus far was only possible through the support of you, my loyal clients, and those early adopters who helped build the studio namely Jane, Makin, Jenny, and Sally.
With dogged determination and an unfailing belief that the world needs simple effective tools to de-stress and find inner peace I have sustained and maintained the studio despite the challenges of the last two years. I do not pause to reflect often on my accomplishments to date. Today I did. One only needs to see the plethora of gongs across the city, the higher level of awareness and appreciation for gongs, the wide ranging audiences from cancer survivors to old age homes to schools, board rooms and of course your feedback.
My goal remains simple, to make a difference in the lives of others. I do so by introducing esoteric practices simply and experientially. My sincere wish is that I will continue to do so for many years to come and look forward to the day we may meet again face to face.
For those of you who are interested in learning more about the number 7
Seven represents the balance between the spiritual realm and earth. We have 7: wonders of the ancient world, chakras; colours in the rainbow; oceans (waves come in groups of 7); continents; vertebrae in the neck; layers of skin; notes in a scale; holes in your head; candles on a Menorah; the jackpot on slot machines; days in a week; deadly sins, virtues, joys; classical planets; hills in Istanbul, Rome and Jerusalem; liberal arts; games in the playoffs for NHL, MLB and NBA; circumambulations of Mecca by pilgrims; ages of man. The earth was created in 7 days which is the length of time of each phase of the moon. It is the ideal number of our memory capacity thus phone numbers in the west are 7 digits and also our attention spans can only hand 7 items ie 7 Habits.
Hindus believe it is the gateway to the multiverse, Buddhists the ascent, to Japanese joy and happiness, to Chinese ‘arise’ and ‘life’ as well as the stages in a woman’s life.
Hippocrates believed the world was ordered by seven secrets and in his tradition of medicine, 7 rules the illnesses of the body, with painful illnesses lasting 7, 14, or 21 days. And should you require a remedy for a fever Jewish magic suggests taking seven prickles from seven palm trees, seven chips from seven beams, seven nails from seven bridges, seven ashes from seven ovens…terminating in seven hairs from the beard of an old dog