Attendees laid on the floor listening to artist in residence Mona Ruijs who used sound and the senses to induce states of profound physical relaxation, meditation, and general wellbeing. 

Ruijs has been in Warrnambool on a five-day sound residency which finishes on Sunday. 

Sound bath participants listened deeply to gongs, quartz crystal bowls and Himalayan singing bowls with some experiencing a consciousness between sleeping and waking.

“I feel it’s a really beautiful process to be lying down and closing your eyes and just bathing in all the different sounds and frequencies,” Ruijs said. “That’s why it’s called a sound bath and the bathing is letting the sounds wash over you.

“Everyone has a relationship to music. It’s like a psychological phenomenon and it’s used as entertainment but it’s really nice to transition into sound.

“It’s more of a physiological experience and the listening body, the ear is hearing and the body is listening and sensing vibrations. There’s a lot going on. It’s quite a complex process.” 

Participants Liz Lane and Clare Brooks attended Saturday’s session and said it was deeply relaxing and a great way to spend a winter’s day. 

Miss Brooks said it was nice to be completely still for 50 minutes while Ms Lane said she “floated to lots of different places.”

WAG curator of exhibitions and outreach Ren Gregoric said it was great to have Ruijs visit the WAG.  

“It’s one of the very few performances of this artform that have happened in a gallery context within Australia,” he said. “It’s very unique.” 

Gallery director Vanessa Gerrans said the sound baths were a perfect fit with WAG’s focus on visceral experiences.

“In our daily lives we often overlook taking care of the body and mind,” she said. “Interestingly galleries are adapting to contemporary needs to become social hubs; conscious of expanding our physical, emotional, and psychological well being.  Mona’s offering is a great example of how powerful this can be.”