Sound & Light DreamSpa

"Everything you can imagine is real." — Pablo Picasso

What to Expect During the Sound & Light DreamSpa 

Upon arrival at the DreamSpa, you'll be greeted by the calming scent of aromatherapy oils burning in the air, setting the tone for your journey. You'll be welcomed with your choice of a lush herbal tea, coffee, or a comforting builder’s brew.

You'll then take a seat beside the Dreamachine, where we'll introduce you to the art and science behind this mesmerising device. Explore its lights, then select a small seasonal tasting palette to awaken your senses. Please note this is not a meal. It's a small selection of tasting spoons to awaken your taste buds.

There will be opportunities to move, lie down, and experience a guided meditation that delves into the inner workings of your mind, followed by a mini sound spa featuring a range of sound healing instruments.

Feel free to move around or step away from the light whenever you need. There will also be opportunities for drawing and journaling.

This 60-minute experience takes place in the Where Inspiration Blooms Pavilion.

We have four time slots available throughout the day.

13.00 - 14.00

15.00 - 16.00

16.30 - 17.30

18.00 - 19.00

Please arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your booking.

It’s suitable for children over the age of 11. An adult must accompany children under 16.

The Dreamachine uses flashing lights and is unsuitable for people with epilepsy, photosensitivity, or any sensitivity to flashing lights. People with balance issues may find it disorienting.

What is the Dreamachine?

In 1958, artist Brion Gysin had a transcendental experience that would change his life and work. Gysin travelled on a bus through a tree-lined avenue in Southern France, dozing with his head against the window. The flickering sunlight over his closed eyelids triggered a hallucinatory experience:

‘An overwhelming flood of intensive bright patterns in supernatural colours exploded behind my eyelids: a multidimensional kaleidoscope whirling out through space. The vision stopped abruptly when we left the trees. Was that a vision?’ (Geiger, 2004)

Gysin had experienced the stroboscopic visual phenomenon of Flicker, which was already known and documented, with accounts stretching as far back as Nostradamus and to yet more ancient spiritual and shamanistic practices.

His vision led him to create The Dreamachine, a stroboscopic device that, when viewed through closed eyelids, creates visions in the mind’s eye of the viewer. In the DreamSpa Sound and Light experience, you will experience Dreamachines created by interdisciplinary artist Lucy Chapman based on Gysin’s original plans.

Each person’s response to the Dreamachine is unique to the viewer.

Some people see kaleidoscopic patterns and images, others experience more figurative visions, and some see the inside of their eyelids.

The current scientific hypothesis is that when we view the Dreamachine, we are looking at our visual cortex.

Come and experiment with the potential of your imagination!

Health & Safety warning - The Dreamachine uses flashing lights and is not suitable for people with epilepsy, photosensitivity, or any sensitivity to flashing lights.

What is a Sound Spa?

A Sound Spa (also known as a Gong Bath) is a powerful sonic meditation that enables deep relaxation to bring about peace and wellbeing for improved health. The vibrations from the gongs assist the release of emotional and energy blockages in the body and stimulate deep healing on a cellular level.

The gong slows the brainwaves, inducing a dreamlike state and opening us up to take an inner journey where our sense of time disappears, and we are left to simply 'be' and vibrate with the gong.

This is a collaboration between The Chiltern Sound Spa and Artist Lucy Chapman.

About Lucy Chapman

Lucy is an interdisciplinary artist, teacher and Inclusion specialist. This duality informs her artistic practice, which examines the tension between scientific objectivity and subjective lived experience.  Lucy's work draws on scientific research, with a particular focus on neuroscience and the natural world. Her work spans printmaking, drawing, sculpture and installation.

Some useful tips

• You will be seated in a chair, but you are also welcome to bring a yoga mat cushion and blanket if you wish to lie down.
• We’ll be journaling, so bring a special notepad and pen to record your thoughts, feelings, and ideas.
• Please feel free to bring a bottle of water.
• We’ll take time to get comfortable and relaxed at the start, so please arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your booking.
• Please place your phone on aeroplane mode.
• You are welcome to share any photographs you take with us or tag us on social media @thechilternsoundspa & @luceprints

Precautions

• The Dream machine uses flashing lights and is not suitable for people with epilepsy, photosensitivity, or any sensitivity to flashing lights.

• Pregnancy (not recommended under 3 months due to the unstable nature of any pregnancy during the first trimester.

• Tinnitus/ Menieres / Epilepsy or any condition which is sound sensitive or could be triggered by sound.

• Metal implants/pacemakers, etc. (can resonate the metal and also change the rhythm of pacemakers)

• Anyone with a serious Mental Health Condition.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions hello@thechilternsoundspa.com

Refunds

Apologies, we are unable to offer refunds. However, if you can no longer make it, you are welcome to transfer your ticket to a friend and just let us know in advance.