SANTA CRUZ — Crystals, essential oils and the hum of resonating gongs filled the London Nelson Community Center in Santa Cruz on Saturday afternoon for the Midsummer Celebration of Awakening and Light. The event, which featured sound and touch healers, spiritual therapists and unique vendors, was organized by Lilyana Bethanee and Nohlan Matthew of Seventh Awakening , which is a private research, education and spiritual advocacy group based in Carmel. Matthew performed a “gong activation” every hour of the event, which is intended to calm and center attendees and with each of the specialized instruments designed to focus its sound energy on a different chakra, whether root or sacral.
“Interestingly enough, Lily and I came to a talk about gongs years ago here at the London Nelson,” said Matthew. “We had been working in sound healing before with bowls and tuning fork vibrational healing but the gongs are something else. The harmonics that builds up between several of them playing is pretty phenomenal.
” Following the first gong activation, the Sentinel sat down with Bethanee, who uses a blend of numerology, astrology and other arts to provide insight into participant’s personal lives. Bethanee, based in Carmel, said that she chose to have the Midsummer Celebration in Santa Cruz because she said she feels that more people in the city are open to the idea of alternative healing practices and spiritual therapy. “In Santa Cruz, people have more curiosity and a highe.