It was a warm day in June, with blue skies overhead as I drove through the open Southern California desert with Joshua trees freely scattered about.
I eventually turned down a desolate looking road, and it was then that I could finally see it up ahead in the distance. A glimpse of the top of a brilliant white dome peeking out from its surroundings. I suddenly began to feel even more excited than I already had been.
We had finally made it to our destination!
After a nearly two hour drive we had arrived in Landers, California for a unique experience…
Attending a sound bath at the Integratron!
We turned into a dirt parking lot and although I probably shouldn’t have been, I was surprised to see other cars there. I guess I assumed there wouldn’t be many people around out there in the desert. However, knowing the sound baths at the Integratron frequently sell out weeks in advance I really shouldn’t have been so surprised.
My friend and I eagerly made our way out of the parking lot and through the front gates of the property. As we did, the vivid white structure with the dome top came fully into view for the first time. It was exciting to be in the moment, having this long-awaited experience…
My friend and I had gone to Joshua Tree two months prior and were now back in the desert for the fulfillment of this highly anticipated event.
We checked in, took pictures, and wandered around the gift shop and property.
A bit of history
According to a combination of information from the Integratron website, articles posted inside the building itself, and the practitioner of the sound bath I attended, the Integratron was built by a man named George Van Tassel, who was an aeronautical engineer. The building was designed to be an electromagnetic human cell generator, in other words, a generator for the rejuvenation of the human body.
Van Tassel said UFO contact and channelings as well as ideas from scientists like Nikola Tesla led to the unique architecture of the Integratron, which he spent 18 years constructing.
The structure itself is built on intersecting ley lines which help create a geomagnetic force that when focused by the geometry of the building amplify the earth’s magnetic field.
In 1978 Van Tassel died suddenly, before the structure could be fully completed. His electronic equipment, notes, and diagrams are said to have disappeared from the property shortly after his death and have never been found.
The dome portion of the structure is made out of wood (no nails or metal) with all pieces of wood fitting into each other, or glued. The material used is an integral part of the structure’s functioning.
After a small wait we were called in!
In a single file line we excitedly entered the structure known as the Integratron.
I couldn’t wait to get inside and experience it firsthand.
We entered the structure through the bottom floor which had some seating and several articles around the room on things like Van Tassel and the history of the building.
We then climbed a set of wooden stairs leading to the upper part of the structure for the sound bath. The glossy wooden dome shaped room had a pleasant atmosphere. There were white mats with covers placed around the room to lay on. The mat I was on was right next to the large array of crystal bowls that would be played during the sound bath.
I’d been to sound baths before, but was super excited to have a sound bath in this structure that was specifically designed for sound from such a special source. I laid on my mat with my friend on the mat beside me. It was a moment I had envisioned several times before—only this time it was really happening!
To start things off, the practitioner talked for a bit providing some history of the building and then transitioned into some of his spiritual-intuitive beliefs, before suggesting we use our free will to set an intention. I was one step ahead. I’d already done that before the sound bath started. I’d called in my team of guides, angels, etc. to help facilitate my highest experience, but took a moment to reaffirm my desires. I asked for the works, and that nothing be held back. I settled in, and soon began to feel relaxed.
It is very important to set your intention because that is you utilizing your free will.
The sound bath began and it was louder than I’d anticipated. We had an idea of what to expect ahead of time because the facilitator showed us a sample of the loudest it would get, which was nice, but it still surprised me a bit. At times I could hear sound more prominently in one ear and then in the other, while at other times equally in both. It felt as if the sound was being used to create hemispheric synchronization (Hemi-Synch), a technique that synchronizes the two hemispheres of the brain. The practitioner later confirmed that is in fact what was occurring.
When the practitioner was done playing and there was no more physical sound being made I could feel the thickness of the sound, the density of it, in the air around my face. And inside of me. Sound permeates.
Afterwards, my friend and I shared our experiences, and we both had vibrated with the sound in such a way that we resonated with it on some level. At some point I found myself repeating the mantra I AM the sound, and my friend had a very similar experience.
I also had beautiful thoughts coming in of really positive affirmations about myself. High vibrational positive self-thoughts is the best way I can describe what I was experiencing.
I was seeing somewhat faint images of abstract forms like flowers or other images in my mind, which is common for me in meditation.
It was a beautiful experience, and in the days following I began to see notable positive differences about myself.
After the sound bath, we hung out for a while and relaxed in the hammocks available on the property, barefoot, soaking up the warm afternoon sun. Not having anywhere we needed to be, just enjoying each other’s company, and the experience itself.
It was nice to have somewhere to relax afterwards because you don’t want to drive right after the sound bath, your system will be energetically buzzing!
When we were finally ready, we said goodbye to that memorable place and experience, vowing to return, and headed to our next destination…
Palm Springs
In just under an hour we found ourselves traveling past hotels with retro vibes, taking in the timeless feel of this iconic desert city.
After checking in to our Palm Springs hotel, we made our way to the downtown area. We started out by grabbing dinner at a restaurant in downtown Palm Springs with live music, and then meandered around taking in the sights, shops, and of course people watching. The warm night air and the busyness of downtown provided the perfect atmosphere for all of the above.
The following morning, we woke up refreshed and headed to Wilma & Frieda’s to grab brunch. It was a good choice. When we checked in we were asked if we wanted to sit in an air-conditioned room with a live DJ? Hmmm. Not the question either of us were expecting, but we were both on the same page and without missing a beat, replied “Yes!”
The indoor breakfast DJ was a lot of fun! We joked how we hadn’t even experienced a DJ at brunch in places like Las Vegas. This was a first, and made for a fun atmosphere. After breakfast we each ordered a homemade pop-tart to go.
On our way out we stopped to chat with the owner for a moment before we left. She gave us all kinds of great recommendations on what to see and do in Palm Springs, things only a local would know about. Since it was our last day there we’d have to wait for the next trip to explore some of her recommendations, including a hidden speakeasy, and local events that only occurred on certain days, etc.
It was a good reminder about how taking the time to connect with people who actually live or spend a lot of time in a particular location can give us a depth of knowledge about what to see, and do, and what shouldn’t be missed out on while there. These are things people did a lot more of back in the day before the internet and cell phones were commonplace. It’s a great way to get an inside scoop and connect with actual people—something we shouldn’t ever forget to do.
After brunch, we decided to check out some of the hotels in the area, which was fun because each boasted their own unique vibes.
Palm Canyon Trail
After checking out more of the downtown area we traded our sandals for hiking shoes and headed out to do the Palm Canyon Trail, which was roughly a 15-minute drive from downtown Palm Springs, and located on the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation. The cost was $12 per adult to enter the reservation. Once inside, you could do as many of the hikes in the area was you wanted to. We only had time for one, but some of the other ones looked interesting too.
The main road through the reservation is paved and so are the parking lots at the trailheads. At the Palm Canyon hike trailhead there was a gift shop, which also sold cold drinks, and a few food items, and there were portable restrooms.
The nice thing about the Palm Canyon Trail was that there was a lot of shade at the beginning of the trail and at many points along the way due to the many large palm trees that border a stream of water along the trail. It was also slightly overcast the day we went, making for a very comfortable hike.
The hike turned out to be even nicer than I’d anticipated. At the start of the hike there is a lot of soft, fine sand, and I kept feeling like the sand was responsible for the relaxed vibes that I was feeling, but I also think it was the area in general.
The surrounding colorful mountains, rocks, gently flowing water, and overcast sky with the sun peeking out occasionally made for a perfect day.
Adding to this were the occasional butterflies, dragonflies, and humming birds soaring by. It was a pretty easy/mild hike, and very enjoyable. I highly recommend checking it out if you’re staying in the Palm Springs area, and enjoy hiking or just want to spend some time outdoors.
After our hike was over it was time to hit the road and say goodbye to the desert. It was a shorter trip, but definitely an enjoyable one, and full of memorable experiences that I know I will never forget.
Helpful Links
Integratron website: https://www.integratron.com
Indian Canyon Hikes: https://www.indian-canyons.com/indian_canyons