Intuitive Gong Practitioner
I am an intuitive gong practitioner, also called a sound healing practitioner, who uses original guided meditations, gongs and other instruments to assist and catalyze others in their health and wholeness of mind, body, and spirit.
I first encountered gong baths while living and working as a high school educator in Hong Kong (2014-2021). It sounded like such a curious thing, I had to try it. I found myself floating on the sounds of the gongs as if in the ethers. I vibrated all the way home and slept well that night and subsequent nights. When my oldest was struggling with mental illness, I was eager to see if the gong could help re-balance his mind and spirit. In fact, he found the experiences profound and influential in his healing.
I found myself drawn more and more to not only the sound and sensations of the gong, but the idea of learning to play and bring the experience back to Green Bay, Wisconsin with me. I have received Level 1 and Level 2 training at Red Doors Studio in Hong Kong from Martha Collard, a respected gong player worldwide. My insatiable appetite for all things “energy, frequency and vibration” has culminated in my passion for playing the gong for others as well as a self-taught understanding of the healing properties of sound as science understands it today.
In my practice I play gongs and other instruments for individuals, small and large groups, school employees, business groups, assisted living communities, and more.
In partnership with reiki masters, some events include both sound and reiki energy healing.
I enjoy writing and holding guided meditations and offer/have offered multi-session guided meditations such as:
Waves of Peace: Prayerful Intentions for a Peaceful Planet
Opening the Heart for Health and Wholeness
“Becoming My True Song” Series
Caregivers’ Oasis
In October 2024 I launched Celestial Art, a new branch of my business which houses the inspirational books I have written as well as various works of art infusing my passions for photography and poetry writing.
All areas of my business continue to expand and grow, having a life of their own, but always to the uplifting of others in light and love.
In 2023 I initiated the Northeast Wisconsin Sound and Vibration Practitioners’ Network for practitioners in the region to meet one another and support each others’ efforts.
Since 2023 I have been an active member of the Brown County Caregivers’ Coalition.
Author/Writer
Ever since I was six years old, I have been a writer. Over the years I’ve written hundreds of poems, dozens of short stories, thousands of daily journals and oh so many blogs. In 2010 when my family moved to Seoul, South Korea, I began a blog called Oh the Places You’ll Go! It chronicles our family’s adventures over eleven years living in both S. Korea and Hong Kong in Asia. The final one hundred days of our time in Hong Kong, I blogged every single day for a series called, “Thank you, Asia.”
Upon returning to Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2021, I began a new, two-year writing endeavor called Life Cheat Sheets. Life Cheat Sheets is a newsletter about navigating life, communicating effectively, and connecting with those you love. Tips, cheat sheets, and stories included. This was a free weekly newsletter both available online and by email to subscribers. While I rarely add new articles these days, find over 100 articles online by subscribing to brendabrayko.substack.com.
More recently, I have been transforming many of the articles from Life Cheat Sheets into inspirational print and online e-books. I often have a few copies of each available at gong meditation events. I believe all of my books hold value in helping each of us become our best selves.
I’m proud to say that in the self-publishing process I have learned so much about finding my voice as a writer, layout and design, and the printing process. My books to date include:
Me-time: Self-care in a Challenging World
Riffs on Wisdom Teachings
Lessons in Life School
Adulting 101 Coupons: Guided Conversations with Your Young Adult
Reasons for Hope
With a Grateful Heart
Founder Celestial Art
In October 2024, Celestial Art was born.
It’s funny where life leads you. One day you are playing gongs for people, the next day you are creating amazing posters from your photos a year ago. Before you know it, you’ve sold a poster and feel inspired to do that some more!
I’ve been a poet since about 6 years old. My first poem was titled “Piggy Piggy.” I have a digital folder with literally hundreds of poems in it. Not only that, I have taught college level poetry to high schoolers in the US, S. Korea, and Hong Kong. I’ve even held teacher writer workshops. But have I published any poetry? Not really. I’ve published some poems in high school literary magazines and I did publish a lovely collection of poetry for my family a few years ago called “Wearing Fifty.”
Retired Educator
My teaching career began in 1989 and concluded after thirty-two years in 2021. I very much enjoyed teaching over the years. Believe it or not my career included the following:
well over 3000 students spanning high school and middle school
English, French, Humanities, Spiritual Studies
public school, private school, international schools
locations in Monroe and Green Bay in Wisconsin as well as Seoul, South Korea and Hong Kong, SAR
Remedial through Advanced Placement courses
International Baccalaureate Coordinator
Department Head, Golden Apple Award Nominee, publications and presentations, curriculum writing and revising, Master’s thesis.
Bachelor’s Degree from Luther College and Master Degree from UW-Green Bay
World Traveler
Even before moving to Asia as an expat for eleven years with my family, I had enjoyed traveling. In my twenties I was fortunate to explore some of Europe, my favorite being an eight week study of French in Paris at the age of 22.
In my thirties, my husband and I spent time in Russia as we adopted our oldest child from an orphanage in SW Siberia.
After school trips as a chaperone to Germany, France, and Italy in my earlier years as an educator and then five years as an the International Baccalaureate Coordinator at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay, it was only fitting that teaching internationally should appeal to me. While my husband and two children lived abroad, I/we traveled all over Asia to places like the Philippines, Borneo and Bali in Indonesia, Malaysia, Kolkata and Mumbai in India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan and China, among others. We enjoyed the culture and food, sun and sand, and learning new bits and pieces of languages.
The most transformative trips I went on were service trips. Two trips to Kolkata in Bengal, India and Cambodia changed my view of what it is to be human and the fundamental importance of loving and connecting with others, no matter who they are or how they live.