The Higher Octave
Raise Your Personal Vibration with a blissful weekend of Movement, Breathwork, Nature, and Sound!
Oregon Fall Retreat 2026
November 13th-15th, 2026
Alton Collins Retreat Center
32867 SE Highway 211
Eagle Creek, Oregon 97022
** Reserve with a $300 Deposit **
From the delicious food to the lush temperate rainforest, Alton Collins Retreat Center provides a perfect setting for our Higher Octave Gong Puja Retreat. This wonderful space allows us to spread our wings and walk on trails surrounded by giant fir and cedar trees, while also providing an excellent sound chamber for Yoga, Gong and Meditation.
Retreat Specifics
This uniquely curated retreat includes gentle Yoga + Gong + Pranayama (breathwork) classes, an educational talk series to maximize the effects of the Gongs, an All Night Gong Puja Ceremony (a Gong Puja is honoring and allowing space for our being’s ability to heal – physically, emotionally & spiritually. It is the truest form of honoring thyself), plenty of time for relaxation, reflection and much more. All classes and events are optional. Full class descriptions below.
Your Weekend Retreat Includes:
Lodging
All meals, drinks and snacks
Opening and closing sharing circle
Daily YIN/Restorative Yoga practice (with optional hands on assists) + Gong Meditation + Pranayama
All Night Gong Puja Ceremony (Saturday 10:00pm - Sunday 5:00am)
Calming Yoga Nidra practice (known as “Yogic Sleep”)
Access to nature trails + time to explore
Educational Talk Series - How Sound Heals and The Power of Intention
Private 1on1 consultation with Wayne regarding Sound Healing, Intention Setting or other interests
A chance to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones
A few other surprise activities and treats
SCHEDULE (subject to change)
Friday November 13th
4:00pm - 6:00pm Check in, Settle in + Explore and Discover
6:00pm - Welcome Dinner
7:00pm - 8:15pm Meet, Greet, and Connect - Opening Circle, Orientation, and Group Photo
8:30pm - 10:00pm Body Tapping + Gong Meditation
Saturday November 14th
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - 10:30am Educational Talk: How Sound Heals - The Five Yogic Koshas
10:30am - 11:00am Educational Talk: Breathwork 101
11:00am - 12:00pm Gong Yoga + Gong Meditation
12:00pm - Lunch
1:00pm - 2:00pm Open Time, Walking Meditation
2:00pm - 2:30pm Educational Talk: Mental Causation + Intention Setting
2:30pm - 3:00pm Educational Talk: The Power of Mantras - The Gaytri Mantra
3:00pm - 3:30pm Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Chakra Awareness Meditation
4:30pm - 6:00pm Open Time, Walking Meditation
6:00pm - Dinner
7:00pm - 7:30pm Break
7:30pm - 8:00pm Final Preparation for Gong Puja
8:00pm - 8:30pm Open Time
8:30pm - 10:00pm Gong Yoga + Breath in Balance
10:00pm - 5:00am Sacred Sound Gong Puja Ceremony
Sunday November 15th
5:00am - 5:10am Gayatri Mantra Played (lightly in background)
5:15am - Light Breakfast (fruit, coffee, and tea)
6:00am - 7:00am Open Time, Walking Meditation
7:00am - 8:00am Gong Yoga + Chakra Awareness Meditation
8:00am - Full Breakfast
9:00am - 10:30am Closing Circle, Group Photo
10:30am - 12:00pm Open Time, Walking Meditation
12:00pm - Lunch
1:00pm - 2:00pm Check Out
Our Yoga and Gong classes will take place in the cozy, sacred Temple room.
There are 20 bedrooms available at the retreat center, each with two Twin Beds and a single bathroom.
INVESTMENT
Early bird pricing is valid through April 30th, 2026!
Your room charge includes two nights' accommodations, all meals (6), and all classes and activities.
Private Room - Single Occupancy - 1 twin bed, private bath: $825.00
Shared Room - Double Occupancy - 2 twin beds, private bath: $1450.00
Shared Room - Single Occupancy - 2 twin beds, private bath: $725.00 (select this option if you want to share a room but are attending alone; we will do our best to match you with a roommate who is also looking to share a room).
Please contact Wayne with lodging questions at - wayne@beneficialsound.org or 425 296 6513
A $300 deposit holds your spot. Full payment is due by September 18th, 2026
Cancellation/Payment/Refund Policy:
A $300 deposit holds your spot
Full payment is due by September 18th, 2026
Cancel before June 30th, 2026: Full refund
Cancel after June 30th, 2026: Refund minus $300 deposit
Cancel between August 31st, 2026, and October 1st, 2026: Refund minus $300 deposit and 50% of any amount paid over and above the deposit.
Cancel after October 1st, 2026: Refund minus $300 deposit and 80% of any amount paid over and above the deposit.
MEALS (subject to change)
We are working with Alton Collins to be sure all dietary needs are met. They are well known for their ability to accommodate a variety of dietary needs. Two weeks before the event, Alton Collins will survey each attendee to determine the best menu items per individual. From there, their chef will curate a menu that will wow us and nourish us all. From a high level, all food is catered, buffet style, plant based and locally grown. Coffee, tea and fruit throughout.
Target Menu
Friday Welcome Dinner - veggie lasagna, mixed green salad + veggies. Bread options.
Saturday Breakfast - coffee, tea, granola, yogurt, milk/milk alternatives, fresh fruit, toast, gluten free options, butter, nut butter, jam and hard boiled eggs.
Saturday Lunch - Sandwich/salad bar, veggies, cheese, condiments, gluten-free options, egg salad, fruit and chips.
Saturday Dinner - vegan curry, rice, tofu on the side, big green salad + cashews.
Sunday Light Breakfast - coffee, tea & fresh fruit.
Sunday Full Breakfast - coffee, tea, granola, yogurt, milk/milk alternatives, fresh fruit, toast, gluten free options, butter, nut butter, jam and hard boiled eggs.
Sunday Lunch - vegan and gluten-free vegetable chili, lots of side toppings, cheese, green onion, sour cream, vegan sour cream, tortilla chips and red cabbage
Please contact Wayne with any special dietary needs - wayne@beneficialsound.org or 425 296 6513
What to Bring
The following is a list of suggested items to bring to the retreat:
Yoga: mat, 2 blocks, strap
Meditation: sitting cushion or bolster, blanket and eye pillow
Gong Puja: blowup mattress or camping pad, sleeping bag and pillow
General: flashlight, sweatshirt + winter hat, raincoat, mud shoes, closed
beverage container and toiletriesAn intention to transform your life
Wayne Marto is the Founding Director of Beneficial Sound, a 501(c)3 public charity committed to bringing wellness to the mind, body and soul through sound and vibration.
Wayne recently stepped away from the IT industry after 25 years to focus full time on Beneficial Sound. He worked in the content management space, performing numerous sales related roles for companies like Fujitsu, Hyland Software, Lexmark and Ibml.
He is a life-long musician who has studied the gong extensively under Gong Master Mehtab Benton. His authentic style of playing, infused with passion and intention, promotes deep relaxation and transformation.
He has a degree in Psychology, is a Certified Gong Practitioner and Yoga Instructor and is a member of the American Sound Healers Association.
"The gong has forever changed me, leading me on a journey of awakening, and uncovering my true passion: to share the healing sounds of the Gong with all those willing to listen."
Matthew Peters is a certified Gong practitioner and founder of Sound Alchemy, based in Seattle, Washington.
His work focuses on nervous system regulation, deep relaxation, and creating safe, grounded spaces for restoration through sound.
Drawing from advanced training in Himalayan singing bowls and Gongs, Matthew guides immersive sound journeys that invite participants to slow down, release tension, and reconnect with a felt sense of balance and ease.
In addition to playing his Gongs and bowls throughout the weekend and during the all-night Gong Puja Celebration, Mathew will be leading two of the weekend courses: Chakra Awareness Meditation and Breath in Balance - both are guided breath practices exploring the power of conscious breathing to harmonize your energy, calm the mind, and cultivate presence.
“The sounds of gongs and singing bowls are a bridge to the unseen, a doorway home to presence and peace, and it is my joy to share that doorway with others.”
Class Descriptions
Gong Meditation is a transformative journey of healing and deep relaxation as we bathe every cell of the body in therapeutic sound and vibration. The Gong acoustically elevates us, creating a deep, spontaneous meditative state that restores harmony and vitality to the mind, body, and soul, leaving you feeling tuned, refreshed, and at the height of physical and emotional well-being.
The Gong Meditation is best experienced lying down on your back or in a similar comfortable position. Wear comfortable clothes and bring whatever you need to be relaxed for the meditation - yoga mat, blanket, pillow, water, eye mask, etc.
Chakra Awareness Meditation is a guided meditation that invites participants to gently attune to the body’s seven energy centers, or chakras, using a simple mantra for each center as a point of focus and balance. Through mindful attention, breath, and sound, participants are supported in harmonizing their own inner “instrument,” cultivating presence, receptivity, and ease.
This practice encourages emotional settling and energetic alignment, preparing the body and mind for deeper release and resonance as we move toward the all-night Gong Puja.
Gong Yoga is a gentle, accessible yoga flow that uses carefully selected asanas (body poses) to support opening and aligning specific energy centers in the body. This class is designed for all body types and all levels of yoga experience, with an emphasis on ease, awareness, and mindful movement.
Wayne will guide the physical postures, while Matthew supports the practice with complementary gongs and bowls tuned to frequencies that correspond with the energy center being addressed by each pose.
The combination of mindful movement and intentional sound supports the release of stored tension, helping the body settle into a receptive state for extended sound. This integrated practice cultivates mindfulness, deepens the mind–body connection, and supports physical ease, mental clarity, and emotional balance—leaving participants feeling calm, grounded, and renewed.
Body Tapping is a gentle, intuitive practice using light tapping and subtle, energy-based movements to support the release of physical tension and awaken the subtle body. This practice helps stimulate the meridians, activate the chakras, and open energetic pathways, encouraging circulation, awareness, and ease.
By bringing attention and movement to these energetic gateways, Body Tapping prepares the body to receive deeper levels of relaxation, balance, and healing.
How Sound Heals is an experiential class and guided discussion exploring the effects of sacred sound on the human being through the lens of the Five Yogic Koshas—an ancient Vedic framework describing the five layers of being: physical, energetic, emotional, wisdom, and bliss.
Through this perspective, the class examines how sound interacts with each layer of experience and how intentional listening and presence allow sound to be received more fully. Participants will explore ways to consciously engage with sound for deeper impact, integration, and transformation during the Gong Puja.
Intention Setting is a reflective class and guided discussion exploring the simple yet powerful practice of working with intention. Participants are introduced to thoughtful journaling prompts designed to help clarify personal intentions and bring greater awareness to what they wish to cultivate.
Gong Meditation supports this process by helping release emotional patterns that no longer serve us, creating open and receptive space in which intentions may take root and unfold.
Breathwork 101 is an informative and experiential workshop introducing the foundations of breathwork, including the principles behind this ancient practice, its physiological effects, and the many benefits it offers. Participants will learn a variety of accessible breathing techniques and have the opportunity to experience them firsthand.
This workshop prepares participants for the Breath in Balance practice later in the evening and supports readiness for the all-night Gong Puja. Pranayama (breathwork) helps balance the nervous system and bring the mind and body into a receptive state, allowing sacred sound to be received more fully and with greater ease.
Breath in Balance: This guided pranayama practice for peace and clarity invites participants to explore the calming and balancing effects of conscious breathing. Through techniques such as alternate nostril breathing, Ujjayi (ocean) breath, and equal breath, participants are supported in harmonizing energy, settling the nervous system, and cultivating presence.
The practice encourages deep relaxation, mental clarity, and attunement to one’s natural inner rhythm. Participants are invited to move at their own pace, creating a grounded and personal experience that supports ease, awareness, and gentle integration.
All Night Gong Puja Ceremony is a seven-hour extended Gong immersion from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am. In Buddhism, Pujas are expressions of “honor and devotional attention.” A Gong Puja is honoring and allowing space for our being’s ability to heal – physically, emotionally & spiritually. It is the truest form of honoring oneself!
Sixteen tuned planetary Gongs are gently played throughout the night and into early morning hours while guests rest or sleep. The healing vibrations and subtle energies are imbued with intentions of the highest good, promoting a deep sense of peace and well-being. As the mind floats in a state of cosmic consciousness, the body rests on an optimal plane for healing - strengthening the nervous system, balancing the chakras and increasing energy and vitality
Gayatri Mantra/Chant is a universal prayer and that is considered the essence of the four ancient Indian religious texts, the Vedas. Veda means knowledge, and the Gayatri mantra fosters and sharpens our knowledge-yielding faculties.
It is a sacred chant that demonstrates the unity that underlies all creation. It is addressed to the Transcendent Divine and is considered as having three parts - (1) Adoration (2) Meditation and (3) Prayer. First, the Divine is praised, then It is meditated upon in reverence and finally, an appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and strengthen the intellect and discriminating faculty of mankind.
The Gayatri Mantra/Chant is repeated 108 times and lasts 27 minutes
Gayatri Mantra
Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Suvaha
Tat-savitur Vareñyaṃ
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yonaḥ Prachodayāt
General meaning:
We meditate on that most adored Supreme Lord, the creator, whose Divine light illuminates all realms (physical, mental, and spiritual). May this divine light illuminate our intellect.
About the venue:
Alton Collins Retreat Center