Integratron Sound Bath, Giant Rock and Orchids
This outing has three parts: A sound bath at the Integratron and lunch, a visit to the Giant Rock and a tour of Gubler Orchids. Part 2 & 3 are optional.
Part One - The Integratron Sound Bath and Lunch
Get ready for a unique experience at one of Southern California’s most popular attractions. The 1959 Integratron is a structure designed and erected by ufologist and contactee George Van Tassel. Tassel claimed the Integratron was capable of rejuvenation, anti-gravity and time travel. He built the structure in Landers, California, supposedly following instructions provided by visitors from the planet Venus. Although Van Tassel has been gone for quite a while now, his UFO legacy lives on in his machine and takes the form of sound baths. We will experience one together for deep relaxation, rejuvenation, and introspection.
Great Outdoors Palm Springs has secured an exclusive private group, discounted rate for the Integratron's Sound Bath.
The 60-minute sonic-healing session consists of:
- a brief introduction to the Integratron and its history and sound qualities,
- 30 minutes of quartz crystal bowls played live, and
- the balance of the hour to integrate the sound and relax in the sound chamber to ambient music.
Each person will be lying comfortably on a mat in the deeply resonant, multi-wave sound chamber on the second floor of the Integratron while a licensed technician plays a sequence of quartz crystal singing bowls. Each bowl is tuned to a specific frequency and is keyed to the energy centers or chakras of the body where sound is nutrition for the nervous system. The results vary for each person and have been described variously as waves of peace, heightened awareness, and relaxation of the mind and body.
A couple of restrictions: No pets, No recordings during the sound bath
Lunch follows the sound bath on the Integratron grounds. Please bring your own lunch and make yourself comfortable on the property's chairs, couches and hammocks. Refreshments are available in the gift shop.
Part Two - Giant Rock
After lunch, we'll take an optional 3-mile drive to Giant Rock on unpaved bumpy dirt road surfaces. This 7-story 25,000-ton boulder is the largest free-standing boulder in North America and purported to be the largest in the world. Local Native Americans consider it to be sacred. In the 1930s, a loner named Frank Critzer, inspired by desert tortoises that dig holes in which to cool themselves, dug out a home underneath the rock using dynamite. Critzer perished in a self-detonated dynamite explosion in his underground rooms on July 24, 1942, while being investigated by local police. Van Tassel lived there as well and took control of the landing strip next to it, still visible today. Considerable graffiti covers the rock, but the setting is still impressive. For more information click here
Part Three - Gubler Orchids
About 3 miles back, we'll visit Gubler Orchids' acres of orchid growing greenhouses with a vast array of orchid varieties and carnivorous plants. Great Outdoors has arranged for a tour of the greenhouses where you will learn about orchid varieties, growing techniques, and pick out orchids to purchase from the greenhouses or the showroom. Please bring $5 cash per person for the orchid's tour.
Meeting Time and Locations: Meet promptly at 8:30 a.m. in the Carl's Jr. parking lot at Racquet Club and Palm Canyon Map click here; Carpooling is encouraged and may be available if offered by driver. You are responsible for arranging your own transportation or ride share. Note the 3 part options when carpooling. Arrive a few minutes early for briefing prior to departure.
Or meet at the Integratron parking lot at 9:45 am. Map click here. Please note: gps can malfunction in this area; always stay on paved roads.
We arrive at the Integratron by 9:45 a.m. for check-in. The Sound Bath begins at 10:15 AM.
Driving Instructions: Driving distance to Integratron is 45 miles, approximately 1 hour, Map Click Here. GPS does not always work well; stay on paved roads.
General Information: While onsite, feel free to browse the art installations and gift shop and lounge on the hammocks and couches. Restrooms available. The gift shop offers cool souvenirs, bottled cold beverages, including coffee, tea, and sparkling water. Temperature controlled at 73-80 degrees inside the Integratron building. Wear loose, comfortable clothing; layering is always a smart option. Please remove your shoes inside the building; bring a pair of socks to wear. Mats, pillows and blankets are provided. You may bring your own to lay on top of those provided.
The history of the Integratron is as interesting as the sound bath experience itself. Treat yourself by checking out the following links:
- George Van Tassel’s Google summary click here:
- I964 interview of van Tassel, now on Youtube click here:
- The Integratron click here
- Sound Baths, as described in a short Youtube video of a CBS Los Angeles report click here
Refund minus $10 service fee only if there is a waitlist and the spot is filled. Notify trip leader if you need to cancel.
Open to non members and guest if space is available.
Trip Leader: Vince A. email click here
