Entry No. 24 — the Des Moines file — filed under: gong bath
Heartland Sound Healing (Gong Bath)
A roving sound-healing practitioner who stages immersive gong baths using a symphonic gong plus Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, often in a small yoga studio tucked behind a coffee shop near Drake. The hour-long sessions are pop-up style across rotating Des Moines venues, so you have to know they're happening.
The story
If you step behind Friedrich’s Coffee on 42nd Street and slip around to the west side of the building, you aren't walking into a coffee storeroom. You’re aiming for Sacred Health Yoga, where a roving sound practitioner occasionally materializes to fill a compact studio floor with heavy, resonant audio waves. The setup is deceptively low-tech: an array of crystal singing bowls, Tibetan brass, and a symphonic gong engineered to rattle the floorboards until your brain gives up on its internal monologue.
Because Heartland Sound Healing operates as a pop-up rather than a fixed storefront, catching a session requires tracking event schedules as they rotate across Des Moines. When a session lands in the Drake area, the tight studio quarters mean only a small head-count can lay flat on the floor at once. There are no padded recliners or theatrical stages—just floor space, intense acoustic vibration, and an hour-long bath of sonic waves that leaves you stumbling back out onto 42nd Street feeling thoroughly reset.
What it's like
Park in the adjacent Hy-Vee lot and walk around the west side of Friedrich's Coffee to find the entrance to Sacred Health Yoga. Space is tight and tickets run about $30, so pre-booking is essential. Bring your own yoga mat or cushion, plus a thick blanket, pillow, and eye mask—you will be lying completely flat on the floor for an hour, and comfort is non-negotiable. Once the hour ends, the move is to step directly into Friedrich’s Coffee next door to drink something hot and re-enter reality.
The move: Lie down side by side on mats and let an hour of symphonic gong and crystal-bowl vibration wash over you, then walk next door to Friedrich's Coffee to compare what visions you each saw.
📍 Before you go The studio sits in the Drake neighborhood off 42nd Street, but the entrance hides behind Friedrich's Coffee — park in the adjacent Hy-Vee lot and walk around the west side of the coffee shop to reach Studio B at Sacred Health Yoga. Because sessions float between rotating venues, confirm the exact spot each time rather than assuming this one address. Capacity is small and tickets typically sell in advance, so reserve ahead instead of dropping in. Bring your own mat or cushion plus a pillow, blanket, and eye mask for lying on the floor. Friedrich's next door is the natural post-session stop.
- 📍 Drake / 42nd St area, Des Moines
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Sacred Health Yoga, 1131 42nd St, Des Moines, IA 50311 (behind Friedrich's Coffee)
Hours: Event-based / pop-up at rotating venues; ~$30, ~1 hour. Check their events page for the next date and location.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- By Wysteria — Pair your sensory sound bath with a candle or soap-making workshop just a minute down the street in the Drake neighborhood.
- Drake Municipal Observatory — Follow up your internal vibrational journey with stargazing under a 1921 limestone dome hidden inside a nearby public golf course.
- Enchanted (Enchanted Mystical Boutique) — Head a mile south to Ingersoll to browse Des Moines' dedicated New Age boutique and tarot salon before your floor session.
Good to know
Where are the sound healing sessions held?
They pop up at rotating venues across Des Moines. A common location is Studio B at Sacred Health Yoga (1131 42nd St), tucked behind Friedrich's Coffee near Drake, but you must check the specific event listing to confirm the location.
What should I bring to a session?
Bring a yoga mat or sleeping pad, a pillow, a warm blanket, and an eye mask. You will be lying on the floor for a full hour, so bring whatever keeps you comfortable.
How much does it cost and do I need tickets ahead of time?
Sessions typically cost around $30 for an hour. Because studio capacity is intentionally kept small, tickets usually sell out in advance rather than offering drop-in spots.
Where do I park for the 42nd Street studio?
Park in the neighboring Hy-Vee lot and walk around the west side of Friedrich's Coffee to reach the yoga studio entrance.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Instagram
last checked: 2026-06-06