Experiencing the Integratron sound bath in Joshua Tree, California delivers a completely unique experience.
Technically the Integratron is in a town called Landers, which is a bit outside of Joshua Tree. Upon arrival, you’ll find a fenced-in property that houses a shop and the pièce de ré·sis·tance—the Integratron dome.
This dome-shaped structure was carefully constructed for experiences such as healing sound baths. They now welcome hundreds of people each week.
History of the Integratron
As the origin story goes, the late George Van Tassel got the unique building blueprints from some extraterrestrials. He and his family were living at Giant Rock at the time. He claimes that in August of 1953 he was awoken by a visitation.
The alien visitor, named Solganda, invited him into his craft where Van Tassel recieved “downloads” of the information be needed to build the Integratron. These blueprints also supposedly included inspiration from Moses’ Tabernacle and the writings of Nikola Tesla.
Building the structure took 18 years. It was paid for by donations from people that included Howard Hughes.
The Integratron is entirely constructed from wood and fiberglass, without the use of nails or screws. In addition to the building itself being a perfect wood-shaped structure for an all-encompassing sound bath experience, the location is also on a vortex, over aquifers, and has all kinds of other spiritually charged elements that amplify the area.
Van Tassel’s notes and diagrams on the build disapeared after he passed in 1978. In 2019 the Integratron was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.
Getting to the Integratron
The Integratron is located in Landers, San Bernadino county. The location is about a 20 minute drive from Joshua Tree. It’s pretty easy to find if you map to it’s address:
2477 Belfield Blvd, Homestead Valley, CA 92285
Upon arrival you will park in the free parking lot and then check in at the front desk. (This is located inside the crystal shop.) You’ll then likely wait for the current round of sound bathers to finish up before you’re invited in.
Once it’s go-time, the entire group is brought into the Integratron at once. At the floor level of the building there are seats and cubbies to leave your shoes, bags, etc. Upstairs on the second level is where the magic happens.
In the center of the room there decends a staircase that is has as much in common with a ladder as a staircase. (It’s steep.) The Integratron employees are on hand to literally give you a hand and help you with the ascent.
At the top of the staicase you enter into the sound bath room, which is really beautiful. Besides the warm wood bones of the room all that’s up there is the collection of sound bowls and rows of mats. You’re free to choose the mat of your choice and get comfortable.
The Integratron experience
The facilitator started with some backstory on the location before taking us into the meditation. For the sound bath portion he played the 20 quartz crystal singing bowls, which are keyed to the chakras. Pairing the shape of the Integratron with the singing bowls creates a binaural sound experience.
The combination of the building and the location creates a space where the “veils are thin.” This reportedly means that various forms of healing and spiritual experiences can take place. George Van Tessel—who received the blueprints back in 1953—claimed that the dome was “capable of rejuvenation, anti-gravity and time travel.”
Towards the beginning of the experience the facilitator said “if you’re one of those people who have wished you could climb inside a wood instrument, that’s basically what you did.” About 1/3 of the room murmured their appreciation. I was one of them, and firmly aware that I’d come to the right place.
It reminded me of a time years ago when I tweeted something like “God lives in guitars” and someone asked me if I was high. Sure, high on healing soundwaves man, you should try it.
How long is the sound bath experience?
The whole experience of the Integratron sound bath in Joshua Tree was about 60 minutes. About 35 minutes of that was the sound meditation.
What to expect from the healing sound bath
I went into a deep relaxation during my experience in the healing dome. My mom (who was with me) received some fascinating insights during her own.
After the Integratron experience my voice felt free in a way it hasn’t felt in a long time. I sang—or rather belted—the entire drive back to L.A. Some of this might have to do with the fact that I released so much muscle tension in the depth of my sound bath meditation. My back felt very relaxed as well.
Getting up the next morning and sitting down at my computer after such a peaceful day in the desert felt a bit juxtoposed. I decided to start looking for some sound baths closer to home—if not to replicate the Landers experience, at least to maintain some of the changes I felt after that day.
Sound baths have been found to improve mood, sleep, and feelings of well-being, as well as decreasing pain and loosening the muscles. While I have experienced other sound baths, this one was by the most effective.
Things to know about visiting the Integratron sound bath:
Like many things out in the desert, the Integratron is only open for part of the year. Ie, it closes in the high summer. Check their website for the most up-to-date info on that.
It’s also good to know that during the winter the high desert can be very cold. I went at the end of March and it was a hair-whipping, eyes-watering, windy type of day. The Integratron is in the town of Landers which is close to Joshua Tree, however, the weather can be quite different between the two.
To manage the cold (and just stay comfortable), you might want to bring blankets so you can bundle up during your sound bath.
Integratron Tickets
Tickets for the Integratron experience are available for purchase both online and in person. It’s best to have them in advance as reservations fill up fast. While they do accept walk-ins, acceptance is dependent on someone else not showing up for their reservation.
Make a reservation to ensure your entry!
Things to do after your Integratron sound bath
When you finish the sound bath you can stick around the property as long as you’d like.
- There are public restrooms on-site.
- Bring food onto the property and have a picnic.
- There is a crystal shop on location. It’s perfect for updating (or starting) your crystal collection with some gems charged by this particular desert energy.
Visit Giant Rock
Giant Rock is where George Van Tassel was living when he reportedly got the downloads on how to build the Integratron. The free-standing boulder, which may be the largest in the world, is still out there in the desert and it’s quite popular.
The 7-story rock has been has been a Native American spiritual site for thousands of years, and since the 1950’s has been the location of many UFO conferences as well.
To get to Giant Rock you’ll drive past the Integratron, turn right, and then turn left onto a dirt road. You’ll drive about two miles and eventually the boulder will come into view.
Explore at your leisure. Note: bring water and keep an eye out for snakes.
Go to some Vortexes
Vortexes are areas of the earth with stronger than average magnetic fields. They’re found at many sacred sites throughout the world. These energy hubs attract visitors who want to experience healing and good feelings—as well as the generally curious.
Many say that the Joshua Tree area is full of vortxes. The Joshua Tree Retreat Center reportedly has 18, and the National Park has many as well. The Joshua Tree Retreat Center is sometimes the location of the spiritual gathering Bhakti Fest.
Drive through Joshua Tree National Park
Compared to some other National Parks, Joshua Tree is pretty low-key and easy to come and go. It’s pretty easy to navigate, and you can either drive in a bit and then turn around or drive all the way through and come out on the other side. Either way, make sure your gas tank is full before heading in.
Tickets for the park can be purchased at the entrance.
Restaurants close to the Integratron
Landers is a small town and the nearby restaurants can get extremely busy.
The closest option is La Copine, and it’s best to have a reservation. While they do accept walk-ins without reservations, they shut down the walk-in list pretty early.
For more options, you can head down the way to Joshua Tree. The Joshua Tree Saloon is a good casual spot. It too can be rocking and rolling and full to the brim depending on the day, but there are a few dining options. In addition to sitting in the main dining area, you’re free to eat at the bar or order appetizers in the outdoor seating area.
Other easily accessible restaurants on 29 Palms Highway include JT Country Kitchen, Crossroads Cafe, and Pie for the People.
Where to stay near the Integratron
If you’re planning on staying out near Joshua Tree or Yucca Valley, Airbnbs are going to be some of the best options. The Integratron is also less than an hour from downtown Palm Springs, which has endless options of both hotels and Airbnbs. Some of my favorite places to stay in Palm Springs are boutique hotels walking distance from the downtown area.
Let me know if you check out the Integratron sound bath in Joshua Tree!
