Singing Bowls

Authentic hand hammered singing bowls

Singing bowls originated in the pre-Buddhist, shamanic Bon Po culture of the Himalayas. Often called “Tibetan” singing bowls, they are actually made in Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Tibet. They are ‘resting bells’ or ‘resting gongs’ whose origin seems to date back to a Bronze Age in China, some 4,000 years ago.

There is a slight variation depending on the information sources on what materials the bowls are made of. Some sources mention metals corresponding to the 7 planets - gold (Sun), silver (Moon), mercury (Mercury), copper (Venus), iron (Mars), tin (Jupiter) and antimony (Saturn); others note nickel and zinc. Typically there are 3 kinds, contemporary, old and antique bowls. Good quality bowls are hand hammered, different wall thicknesses and sizes typically produce a variety of tones and harmonics. Each bowl has its own characteristics and wants to be explored.

Singing bowls for meditation

One of the purposes of the singing bowl is its use for meditation. The sound generated either by rimming (singing) or tapping the bowl, has the potential to take the mind away from drifting thoughts and assists listeners to slow their brainwave activity. It is within the slower theta range of 4 - 7 cycles per second (Hz), which follows the already slowed down alpha state of 8 - 12 Hz, where listeners can move into their true peaceful nature, found in the present moment, the eternal NOW - the only place where Life happens.

A helpful and essential aspect when playing the singing bowl is to apply or invoke an intention before or while playing it. To visualize a desire or outcome to a situation or the like. The other equally essential aspect is to mindfully listen to the rich tapestry of sounds, the overtones, the harmonics generated by the singing bowl. Applying these simple guides will ease the bowls purpose to reconnect or balance listeners with their deepest truth of their essential and innermost being, the divine spark within. The photo shows a Tibetan monk using one of our singing bowls, backed by one of our gongs at an event we all partook in at Hostal de la Luz in Tepoztlan, Mexico.

Sound healing aspects of bowls

Aside from applying singing bowls for meditation, many sound therapy practitioners utilize singing bowls for sound healing purposes. There are a number of different techniques and geometric arrangements applied by sound healers. Fundamentally all are intended to address imbalances, or dissonance in the mind body, energy centers / chakra system and associated energy meridians. Some practitioners put the singing bowls directly on the body, others place several singing bowls around it.

Sounds of singing bowls, as with sounds of many other instruments or music, have the ability to re-balance cells that are out of harmony, that are ill, or ‘asleep’ and not functioning properly. When a body is subjected to some form of pathogen, it might be a bacteria or a virus, or perhaps some toxic substance or perhaps some physical trauma. Whatever it is will cause a system or systems of the body to go into a sleep state. In medical terms, this is called the G0 phase of the cell.

Now, imagine you've got thousands or even millions of cells that are sleeping. They're not dead, but they're not in the normal cell cycle either, so they're not replicating. What this means is that that system or systems of the body are literally asleep and waiting for healing to occur. Of course, what this also means is that the body is out of balance.

Reinstating balance

If the body is out of balance, or in dissonance - as opposed to resonance - we feel ill. This is the sensation of illnesses. How do we reverse that? How do we awaken these cells and bring them back into the normal cell cycle?

Well, if you read the medical literature, it will tell you two things primarily. One is sleep basically, rest. Because time is actually a great healer. If you give the cells enough time, in most cases, they will eventually reawaken.

One of the other aspects of the medical literature will tell you that an injection of high level of nutrition is also capable of reawakening the cells. But what the medical literature does not tell you is that sound, sound of the correct frequency or frequencies, can also have this stimulating effect on the cells and cause the cells to reawaken and rejoin the cell cycle.

When the sound frequencies reach the membranes of the millions of cells, they are effectively injecting energy into the cells and stimulating them basically to rejoin the cell cycle. Now, this reawakening process is not instant. Sound heals. It takes time.

Striking or rimming a bowl will allow you to come back to your center, your innermost core, at any time. The sound of these handmade bowls has powerful effects on your nervous systems and is a wonderful vehicle to reduce and dissipate stress. It is an ideal visualization and meditation tool that will increase the quality of your quiet times and amplify the set-point of your intentions.

It can also be used to foster quality family quiet times, i.e. tapping or rimming the bowl before taking a meal together or to be used in a similar fashion during family talk times etc.

Why metal bowls and not crystal bowls

We are drawn to the sound frequencies and sound qualities of metal bowls, which are made of approx. 80% copper and 20% brass, which makes it bronze. This ancient alchemy provides the quality and purity of sound and overall feel we resonate with. This personal preference is also prompted by the fact that the metal bowls contain the four elements, earth for the alloy elements, air to fuel the fire which melts the alloys into metal, and water which quenches the hot metal and ultimately gives birth to the bowl’s sound.

In addition, we have seen where and how all singing bowls we feature and play are made, and how their individual characteristics, soul and spirit are invoked. Please view the video ‘Origin of our singing bowls’. All our bowls are authentic, hand hammered singing bowls made by members of a family owned business located in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Crystal singing bowls are beautiful sound instruments as well and have their own inherent qualities, no doubt. Again, personal preference as to why we gravitate to these authentic hand hammered singing bowls from Nepal.

Singing bowls in every home and office…

The sound of high quality singing bowls has powerful effects on your nervous systems and is a wonderful vehicle to reduce and dissipate stress. Singing bowls are ideal visualization and meditation tools that will increase the quality of your quiet times and amplify the set-point of your intentions. They foster harmony, self-healing, heightened awareness & mental capacities, physical, emotional or psychic renewal, stress management, creativity, ability to focus etc. They are therefore ideal for use in homes, offices, health care facilities, schools, yoga studios, spas, wellness centers, senior living homes and physician's office. Persons experiencing any kind of disease or diminished capacity, should have at least one bowl in their arsenal of holistic tools for re-generation.

Examples for your every day singing bowl applications