Sound is a vibration that resonates with the soul, which can
be felt in every cell of our body. Sound has the power to heal not only on a
physical level but also on emotional and spiritual levels.
The Tibetan Singing bowls, which are standing bells, rather
than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, that rest on the bottom surface.
The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce deep and soothing sound.
Traditionally, singing bowls were used throughout Asia as
part of Bön (Lhasa dialect, the word bon means ‘religion’ and is the oldest
spiritual tradition of Tibet.) and Tantric Buddhist Sadhana.
The use of singing bowls in Tibet
is the subject of much debate and many stories. Some people say they were used
for meditation while others say they were magical tools for healing and
transformation of self and of matter.
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| Bhavika with the Tibetan Singing Bowl |
Chinese Buddhists use the singing bowl to accompany the
wooden fish during chanting, striking it when a particular phrase in a sutra is
sung. In Japan and Vietnam, singing bowls are similarly used during chanting
and may also mark the passage of time or signal a change in activity.
Today they are employed worldwide both within and without
these spiritual traditions, for meditation, relaxation, health care, personal
well-being and religious practice.
Our Experience with the
Tibetan Singing Bowl:
The moment I began to
use the singing bowl, I knew it had a deeper purpose, you start off by banging
the stick on the side of the bowl, then you rub the stick around the bowl in
such a way that you take control of the vibration and by rotating this
vibration around the bowl with speed and altitude of the friction you can
create different frequencies and sound.
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| Buddha with Singing Bowls |
But what was more interesting is the way your body reacts to
the vibrations that are flowing in through your hand. The feeling of peace
descending through you as you churn the bowl and focus on the sound and the
control of the vibrations in your hand. It seems so magical its pretty
unbelievable what the bowl can do to you.
The Old and the New:
Traditionally, antique singing bowls were made of Panchaloga
(five metals in Sanskrit), a bronze alloy of copper, tin, zinc and iron and
other metals. Antiques often include silver, gold and nickel, they produce
multiphonic and polyharmonic overtones which are unique to the antique instruments.
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| Antique Singing Bowls |
The subtle yet complex multiple
harmonic frequencies are a special quality of the high quality bronze alloy.
Singing bowls are no longer made in the traditional way and is considered a
lost art.
Antique singing bowls are highly prized and collected
worldwide. Their popularity is due to their fine craftsmanship and remarkable
sound. The aging process seems to improve the tone and centuries old antiques
produce an incredibly rich and beautiful sound.
While the new singing bowls are made from industrial quality
metal, mainly copper and are exported widely from Nepal and India. New singing
bowls and crystal bowls do not produce the warm and complex tone of fine
antiques. They sound like clear and simple bells, without the warm undertones
and bright harmonic overtones for which antiques are famous.
Download a Sample of the Tibetan Singing Bowl Sound if you
like it you might like to purchase these two cds, the Seven Metals Singing
Bowls of Tibet and the Tibetan Tantric Choir, after reading the fantastic
consumer reviews they received.
About Author
This Post was written by Clyde and he's a writer and owner of ractalenlightenment.com.
Credits : ractalenlightenment.com
