Singing bowls are native to the Himalayan region. Later they began to be used in the regions of Tibet, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Ladakh. Currently, the Tibetan singing bowl is world famous for its healing and cleansing effect. The Buddhist traditional sound of singing bowls is over 3,000 years old. Today they are produced in Tibet, India and Nepal.
Tibetan singing bowls are often called mysterious instruments for meditation and healing. For many centuries, these bowls have been widely used in Nepal, Tibet, mainly for meditation, religious ceremonies, traditional rituals, feng shui, as a healing tool, for therapeutic massage and chakra harmonization.
In addition, singing bowls are used instead of kitchen utensils in some Nepalese homes. Pregnant women eat from them to cleanse their food. They are also often used to cleanse minerals and stones used in lithotherapy ().
What are singing bowls made of?
Nowadays, there are many types of singing bowls made from different metals. For example, Chinese bowls are made from an alloy of 3 - 5 metals, and they have the same sound as Tibetan ones. However, a real Tibetan singing bowl must be made of an alloy of 7 metals:
silver (Luna) 0.002%;
copper (Venus) 71.3%;
tin (Jupiter) up to 28.6%;
iron (Mars) up to 0.3%;
mercury (Mercury) 0.01%;
gold (Sun) 0.0001%;
lead (Saturn) 0.001%.
The percentage of metals may vary slightly. Lead and mercury in Tibetan bowls are contained in negligible quantities; in addition, they are mixed with other metals, therefore the bowls do not cause toxic harm to health.
Some ancient singing bowls contain more iron and tin, which is why their color is grayer. Additionally, the ancient Tibetans used the meteorite to make bowls, which, according to legend, have enormous energy.
Benefits of Tibetan bowls
Tibetans used singing bowls to cleanse space from negative energy, and incense to prevent the spread of viruses (). In homes, they are usually placed in the main room to protect against negative waves.
The sound of singing bowls - sound waves create a connection with the chakras. They contain crystalline substances that interact with the "crystalline material" of the human body, such as blood, bones and DNA. According to the Tibetans, some human cells vibrate at certain frequencies ( sound waves). “OM” is the healing sound that the bowl produces.
Singing bowls help the body relax, calm the mind, and maintain energy. Sound therapists often use these bowls for healing purposes and recognize their mystical powers.
Subtle sound vibration especially affects the energy points of the human body - chakras. This is due to the fact that sound travels more easily through a liquid medium (water), and a person mostly consists of water (). This explains why the body is so sensitive to the sound of singing bowls.
Each chakra corresponds to certain organs, therefore, sound affects the chakras that soothe the diseased organ. In addition, you need to choose the right bowl for yourself to harmonize the chakras.
When should you use a singing bowl?
The bowl should be used if the energy of the working environment remains at the same level or becomes negative. Use it to banish all negative Sha. It is also used to remove anger, depression, stress, illness, accidents.
Thanks to the singing bowl, all negative energies can be transformed into positive energy (purified) to attract wealth and happiness.
In addition, experts recommend using the bowl to clean an old house, or a house that has not been renovated for a long time. Old houses tend to have low energy, especially if sad events have ever happened there.
In addition to cleaning old houses and apartments, it can be used when entering new home, cottage, apartment, to ward off the forces of those who lived there, or to cleanse the room and activate positive energy.
At work, office, store, the bowl is often used to attract investors, clients, visitors, money, wealth. It is especially recommended to carry out cleansing at the beginning of the year, the beginning new career, business, work, to increase and attract good luck.
Singing bowls for healing and meditation
This item has been used for thousands of years for meditation, healing and cleansing. Its sound forms the sacred sound “OM”. Some use them on chakras with a certain sound and vibration as a sound massage.
We know that the bass of the bowl is associated with the lower chakra, and the higher frequencies are generally associated with the upper chakras.
The distinctive frequencies of the bowl help stimulate the body to restore its harmonic frequency, helping to reproduce the alpha waves found in the brain and emitted during deep relaxation.
When using the bowl, the sound must be amplified by slightly turning the stick. In Feng Shui it is used together with a bell, singing, and incense.
Independent use of a Tibetan singing bowl
Its sound vibration provides relaxation, which is important for relaxation. Hold the “bowl” in the palm of your hand (left for right-handers, right for left-handers) next to the solar plexus. When making a sound, keep your eyes open and feel the vibration. Then repeat the experiment with eyes closed. During this, various sensations may occur: warmth, relief, stimulation, irritation, heaviness, etc.
The bowl can be placed on the stomach, chest, certain chakras; The stick should be rotated clockwise on the edge of the “vessel,” thereby producing a pleasant sound. In addition, this sound provides therapeutic vibration massage to relax muscles. It can also be placed on the legs, arms, back, etc. To extract sound, lightly tap the edge of the bowl with a stick, then begin to rotate strictly clockwise.
Thanks to this massage, deep relaxation, cleansing, strengthening of the immune system, elimination of headaches and stress occur. This method practiced in Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, Canada, USA and Latin America.
Bowls are often used in therapy different sizes, which produce various vibrations and sounds. Each bowl is taken taking into account a specific part of the body, therefore the client’s body begins to vibrate harmoniously. Sound massage is highly valued by clients who benefit greatly from it.
There are quite a lot of interesting and at the same time mysterious objects in the world that came to us from antiquity. Some of them are kept in museums, while others have become models for creating new, modern specimens. The Tibetan singing bowl is just such a product, which has an extremely positive effect on a person. Of course, to use it you need to know several secrets, which will be discussed below.
What is it?
A singing bowl (called "suzu" or "rin" in Japan) is a type of bell, used to create . However, unlike it, this is a stationary tool (it is not suspended from the ceiling and is not attached to the handle).
The appearance of sound is explained by the vibration of the walls and edges of the product, which a person touches with a special stick - a stick. IN old times This instrument was widely used throughout Asia, taking part in various religious events (particularly as part of Buddhism).
Did you know? Traditional Tibetan bowls are made from 5-9 different metals, which allows for clear sound. According to legend, meteorite iron must be a mandatory component.
Story
Unfortunately, today there is no written evidence that would describe in detail how our ancestors used the singing bowl. However, its presence in those days can be judged by a large number sculptures and images in which this instrument is present.
In the arsenal of private collectors you can find samples dating back to the 10th-12th centuries, but there is reason to believe that the first of them appeared even earlier: for example, in Asia, bronze bells began to be made back in the 9th century BC. e.
In the traditional version, such musical instruments were created from an alloy of 7 different metals, which in Hinduism is called “panchaloha” and for quite a long time had sacred meaning for the Himalayan countries. Its base was copper, to which iron, tin, zinc, silver, gold and nickel were also added.
That is, the result was brass or cast bronze, supplemented precious metal. However, many collectors believe that this was not the "gold standard" and often bowls were made from other alloys (they could contain up to 12 different metals).
Important! The uniqueness of ancient products lies in the simultaneous sound of several harmonious overtones, which is associated with individualthe sound of each metal included in the alloy.
Today, traditional crafting techniques are considered lost, although products made by traditional hand forging are still supplied from different parts of Nepal.
Of course, the quality of the alloy used in this case does not reach the level of the material of ancient instruments, but as they age, the sound will still change, becoming softer and warmer.
Ancient bowls were often decorated with ornaments and abstract patterns, which were applied not only to the edges of the product, but also to its bottom. It is not surprising that real examples of the 10th-12th centuries with unique “singing” qualities are so valued by modern collectors.
Present
Buddhists still use singing bowls as an auxiliary tool for prayer and immersion in. In Chinese Buddhist practice, they are used together with a moktak (a type of wooden box) in the process of chanting. The impact on the surface of the product is accompanied by the chanting of a specific phrase in a mantra, hymn or sutra.
In Vietnamese cities and Japan, such objects are used to record time during the process of prayer, and also report a change in activity. In Europe, this musical instrument is not so widespread and in most cases it is only a souvenir brought from abroad.
Such interest in it led to an increase in the production of bowls, which are also increasingly decorated with spiritual motifs and religious symbols (Buddhist mantras, Hindu ashtamangalas and images of Buddha).
Usually the modern version is so amazing instrument is made of bronze, but without the addition of precious rare metals, which naturally affects the sound. You can often find bowls from Nepal and the northern part of India, but decent products are produced by manufacturers from Korea and Japan (to a lesser extent, aimed at export).
Important! In contrast to the results self made, which in some cases can come at least a little closer to ancient samples, a machine-made singing bowl is distinguished by rather poor musical qualities, which makes it unsuitable for use in musical purposes(it is limited to only two harmonious overtones).
Impact on humans
The different effects of the Tibetan singing bowl on humans were noticed soon after its active use began, that is, hundreds of years ago.
So, the ancient Buddhists celebrated it influence on the body and even the energy of people, thanks to which even today it is possible to raise the level of life, normalize, get rid of factors and the pressures they cause on the physical level.
If you learn to use the tool correctly, then it will help you relax not only but also physically, saving you from . Its sound also synchronizes the work of the left and right hemispheres of the brain, improving creativity and harmonizing the breathing process (this in itself can save a person from many problems).
In some cases, there is improvement in hearing and restoration of the skeletal system. Of course, no one suggests that you make the bowls yourself, but sound vibrations have an equally strong effect, especially if you place the instruments directly on different parts of the body of a lying person.
One of the good options for such sound massage is placing singing bowls around a person in the following sequence: large products that produce deep sounds are closer to, and small, thin-walled instruments with a high, “joyful” sound are closer to. Having finished arranging a place for such relaxation, you can begin to alternately extract sounds from the products with light strokes of the stick.
If you strike the bowl, moving it over the human body, you will notice how its sound changes in some areas. Experts say that this is how “problem” areas react to sound. It is on them that you should linger a little and continue striking the product until the sound becomes the same as on other parts of the body.
The “unhealthy” area will absorb the vibrations of the instrument until the human energy comes into balance. This impact is quite can be considered symptomatic treatment, because after some time the problem will return again if you do not eliminate its cause.
How to play?
To achieve the most effective sound of a singing bowl from Tibet, you need to know the rules of playing it. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this, because there are only two ways to extract sound.
Rim friction
In this option, all that is required of you is run a wooden stick along the edge of the bowl, causing multiple, repeating vibrations that produce multiple overtones. The sound that appears will resemble the buzzing of several bells at once, which will eventually merge into a single whole. It is in these interacting overtones that the uniqueness of singing bowls lies, because no other instrument in the world sounds like this.
Rubbing the bowl from the inside and outside activates the energy spiral and allows you to get a harmonious sound. Compare the sound in both versions.
Bell principle
The second method of influencing the bowl is based on the bell principle: supporting the bowl with your fingertips in the lower part, strikes with a stick along the outer edge of the product, which allows you to get long-lasting vibrations.
In any of the options the key to a successful game is the position of the singing bowl. Most often, it is fixed on a small horizontal surface (the smaller it is, the more beautiful the sound will be), placed on a special pad, or held with fingers. Sliding the stick along the edges of the cup must be carried out continuously, otherwise the sound will also be interrupted. When you press the stick, the vibration increases, so it is very difficult to maintain one rhythm.
How to choose and what does the sound depend on?
Knowing how to handle a singing bowl is good, but the sounds it produces largely depend on the individual characteristics of the instrument. Therefore, when choosing a product, it is so important to take into account its size, material of manufacture, features of the stick and fullness. Each of these criteria plays a role in its application and is important in its own way.
Size
The diameter of the bowl varies within from 10 cm to 1-2 meters, and there is a certain pattern: the lower this indicator, the higher its sound will be. However, the sound of instruments that are too small is not as loud and the vibrations are much harder to feel.
Surface
As we noted earlier, in order to obtain optimal sound when moving the stick across the surface of the bowl, it must be made of several metals assembled together in the correct proportions. Otherwise, the sound of the product will not have the required number of overtones, and the sound will not be as clear as we would like.
Of course, few people can independently determine the authenticity of a purchase, so try playing the instrument. Moreover, it’s good if before that you hear how the real product should sound correctly. It is unlikely that after this you will be able to confuse the sound of an original Tibetan singing bowl with a fake.
Today, the alloy for such products is not so rich, which means that one cannot expect full-fledged sound from such a souvenir. However, try to find a handmade bowl that contains at least 5 metals.
Important! Small, thin-walled instruments are more difficult to play, but will sound cleaner.
Stick
The depth of sound of the described instrument is also influenced by the stick with which the blows are applied. Metal or hardwood sticks produce a clear, sharp sound, while felt sticks produce a soft, soothing sound.
It is also important that the stick matches the size of the bowl itself and the material it is made of (in terms of hardness and weight). That is, for thin-walled large products it is better to select heavy sticks, which will allow you to get a rich and powerful sound, and for small bowls ideal option there will be a small stick made of light wood, which will allow you to extract sounds that are not rich in overtones, but beautiful.
Fullness
It’s easy to guess that an empty bowl will not sound the same as a full one, so to diversify the sounds coming from it, you can pour it inside. As the sound intensity increases, the water will splash and you will hear a characteristic murmur. If you fill the product to the very brim, then instead of sonorous manifestations you can hear more dull ones.
Did you know? Thanks to high-speed photography, it was possible to record the birth of concentric waves on the surface of the water caused by vibration of the walls of the bowl. As their amplitude increases, these waves begin to break, flying into the air in hundreds of small drops. Such levitation is characterized by sufficient duration, and water particles move freely along the entire surface.
Using singing bowls
Different peoples use singing bowls in different ways. For Buddhists various countries they are part of religious rituals, for healers they are a tool for identifying ailments and eliminating them, and for most Europeans they are simply an unusual and outlandish souvenir.
However, in Europe, singing bowls are often used in feng shui, where they have almost the same function as ordinary bells. Open form The product brings additional energy, and in some cases its use is more appropriate than the use of the mentioned bells.
Singing bowls have become widespread in New Age and ethnic music, thanks to which they gained a significant part of their popularity. Today they are often used in other musical directions: from rock music and neoclassical to ambient.
In a word, such an interesting and unusual product simply could not go unnoticed by society, so if possible, be sure to listen to the sound of the singing bowl.
Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!
Surely many people familiar with Buddhist practice have come across amazing and mysterious objects in the form of bowls. In this regard, the question arises: “The singing bowl – what does it do and what effect does it have?” This is exactly what we will talk about today.
Our article will tell you about the secrets of the musical bowl, tell you what it is, what it is needed for and how it works. We invite you to go in search of answers together.
What is it
Singing bowls are also known to us as musical or sound bowls. They, unlike conventional bowls, are not used for eating or storing any items. Their main purpose is to create special fields of energy that fills the entire space with positive vibrations.
It is believed that such bowls came from India, and then spread throughout the East. There are Indian, Nepalese, Chinese, Japanese, Bhutanese and even Thai bowls. Now most of them are made in the Himalaya region - these are Tibetan bowls. They say that the purest sounds belong to them.
Initially, it was an exclusively ritual object, dating back to ancient religion Tibet bon. It was made by hand, because such a product has great energy potential and healing properties.
What is the benefit
Even the first followers of Buddhist philosophy noticed what a beneficial effect the sounds made by bowls have on a person: they restore blood circulation, normalize blood pressure and improve immunity, stimulate brain activity, relieve bad energy and internal experiences.
Modern realities prepare many stress traps for us, accompanied by negative vibrations: from transport, electricity, electrical appliances, screams, and extraneous noise. With such destructive energy, the heritage of the Tibetans can come to our aid - singing bowls, which with their melody can quickly bring the body into a state of balance.
You just need to take a comfortable position, relax your body and mind, open to musical “mantras”, and the singing bowls filled with overtones will themselves reveal amazing properties.
Calmness, relaxation
They help to calm down, relax, and tune into a favorable mood, especially for people with restless sleep, insomnia, unstable psyche, and nervous exhaustion.
Meditative practices
The sounds of the bowls incite meditation, calm the mind, and can even influence the subtle body.
Treatment
It was noticed that with regular work with the bowls, people managed to get rid of many ailments: chronic headaches, stomach diseases, constant stress, periodic depression.
Massage
Of course, this does not mean classic massage the objects themselves, but massaging the body with vibrations that are created by bowls lying on or near the body. They open energy channels through which the positive life energy prana passes. This allows a person to recharge with vigor, vitality, and a zeal for creativity and creation.
Only suitable for massageforgedbowls.
Harmonization of space
Vibrations can influence not only a person, but also the room in which he is located, objects, and even purify water, giving it healing qualities. The space after the session becomes harmonious, filled with peace and good energy.
So, you can resort to the help of singing bowls to cleanse your home when:
- quarrels, conversations that generate bad emotions;
- being the guest of an unpleasant person;
- moving;
- long stays away from home;
- illness, stress, poor health of someone at home;
- the desire to harmonize the situation and attract the beneficial energy of Qi.
Working with chakras
Bowls help open, cleanse the chakras, and work with human energy centers.
How to use
To avoid any shadow of doubt about the benefits of these amazing objects, it is worth giving a popular scientific explanation of the phenomenon.
The vibrations caused by playing the bowls begin to resonate with the internal vibrations of the human body, gradually leading them to a calm, peaceful rhythm. Therefore, a person experiences balanced, calm sensations.
There are basic ways to play the singing bowl:
- Use a special stick made of wood, metal or plastic to slowly move around the outside in circles, without looking up or stopping, until a sound similar to the buzzing of a bell arises.
- Using a stick wrapped in suede fabric, apply a light blow to the outside, which will cause long vibrations, vaguely reminiscent of the trill of a bell.
It turns out that “singing” spreads spirally in two directions: into the external environment, that is, into space, and inside the object.
It is curious that the sound with each revolution is not similar to the previous one, just as each time vibration is called out, a unique tonality is obtained. It depends on the quality of the bowl itself, the type of metal, stick, impact force, density and duration of pressing.
For proper massage, the following principle of placing bowls around the body would be ideal: large bowls that produce a deeper sound should be placed down at the feet, and small objects that sound light and ringing should be placed at the head. Then you can go directly to the practice of relaxation, taking turns causing sonorous vibrations of different frequencies.
Conclusion
Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! Let miracles and amazing properties never leave you. Share the article using the buttons below social networks, and we will search for the truth together.
Who would have thought that a Tibetan bowl could turn out to be not only a prosaic piece of furniture, but also a life-giving musical instrument and an attribute of healing? Singing bowls can be tiny or giant, copper or gold. But all types of bowls have one thing in common - they were created by skilled craftsmen in order to caress the human ear and heal the body and soul.
Sing with Buddha himself
For a long time the singing bowl was considered not only a ritual attribute, but also a musical instrument. A few thousand years ago, singing bowls were used in China during chants of praise to Buddha - for meditation, for reading sutras, and for getting rid of evil spirits. Subsequently, Having become part of Tantric Buddhism, singing bowls began to roam throughout Asia- and soon appeared in Bhutan, India, Japan, Korea...
Tibetan bowls were brought from the Himalayas to the West only in the 50s. At first it was assumed that they were just ordinary bowls for storing food. Imagine the surprise of the townsfolk when they discovered the inexpressible purity of the sound of the bowls. With the development of the New Age movement, the singing bowl has gained new popularity, both among fans of Tibetan Buddhism and among musicians of various genres - from ambient to art-folk. Among them are David Parsons, Ben Scott, Klaus Wiese.
Scientists claim that Listening to the music of Tibetan bowls for a long time causes altered states of consciousness. This may be why more and more people are becoming interested in the singing bowl phenomenon. These include musicians, esotericists, and healers...
Sound healing
Unlike ordinary bells, singing bowls are not suspended anywhere- they are stationary. They have no language. Playing the singing bowl is leisurely movement of a rosewood or pine pestle around the perimeter of the bowl placed on a soft surface. The walls of the singing bowl hum: and this deep sound is called singing.
How is the medical effect of this action achieved? The singing bowl is placed on a lying person, several slow movements are made with the pestle - and soon every cell of the body is permeated by deep vibration. As a result of resonance, internal organs are massaged and blood supply to the entire body is stimulated.
As a result, concentration improves, the nervous system stabilizes, overall tone increases, and overall stress decreases. Headaches and muscle tension also disappear. They say that if you fill a singing bowl with water, then the incredible happens: the water subjected to vibrations becomes “living”: it acquires qualities comparable to the qualities of water from a mountain spring. Tibetan bowls are also used for energetic “cleansing” of rooms: experts say that if “clean” the corners of the room with the sound of the bowl, the flow of Qi energy will be activated in them.
Sounds of Eternity
Today, singing bowls are made from an alloy of several noble metals: gold, silver, tin or... mercury. According to legend, once upon a time, Tibetan monks created the first singing bowl from an alloy of seven metals and ore from meteorite rain. And a real Tibetan bowl should be forged: their sound is much warmer and richer. Connoisseurs prefer bowls which are engraved with images of deities, a sacred ornament or the mantra “Om mani padme hum”.
As for the size of the singing bowl, it can vary from 10 centimeters to several meters. However, the traditional size is considered to be 20 centimeters - this type of bowl is the easiest to play with. Each singing bowl has its own individual voice - it is as original as the person in whose hands it is.
It is believed that a person who has heard the Tibetan bowl sing at least once in his life will never go to hell. One way or another, today singing bowls heal both body and soul with their enchanting, mysterious sound. As one of the Indian healers said: " Man is created from sounds, and he is sound".
My feet are familiar with the sounds of singing bowls, but sometimes certain questions arise about this. In this article we will outline the history of singing bowls and explain the basic principles of their structure and operation.
Origin of singing bowls
The birthplace of metal singing bowls is the countries of the East. Despite the fact that their origin and original purpose are still shrouded in mystery, it is still known that once upon a time, these bowls were used in rituals and ceremonies that included working with sound. Singing bowls were first brought to the West from the Himalayas only in the second half of the 20th century, after the Chinese invasion of Tibet in the 1950s.
We call singing bowls differently: musical bowls, sounding bowls, Tibetan bowls, Tibetan singing bowls. They are not intended for storing liquids or bulk materials; they create sounding energy fields that saturate the space with positive energy.
In addition to Tibetan bowls (originally from the Himalayas), there are also Japanese and Thai singing bowls, and each variety has its own special sound, shape and function. However, it is Tibetan bowls that produce the purest sounds and overtones. The amazing skill of the ancient artisans, who many centuries ago were able to create works of art endowed with such extraordinary power and sonority, deserves great respect and careful study.
There are also crystalline and quartz singing bowls. They are made in the USA. They look very beautiful and make a very unique sound. Such a bowl can be precisely tuned to a specific tone.
If you are using multiple singing bowls, place rock crystals between them. Rock crystal purifies and enhances the energy of interaction between the bowls, and the resonance produced by the bowls in turn purifies the crystals.
Tibetan singing bowls are a meditation tool that has long been used in spiritual practice. Such bowls are made from a unique metal alloy, which allows you to get an unusual sound that is significantly different from the sound of any other musical instruments. If we put several bowls in a row, we will see how they differ from each other. The bowls will still be different, even if they have the same diameter. This effect is achieved by the method of forging the bowl, as well as by the different metal alloys used in the manufacture of the bowls.
Singing bowl shape
The sound and timbre of a singing bowl depend not only on its size, but also on structural features, for example, on the width of the rim, the thickness of the walls, the ratio of the diameters of the bottom and rim, the profile of the bottom, and so on.
In the manufacture of most Himalayan singing bowls used today, special rules were observed that determined the width, profile and decor of the rim, and the angle of inclination of the walls to the bottom. A good singing bowl certainly has the correct shape: all its curves are harmonious. When extracting sounds from a singing bowl, the performer usually places it on a cloth mat or holds it in his hand. If the bottom of the bowl is too flat, it will not resonate strongly enough on a flat, hard surface. The range of overtones of the bowl depends on the thickness of the walls and the composition of the alloy. The surface of authentic handmade singing bowls is covered with small dents - traces of the tool of the master who molded the alloy. These recesses must be in harmony with the shape of the bowl as a whole, otherwise dissonance occurs in the overtones. The thicker the walls of the bowl, the more clearly the undertones are heard; The thinner the walls and the smaller the bowl, the more audible the overtones. When struck with a hammer, the bowl should not rattle or make any noise. Authentic, well-shaped bowls sound clean and clear.
There are many legends about the origin of singing bowls, although the true story of their origin is as mysterious as the Himalayas themselves and the Tibetan monks.
According to first legend the appearance of singing bowls is associated with the spiritual ruler of Tibet, the Fifth Dalai Lama, who built his first palace in Drepung and gave it the name Kungar Ava. The ruler's throne was created in the form of a singing bowl. Many believers come to the monastery in Drepung to worship the sacred singing tower. According to their beliefs, a person who hears her singing will never end up in their Tibetan hell, which they call “narak”.
The second legend suggests that the singing bowls of Tibet came from wandering monks. They wandered around the world with begging bowls into which money or food was placed for them. The monks were supposed to gratefully accept any offering, even the most meager. Through this acceptance, they achieved the highest spiritual enlightenment, and through it - a feeling of unity with the whole world, love for all living things.
The third legend is older than the others. She talks about those times when the main religion in Tibet was still shamanism, and supreme lamas received knowledge from communicating with the Higher Spirits directly. One day they were promised to be given objects of power with the help of which any person would be able to communicate directly with the Higher Mind. After deep meditation and trance, the priests saw that the objects that the spirits spoke about were in the shape of bowls and made of an alloy of eight different metals: tin, iron, copper, zinc, lead, gold, silver, and the eighth element remained unrecognized. At first, the lamas tried to make bowls from the first seven elements, but the resulting bowls did not connect them with the Cosmos. And they again turned to the Higher Spirits, performing a special ritual so that he would help them get an answer on how to properly make the bowls. After this, a meteor shower began in the area of Mount Kailash - so the spirits sent them the missing element, which turned out to be the ore of this meteorite. The bowl, made of eight elements, produced a sound of unusual strength and vibration. Thousands of monks participated in religious ceremonies in which singing bowls were used. They cleansed the space and sent streams of life-giving positive energy into it.
Vibration
Nada brahma: the whole world is sound.
Modern science confirms this ancient Indian saying: everything in the world, not excluding even the densest matter, produces vibrations. The human body consists mainly of water, and water is an excellent conductor of vibrations: a stone thrown into water creates waves that spread evenly over the surface and under water. External vibrations, be it light, electromagnetic radiation or sounds, cause a wide variety of reactions in our body - not only through auditory perception, but mainly through resonance at the cellular level. Our bodies readily respond to all kinds of vibrations in environment, including sounds. The sound and vibration of singing bowls have a balancing and harmonizing effect.
In modern Western world We are surrounded everywhere by sources of vibrations that are dangerous to our health: vehicles, high-voltage wires, fluorescent lamps... They upset the balance of the body and exhaust the body and mind.
The sounds of singing bowls, rich in overtones, successfully resist this destructive influence. They are so pure and harmonious that they are able to restore order even in the midst of the chaos of negative vibrations. It’s enough just to sit or lie down, relax and open up to these sounds - and everything will happen by itself.
Tibetan singing bowls are used as an auxiliary tool for meditation, but they also cleanse and harmonize space, and are used to purify water and give it healing properties. This is a unique object of spiritual practice that carries harmony, goodness and tranquility, and even in inept hands will not cause harm.
Resonators for singing bowls
Singing bowls are a type of resonator bell that spreads waves of sound and energy, charging the surrounding space. The bowl can have any origin; there are bowls from Tibet, India, Nepal, and the Kingdom of Mustang. The main thing you need to know is that a real singing bowl should be forged, and not factory-made, so that its “voice” has its own individuality, correlates with your inner state, and is tuned to your aura.
Singing bowls create vibration, extracting overtones of divine sounds. They cleanse and calm the soul, fill it with harmony, prepare space for meditative practices, and change negative energy.
Two techniques are commonly used to extract sound from Himalayan singing bowls: percussion and friction. To make the bowl sing, special resonator sticks are used. When you rotate it around the edge of the bowl, it makes a sound similar to vibration or buzzing. It is important that the voice of the singing bowl suits you, so that it does not irritate you, but, on the contrary, calms you down.
A resonator stick is most often a short and thick wooden stick, shaped like a mortar pestle. It is worth noting that it is important to correlate the diameter, length and weight of the resonator. Often, if a bowl doesn’t sing, it’s not because it’s faulty, but because the stick is incorrectly selected or used incorrectly.
It should be selected in proportion to the diameter of the singing bowl. You must understand that, for example, a stick with a diameter of about 25 mm. It is not capable of producing sound from a large diameter singing bowl, but it works well with small bowls. For massive forged singing bowls with large depth and surface volume, a stick with a diameter of 4 centimeters or more is suitable.
In order to get the sound out of the bowl, it is important to keep your wrist in the same position when rotating the stick as you move your hand in a circle. In this case, the angle of contact of the resonator with the bowl does not change. It is also important not to change the pressure on the walls of the bowl in different areas. All of these components - pressure, angle of contact and uniformity of movement - should be given equal attention, especially if your bowl has high rims.
A singing bowl with a predominantly overtonal sound can change tones when the pressure on its walls changes. If you use, as usual, a right angle of contact, perpendicular to the walls of the bowl, then it will produce low sounds; if you increase the angle of inclination, the sounds will be higher.
There are also various types resonators for singing bowls, which is also important in extracting musical sounds. Resonator sticks can be made from different types of wood, they can be pure wood or covered with leather, they come with carvings or carvings. For small, thin-walled bowls that sound quite high, a metal percussion hammer can be used to help produce ringing, high-pitched sounds.
With wooden resonators, the degree of sound produced depends on the type of wood from which the resonator is made. Nepalese sticks are mainly made from hardwood. Such a stick is considered more naughty and, in an inexperienced hand, can slip out of the palm and hit the bowl, causing it to make rattling and squealing sounds. It is best used by more experienced and advanced singing bowl players. For beginners, a stick resonator made from softer wood, which is taken not from the core of the tree, but from the upper, softer species, is better suited.
A wooden stick is most often used to produce high tones. However, it is also believed that the skin aligns the resonator, and the sound is cleaner, without any side sounds. However, there are small singing bowls that can only be started with a wooden resonator.
Any additional figures on the resonator may interfere with the extraction of pure sound, but masters also use such. As for the carved rings that are often present on sticks, they usually do not interfere with the formation of sound.
Small bowls and their small hammer resonators are usually used in conjunction with larger bowls. This effect of increasing sound can be used, for example, for sound massage or at musical performances of folk groups.
In any case, it is important to understand that the bowl and the stick are two integral parts of one harmonious musical process, and they must fit each other perfectly, be co-tuned, that is, attuned to each other. Therefore, when choosing a singing bowl, you must also carefully select the stick resonator, because it is no less important in extracting sound.
For this purpose, use special hammers and sticks of different sizes, made of various materials. Most often, smooth wooden sticks are used, sometimes with a rubber nozzle; There are also small metal sticks and large felt hammers. By confidently but smoothly rubbing the rim of the bowl with a stick, you can extract from it sounds of various tones with undertones and overtones - depending on the position of the stick and the speed of friction.
Smooth circular movements produce an almost continuous fundamental tone; The sound intensity can be changed by slightly varying the friction speed. Sometimes working with a bowl begins with striking the rim, which gives the main tone. Subsequent friction maintains this tone and produces other sounds. But it is better when the singing of the bowl begins without a preliminary blow - when the sound does not “knock out” from the bowl, but grows gradually.
You can also extract sounds from a singing bowl using a regular violin bow. Sometimes the performer will pour a little water into the bowl, which will obviously change the sound. When the sound reaches a certain intensity, the water begins to splash (which is why singing bowls are sometimes jokingly called “splashing bowls”).
By varying the angle of the stick and the force of pressure on the rim, you can get a wide variety of sounds: new undertones and overtones are woven into the music, sometimes simultaneously, sometimes separately. Each angle of the stick has its own specific sound range. From one single bowl you can extract up to five or six audible undertones and overtones. In addition, the performer can emphasize any one tone, muting the others.
Using several bowls of different sizes, you can create a complex musical composition in which the undertones and overtones of different tones harmoniously support and complement each other.
Metal or hardwood picks produce a sharp, clear tone from the bowl. Felt hammers produce a much softer sound that is cozy and peaceful. Some performers emphasize certain tones by moving their lips closer to the rim of the bowl - the sounds are absolutely extraordinary!
And finally, according to some experts, the therapeutic effect of sound largely depends on which direction the stick moves when rubbing against the bowl - clockwise or counterclockwise.
Patterns on singing bowls
A real singing bowl must be forged, not from a factory, but from a blacksmith, and it is especially important that it be created from an alloy of several metals: there must be an odd number of them, from five to nine. The main metals are gold, silver, iron, tin, mercury, copper, lead. Only five metals can be used, without gold and silver. Bowls made after the 19th century also added zinc and nickel. It is important to maintain a balance between the amount of metals and their volume in the alloy.
Tibetan singing bowls are often decorated with Buddhist symbols to invoke good luck. This could be the text “Om Mani Padme Hum”, crossed vajras, eight Tibetan symbols of good luck or special Tibetan ornaments.
The six-syllable mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" literally means: "O pearl shining in the lotus flower!", but in fact has many meanings. The combination of its syllables conveys the purity of the body, mind and speech of the Buddha. The second word “mani” - “jewel” symbolizes compassion and love, the desire for awakening, for the transition to a new higher level. The word "padme" - "lotus flower" personifies wisdom. "Hum" denotes the indivisibility of wisdom and action.
Vajra is a special Buddhist staff, an instrument of the gods. It is like a scepter, the head of which is at both ends. It is believed that this is a special weapon capable of cutting rocks, as strong as diamond and indestructible as lightning. Their tips resemble flower buds or cones. The more complex the structure of a vajra, the more powerful it is. An image of two crossed vajras is often placed on the bottom Tibetan bowl, which symbolizes strength.
As for the symbols of good luck placed on the cups, they vary greatly depending on the group into which they are divided. Each group carries certain meaning and a connotation of happiness and good luck.
The eight symbols of luck are gifts presented to Buddha by the gods after he gained Enlightenment. The first of them is a precious white umbrella that protects from suffering, illness and evil spirits, the second is a pair of golden fish, symbolizing spiritual liberation, the third is a white shell that liberates from ignorance and helps in acquiring knowledge, the fourth is white flower lotus, a symbol of Enlightenment, wisdom and spiritual growth, the fifth is a precious vessel that fulfills wishes, the sixth is an endless knot, personifying endless time and the interconnection of all things, the seventh is a victorious banner indicating the victory of Buddhism over ignorance, the eighth is the Golden Wheel of Teaching.
The designation of all eight objects at the same time is called. They are often depicted on the walls of temples, houses, monasteries, as well as on curtains and doors.
Small symbols of good luck are also depicted on the singing bowls. Eight precious substances that look like eight different objects. They are correlated with the steps that make up . These are images of a mirror, medicinal stone ghivanga (magic elephant stomach stone), curdled milk in a vessel, bilva tree apple, conch shell, red sindhur powder, kusha grass and white mustard seeds. They symbolize wisdom and right view, longevity, sound mind, power, wisdom, luck and virtue.
Miracle of the Singing Bowl
Singing bowls are the most positively filled musical instrument. It's hard to imagine a way to use them for bad purposes. Therefore, patterns on singing bowls cannot make them worse or better; they can only strengthen the message sent by vibration into space and charge it in a certain way: for wisdom, for health, for enlightenment or for good luck. In any case, it will be a harmonious and healthy flow of energy, cleansing and helping in all endeavors.
The singing bowl produces unique, unique sounds. It cannot be confused with any other musical instrument.
But this is only one of the reasons why the singing bowls should be recognized as a genuine miracle. The complex healing effects of singing bowls were discovered and began to be studied in the West only in the last decade of the 20th century.
There are excellent sound therapists who can use singing bowls to bring harmony into the very foundations of our lives. In the hands of a talented specialist, even a single carefully chosen bowl can work real miracles.
Resonance plays an important role here. The vibrations of the bowl resonate with the internal vibrations of the human body and restore their balance. Thanks to this, a person is immersed in a calm, serene state, and the sounds of the singing bowl penetrate the level of brain waves, transferring them to a more harmonious frequency. None of the other musical instruments used in sound therapy have such an effective effect.
Each individual singing bowl either suits you or it doesn’t - there is no third option. To understand whether a particular bowl is suitable for you, test it thoroughly: listen carefully to its sound and to your own sensations. If you don’t feel anything special or the sound of the bowl seems unpleasant to you, then there is no point in working with it. When choosing a cup, don’t settle for little, don’t settle for “almost fits” and don’t let something that you don’t really like be imposed on you, otherwise you’ll just throw money away. But if the sound of the bowl brings satisfaction, helps you relax, or clears your thoughts, then this bowl has touched some deep chords in you.
In the same way, you should check and evaluate recordings of the sound of singing bowls: choose those compositions that are at the moment seem pleasant to you and suit your mood.
In order to buy a singing bowl, you first need to focus on yourself. It is advisable to see it, pick it up, try to work with it, make it make a sound. You not only need to make sure that you can make it sound, the sound must also resonate in the soul so that you understand that this is your cup.
