Tibetan Singing Bowls Tibetan singing bowls are very ancient instruments connected to the Buddhist and Taoist traditions of Tibet and China. They are like bells except for the fact that they are held “upside down”, with the open edge facing up. The size can range from 8-10 cm to around 60. The traditional way of playing these bells is by keeping them on a pillow or holding them on an open hand’s palm (depending on the size of the bell) and striking them with a wooden mallet. They have been used to accompany sacred prayers for centuries. It is not possible to find an early reference to a traditional use of the other way these bells can be played: when the mallet is rubbed against the rim of the bell, the friction creates a sustained tone that makes the bell “sing”, hence the name singing bowl. This property of the singing bowls has become very popular in recent times thanks to its extremely relaxing effect. The sound of the singing bowls, whether produced by striking or rubbing, produces an almost immediate sense of relaxation. It is perceived as soothing for the mind and helpful for meditation practices. The idea of using singing bowls as healing tools outside of their ritualistic context is probably very recent.

Their popularity in the west since the 1970s has open the way to a completely new approach to the instrument. The awareness of the fact that low frequencies tend to resonate In the lower part of the body and high frequencies in the higher parts of the body has led to the use of sets of singing bowls of increasing size and frequencies in order to create a full-body sound massage, often related also with the stimulation of the energetic centres of the body (chakra), that can be very powerful and effective. It is said that the traditional composition of singing bowls is an alloy of seven metals (gold, silver, copper, mercury, iron, lead, and tin) the properties of which are associated with the seven planets of ancient astrology. To learn more visit: www.MelodysSoundHealing.com