A Himalayas singing bowl is among the most iconic religious and spiritual accessories made from brass or bronze. This accessory is played by striking or circling a mallet around the rim to produce vibrations and sound and is used in different forms of therapy like Sound therapy and Chakra Therapy. If you are involved in any spiritual practices, you should not be strangers to these bowls as have been used for religious and spiritual practices for ages. However, these singing bowls are not just the thing of the past ; their popularity continues to reach new heights in modern times as well.
But have you ever wondered what are singing bowls and why these bowls are so popular?
Here we will answer both of these questions. Let's start with the definition first.
What is Singing Bowl?
The singing bowl is a special type of bowl that vibrates and produces a rich deep tone when played with a mallet. Traditionally, these singing bowls were made from a wide range of metals, including Mercury, Lead, Silver, Iron, Gold, and Copper. Although you can still find Singing bowls made from these materials, in modern times, most Tibetan or Himalayas singing bowls are made from Brass or Bronze.
Ever since the origin of singing bowls, these sound healing bowls have been popularly used for a wide range of practices which include but are not limited to:
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Meditation
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Sound therapy
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Sound bath
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Relaxation
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Yoga
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Massage
Because of their many uses, singing bowls have been in use for ages by Buddhist monks and other practitioners.
What is the history behind the popularity of Singing bowls?
There is a bit of a debate regarding the exact origin time. There has been an anecdotal reference to the 2000-year-old brass singing bowls of the Indian and Nepali regions. There are also anecdotal evidence to suggest that they are among some of the most ancient artisan crafts in human existence. According to a story, during the Lichhavi period in Nepal, Princess Bhrikuti took two items with her when she was married to King Songtsen Gamo. These two items were the statue of lord Buddha and a rice bowl to serve rituals. This story is often credited to be the start of singing bowls.
The singing bowls rose in during the hippie influx of the 70s when the singing bowls were sold as souvenirs. It is widely believed that a trader named Jit Bahadur Sahi coined the name singing bowl during this period.
From then on, singing bowls or Sound healing bowls rose in popularity in the 1990s as complementary and alternative treatments for a wide range of ailments.
Now the question is -
Why are Singing Bowls so Popular?
There is a reason for everything, and therefore there are reasons behind the popularity of singing bowls. Although research on Tibetan singing bowls is limited, users of singing bowls claim to feel a positive change during and after using the best singing bowls.
Some of the reasons behind the popularity of singing bowls are:
1) Calms down the Nerves
The vibrations produced by the singing bowls are often used to stimulate the specific brain cells at specific states to relax the nerves and bring a calming sensation. The sounds from the healing sound bowl harmonise with us and allow a sense of deep relaxation on both sides of our brains and stimulate a sense of deep relaxation. This calming effect can be further amplified if the Tibetan sound bowls are used in tandem with Yoga and Meditation practices.
2) Improving sleep
One of the hardest aspects of sleeping is the initial stage before deep sleep. If you are stressed and/or have some worries, it can be hard to fall asleep. In the modern era, this is a problem many of us face. However, using singing bowls sets can aid you in getting to sleep easier. This property of the singing bowl is associated with a calming effect of the singing bowl. It is because of calmer minds as if you sleep with a calm mind, the overall quality of sleep can improve qualitatively.
3) Reducing Pain
Although the research data is limited regarding the benefits of the Himalayan singing bowl in pain relief, practitioners of the Tibetan singing bowl do claim that using a singing bowl as an aid during meditation can reduce their pain to some extent. Using singing bowl sets during meditation or yoga can give you substantial relief from your general pains. A small research held in 2016 states that participants attending Himalayan singing bowl meditations reported a reduction in pain. However, you do need to note that the sample size was limited, and the result was inconclusive.
As such, we recommend you seek a doctor's help if you are facing extreme pain.
4) Sound Therapy
Sound therapy is one of the primary uses of the Sound healing bowl. In this therapy, the specialist uses sounds and music played by the crystal singing bowls combined with deep self reflection techniques and Yoga techniques to improve the good health and well-being of the practitioners. Although the specific method of sound therapy varies based on the technique, the general purpose of the therapy is to use sound to create a calm atmosphere and as a guide to inner peace and physical relief.
By now, you should have guessed that one of the most common instruments used in this tonal therapy is Sound healing bowls. Their use in this tonal therapy is one of the primary reasons why singing bowls are popular.
5) Used in Chakra Healing
Singing bowls can be incorporated into chakra healing therapy as well. Different Chakra points respond to different sound frequencies when used in Chakra Healing. Furthermore, in Chakra healing, multiple bowls are often used by tuning the bowls differently. When the best singing bowls are used in chakra healing, they can cleanse chakras along with aid you in developing a sense of deep inner peace.
Do note that you will need to tune the singing bowls before use.
6) Excellent for Decor
This is one of the simplest and most intuitive reasons behind the popularity of singing bowls. The best singing bowls are good to look at and can be used as good decor regardless of where you keep them. When placed appropriately, these bowls play an important role in re-igniting the livelihood of a space. Using a singing bowl as decor can bring forth the harmony of the said place and let out the negative energies of the space
In the end,
The Tibetan singing bowl or Singing Bowl from Himalayas is one of the most iconic accessories used in religious and spiritual practices. This simple-looking singing bowl is used in many religious and spiritual activities, including but not limited to yoga, meditation, sound therapy, and chakra healing therapy. In addition, Singing bowls are also attractive to look at and can be used as decor regardless of whether you have simple singing bowls or intricately designed ones.
The popularity of Tibetan sound bowls can be linked to a wide range of factors, but some of the primary reasons are their use in sound therapy, their ability to calm you down, aid in sleep, and their looks. Furthermore, when talking about the reason for the popularity of the singing bowls,
one cannot deny their ease of use. To use a singing bowl, all you need to do is take the bowl and strike it with the mallet. Alternatively, you can use the rimming method we mentioned here, but it is a bit complicated for the singing bowl.
FAQ
Q: What is the purpose of Tibetan/Himalaya singing bowls?
A: Singing bowls are traditionally used for meditation, chakra therapy, and sound therapy. But besides this use, singing bowls can also be used to relieve pain and decor.
Q: What are the benefits of singing bowls?
A: Using singing bowls, you can calm down your nerves, get aid in meditation, and increase your concentration.
Q: Can I put water in my Singing Bowl?
A: Yes, you can put water in your Tibetan Singing bowl. Doing so will lower the pitch of the sound, and it is a common method to alter the sound during chakra therapy.
Q: Can we wash the singing bowl?
A: Yes, you can wash your singing bowl, but strong chemicals are not advised. Furthermore, we recommend you dry the bowl carefully after every use.
Q: Where should a singing bowl be placed at home?
A: You can place the Singing bowl in the West, NorthWest and Northern corners of your space regardless of the space as long as it is not associated with excretion.
Q: What are the religious and spiritual benefits of singing bowls?
A: The religious and spiritual benefits of singing bowls include healing, creating feelings of inner peace, cultivating energy flow, and balancing your inner chakras.
Q: What are the seven metals in a singing bowl?
A: The seven metals in traditional singing bowls are gold, tin, iron, mercury, lead, and copper
