Udara

Tibetan Singing Bowls

Magical Sounds of the Himalayas

Tibetan Singing Bowls have made their way from the Himalayas to homes, yoga studios, healing centres and sound healing spaces all over the world. What makes these bowls so attractive and unique? What is the mystery of their history? How can they be used for yourself and others?

The History of Tibetan Singing Bowls

Singing bowls have been used for healing and spiritual purposes in the Himalayan region since thousands of years. Buddhists in Nepal, Bhutan and China used the bowls for prayer and rituals. The history of these bowls are somewhat cloaked in mystery. Legends say that the bowls were used by Nepalese women during their pregnancies to eat from the bowls in order to get minerals intake. When a Tibetan King in the 11th century married a Nepalese women, she supposedly carried the bowls with her to Tibet where they became more popular. When foreigners came to Tibet, they were intrigued by these bowls and called them Tibetan Singing Bowls. The main production sites of singing bowls is currently in Nepal and North India.

How the Singing Bowls are made

The singing bowls come in a variety of sizes, compositions and ornamentation. Traditionally, there were all hand made from an alloy of metals. The process is hard work, from melting the metals to hand hammering the bowls into shape. Each metal was carefully selected for its resonant qualities and representation of cosmic energies such choosing the raw materials in relation to certain planets and chakras. The main material is an alloy of tin and brass (approx. 80%), combined with copper and zinc (about 20%) and iron, silver and gold in very small quantities. As mercury and lead have found out to be poisonous, they are no longer used. The decoration of the bowls may display mandalas, yantras or sacred prayers in Sanskrit or Pali scripture.

The sound of Tibetan Singing Bowls

The Tibetan singing bowls are rich in frequencies and produce magical effects, as various notes sound at the same time. When examining the notes of the singing bowls, we find 3 to 4 main notes that sound together plus a variety of harmonics (overtones). To strike the bowls, we can use various mallets, such as wooden mallets covered with velour on one end or felted mallets with a longer handle. The difference in mallets and the way how the bowls are brought into vibration create specific sound effects. We can do single strikes at the upper part of the bowl as well as circling the mallet around the outside of the bowl to create a continuous sound.

The Use & Benefits of Tibetan Singing Bowls

Tibetan Singing Bowls are wonderful instruments for various purposes. They can accompany rituals, prayers, ceremonies, meditation and relaxation and be part of sound healing journeys.

The sound of the bowls help to slow down and harmonize the brain waves. It creates more coherent brain waves and helps to enter into Theta or Delta states that are conducive for meditative awareness, calming of the nervous system, healing and deep rest for body and mind. When played with the right intention, the effects of the sounds are even magnified.

In a sound healing session, the bowls can be placed on the floor around the receiver, played while moving them around the body or placed on the body itself. When played on the body, we do not only hear the notes but actually feel the vibrations in our bodies. The cells in the body are nourished and reorganized by these beneficial sounds that help us to come back “in tune” according to our unique blueprint, our natural vibration that is deeply interconnected with the harmony and beauty of nature and the cosmos.

As mentioned in one of our previous blog articles, sound healing has amazing benefits. Sound healing works on various levels at the same time, from the physical to the energetic, mental, emotional and spiritual plane. It helps to reduce stress, relax muscles, harmonize brain waves, promote deeper sleep, balance the auric field and energy flow in the chakras, increase meditative awareness and intuitive knowing, lower blood pressure, soothe the nervous system, relieve pain and open up to higher states of consciousness. Many sound healers use singing bowls, either as a stand-alone instrument or in combination with other instruments and the voice.

How to choose a singing bowl for yourself

When purchasing a singing bowl in Nepal or India, the price is generally usually determined by the weight of the bowl. Special bowls are available such as Full Moon bowls, which are produced on full moon nights and are supposedly carrying higher energetic potential for healing. Ancient singing bowls are sold at high prices, yet for a lay person, it will be difficult to find out if they are truly ancient or made look like ancient. You can also purchase a set of singing bowls that are designed to work on the seven main chakras, in which each bowl connects to one of the chakras.

When you want to buy a bowl for your own use, let your intuition guide you which one to pick. Play different kinds of bowls and feel how your body responds to it. Do you feel a sense of calm? Does the sound move and touch you? Do you feel a change in your energy?

Playing singing bowls for yourself

Develop a connection with your singing bowls and play them for various purposes, such as letting the sounds guide you into meditation, opening & closing your yoga practice with the sound of the bowls, playing the bowls before you go to sleep, in a working break to refresh your mind, when you ponder over a decision or when you feel emotionally charged. Try singing with the sounds of the singing bowls, move them around your body as you play or lie down and place the bowl on your body. If you have a big bowl, you can even put it on your head carefully like a hat and strike it for more intense experience. Note, how the bowls affect you and how they are able enrich your daily life.

The collection of Singing Bowls at Udara

At Udara, we have collected a beautiful array of singing bowls from Nepal in various sizes and forms. From the smallest bowls that just fit into the palm of your hand to the huge bowls that you can even stand inside and feel the vibration travel up your whole body. We use the Singing Bowls as part of each Sound Healing event. They are part of the Udara Sundays, where we offer Sound Healing after Ecstatic Dance, we have special evenings where we play the singing bowls in the Sauna and in the warm water floating pool, or as part of Yin yoga classes and Cacao ceremonies. In our new sound healing dome, you can experience the exquisite resonance of the bowls during an individual session.

Check out our current schedule of events and reserve your spot to experience the magic of Tibetan Singing Bowls!