subject: What All You Need To Know About Singing Bowls [print this page] Singing bowls are also known as rin gongs, suzu gongs, medicine bowls, Tibetan Singing bowls, Himalayan bowls and Tibetan bowls. The history of these bowls goes back to nearly 3,000 years. Singing bowls are a type of bell known as standing bell. These standing bells are designed to produce resonating sounds. These bowls are usually made from seven to nine different metals, including silver, gold, bronze, mercury, tin, iron and copper. These standing bells are not attached to a handle. Also, they do not hang inverted. The Tibetan bowls sit with their bottom surface resting. The rim and sides of Tibetan bowls vibrate to produce unique and melodious sound.
Today the market offers mainly two types of Tibetan bowls, the antique Tibetan bowls and the modern Tibetan bowls. The antique bowls are made by traditional craftsman by using traditional techniques (hand hammering). These bowls produce poly-harmonic and multi-phonic overtones, which produce a unique harmonic effect. These complex yet subtle harmonic frequencies are specially produced by bowls made from high quality bronze alloy. These antique instruments are very rare and highly priced. These collectibles are collected across the world, due their remarkable sound and fine craftsmanship. The modern Tibetan bowls are either plain or decorated. They sometimes feature spiritual motifs, symbols and religious iconography, such as images of Ashtamangala and Buddha and Tibetan chants. The modern singing bowls are crafted in Nepal, China, India, Japan and Korea. These bowls are usually made by pouring metal into a cast. These bowls are generally smoother than the traditional Tibetan bowls.
Sound is produced from these standing bells by running a mallet made from metal, wood or plastic. Playing Tibetan bowls is an art, which can be learnt with practice. When the bells are struck with a mallet they produce a gong like sound. Further, rubbing the bowls with a wooden stick produces continuous singing tones.
Himalayan bowls are used for religious purposes for carrying out prayer rituals. These bells are widely used in Hinduism and Buddhism. The melodious sounds produced by the Tibetan bowls help in spreading the message of Hinduism and Buddhism. Such sounds are also used in various other purposes, including meditation, relaxation, music and personal well-being. These bells are also used for healing purposes by psychotherapists, massage therapists and meditation specialists. The harmonic effect produced by the sounds of singing bowls enables you to overcome stress and relax deeply. It helps to create a harmony between the soul and the body.
Tibetan bowls comes in a variety of sizes and tones. They can be easily found in holistic book stores or specialty stores. You can also purchase them from online retailers who sell meditative aids.
