Home How To How to : How to Play a Singing Bowl for Meditation, Chakra Healing & More

How to : How to Play a Singing Bowl for Meditation, Chakra Healing & More

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How to : How to Play a Singing Bowl for Meditation, Chakra Healing & More

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Things You Should Know

  • Grip your mallet by the wooden end and gently strike the bowl on the outside at its widest point to produce a single rich, resonant note.
  • Strike your bowl on the outside and then drag your mallet along the outer edge of the bowl’s rim with light pressure to produce a continuous “singing” sound.
  • Singing bowls have a variety of supposed benefits including reducing pain, anxiety, and depression, aiding meditation and sleep, and balancing your chakras.
Section 1 of 4:

Striking the Bowl

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    Hold the bowl in your non-dominant palm or rest it on a cushion. If you choose to hold it, let it rest in your open palm or support it from the bottom with just your finger tips. Try not to grip the sides of the bowl with your finger, since this will dampen the sound.[1]
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    Grip the mallet or striker by the wooden end in your dominant hand. Hold the mallet between your pointer finger and thumb, almost like you’re about to use the mallet to sign your name. Make sure the very end of the mallet rests securely in the web between your pointer finger and thumb.[3]

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    Strike the outside of the bowl at its widest point. Gently hit the bowl with the padded end of the mallet. Aim for where the bowl is the widest for the best sound (about midway up the bowl’s wall). If the sound is dull or too quiet, hit it again slightly harder. Keep the mallet strikes away from the top of the lip of the bowl, since this will make a harsh, percussive sound.[4]
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    Let the bowl ring or dampen the sound with your fingers. If you want to stop the sound before it naturally fades away, slowly alter your grip on the bowl (if you’re holding it) so that your fingertips come into contact with the sides of the bowl. If the bowl is resting on a cushion, softly touch the outside wall until the sound stops.[5]

Section 2 of 4:

Making the Bowl Sing

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    Find a quiet space and sit in a comfortable meditation pose. Seat yourself with your spine straight and relaxed and your shoulders level. Take several deep but natural breaths and try to release any tension in your arms, shoulders, and face. Singing bowls ring more clearly when you’re not holding any tension in your body.[6]
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    Rest the bowl in your non-dominant palm or set it on a cushion. If you’re holding it, let it sit freely in your palm or on top of your fingertips without gripping the sides of the bowl (this will dampen the sound).[7]
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    Hold the wooden end of the mallet in your dominant hand. Grip it between your index finger and thumb as if you’re holding a pen (the same grip you’d use for a strike), or wrap all of your fingers around the end like you’re making a fist. Keep your grip firm but not too tense.[9]
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    Strike the outside of the bowl first to get the sound going. It can be difficult to make the bowl sing just by rimming (dragging the mallet along the rim), so gently tap the mid-exterior wall of the bowl with the padded end of your mallet. Aim for the widest part of the bowl (about halfway up the wall), not too close to the lip.[10]
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    Hold the mallet to the outside lip of the bowl at a 30- to 45-degree angle. Make sure the padded end of the mallet is in contact with the bowl, and apply light pressure as you prepare to drag it. The pressure ensures the mallet maintains contact with the bowl, producing an even and consistent sound.[11]
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    Drag the padded end of the mallet around the outer rim of the bowl. Slowly circle the bowl until it’s ringing at the intensity you want. Use your whole arm to drag the mallet (not just your wrist). The sound will slowly build over the course of 4 or 5 times around the bowl.[12]
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    Keep circling the bowl until you find a bright, clear overtone. Listen for a pure sound with no harsh edge to it (this will come more easily on machine-finished bowls). Once the overtone is ringing clearly, slow down the mallet slightly and apply a little more pressure to bring out the deeper, fundamental tones as well.[13]
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    Try adding water to the bowl to experiment with different frequencies. To start, fill your bowl about halfway with clean water and try striking or rimming it again. Play around with different amounts of water to see what pitches and overtones you get—the possibilities are endless![14]
Section 3 of 4:

Benefits of Singing Bowls

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    Aiding meditation The sound of a singing bowl can ease you into a meditative state whether you’re brand new to meditating or you’ve been doing it for years. The act of deeply listening to the pitch of the bowl puts you in touch with your surroundings and all of the noises around you, helping to clear your mind.[15]
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    Reducing physical pain or tension Studies have shown that singing bowl users feel less pain after meditating with one. Experimentees rated their pain on a point scale of 1 to 5 before meditating with a singing bowl. Afterwards, reports of pain were reduced by as much as 1.21 points in some age groups. Users who were brand new to singing bowls reported a bigger difference in their perceived pain levels.[16]
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    Lowering feelings of anxiety and depression In the same study, singing bowl users also reported feeling less anxiety, depression, and tension after a meditation session, as well as increased feelings of spiritual well-being. These results were stronger in experiment participants who had never used a singing bowl before. This means that singing bowls can not only reduce negative feelings, but increase positive ones as well.[17]
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    Aiding massages or sound baths Singing bowls of various pitches can be combined to create a sound bath or to target specific body parts during a sound massage. When the frequency of a bowl matches the frequency of a body part, like your stomach, legs, or chest, the massage or sound bath recipient can feel the bowl’s vibration in their body. Results are different for everyone since each person’s body is a different size and sensitivity.[18]
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    Improving sleep quality The calming, resonant tones of singing bowls can relax your body and mind and facilitate easier, more restful sleep. The tones are said to synchronize the left and right hemispheres of the brain for relaxation as well as reduce physical tension.[19]
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    Chakra healing Each of the body’s 7 chakras resonates at a specific frequency. When a singing bowl hits one of these frequencies, it balances and opens the corresponding chakra through sound and vibrations. Look for a set of chakra healing bowls pitched at the right frequencies for balancing.[20]
Section 4 of 4:

Singing Bowl Traditions

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    The origin of singing bowls is controversial. Many Westerners believe singing bowls have been an important part of Tibetan and Himalayan rituals for hundreds of years, but the historical evidence to support that they have a special place in Eastern spirituality is inconclusive. Many academics and historians agree that singing bowls might have roots in the Himalayas, but that their prevalence has been exaggerated to Western tourists.[21]
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    Traditional singing bowls are usually made from a bronze alloy. The bronze may be mixed with copper, tin, zinc, iron, silver, gold, nickel, or a combination of several metals. Different combinations of metals produce different tones and pitches, most of which are very bright and deep. Other bowls are made from quartz crystal and produce different sounds.[22]

Tips

  • Keep your eyes open while you learn to use your singing bowl. It’s tempting to close your eyes to focus, but it’s helpful to see what you’re doing while you get the feel for it.

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  • Although there’s little scientific evidence to support the healing abilities of singing bowls, preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence have shown them to be effective at combating feelings of anxiety, depression, and pain.

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Warnings

  • Ask a healthcare provider about using singing bowls if you’re pregnant, prone to headaches, or have a neurological disorder like epilepsy or frequent seizures. The combination of vibrations and sound might have a triggering, negative effect on your nervous system.[24]
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