Singing Bowls, Tingshas & Hand Bells
Singing Bowls, made by villagers in Nepal, purchased through Enigma Hamilton help to create income and to sustain the Traditional ritual of making sound with bowls going back 3,000 or more years to the Bronze Age.
Tibetan Buddhist practice, singing bowls are used as a signal to begin and end periods of silent meditation, during chanting, to mark the passage of time or to signal a change in activity (for example, changing from sitting to walking meditation).
They are commonly used in meditation, relaxation, massage therapy, psychotherapy, teaching, music, stress therapy, yoga and personal enjoyment.
In Tibetan Buddhist practice singing bowls are used to signal a change in activity ( for example changing from walking to sitting Meditation ).
Traditional: These bowls are hand beaten, using hammers & a mallet and are created with a blend of 7 different metals (gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin, lead). The bowl then goes through 8 different finishing processes before being shipped to Australia. Hand Beaten bowls offer a bigger and better vibration with a less ‘precise’ sound. Traditional bowls are best used for vibration therapy, massage therapy and meditation due to their beautiful vibrations. Bowls are available in a Plain finish or may be etched, completely by hand, with Auspicious Symbols and ornate Tibetan designs.
Modern: New singing bowls are machine made but still hand decorated. They produce a more perfect or precise sound and are best for personal enjoyment or musical uses. Modern bowls are made from a mixture of 5 different metals (see above, minus gold and silver).
How to Play a Singing Bowl
To produce the singing sound, place on a flat surface with nothing touching the sides of the bowl. Slide a stick around the rim, maintaining contact at all times in a firm but slow movement. If you cannot get the sound started, you can give the rim a small strike but make sure to follow straight away in the circular movement so that the sound and vibration is not lost. This should be one continuous movement.
Vibration: The traditional style bowls are best used for vibration purposes - the larger the bowl, the stronger the vibration. Bowls can be placed on the stomach, back, neck, legs, arms, head and be stood in to heal the feet and lower legs. The best way to get a great vibration from your bowl is to strike it once with a padded mallet, rather than using the round stick method used for singing.
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