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Singing Bowls in Meditation
Tibetan singing bowls originated in the Himalayan regions of
Tibet, Northern China, India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Historians are unable to
pinpoint exactly when singing bowls came into being, but the technique to build
similar instruments existed in Asia as long as 2,500 years ago. Some sources
believe that singing bowls were first used in India 3,000 years ago, and in
Tibet 1,000 years ago. It is believed that the "Bon" sect of shamans
often used singing bowls in their rituals.
Singing bowls were originally comprised of five, seven, or
nine different metals including gold, silver, mercury, copper, tin, and iron.
Some also believe that meteorite was used in making the original bowls. But
most bowls were made using five metals or less. Today, singing bowls are often
made by pouring metal into a cast. These singing bowls are smoother and are
generally easier to play. There are also hand-hammered singing bowls on the
market. Hand-hammered bowls are more difficult to play, and even though they
are often passed off as old or antique, few of them are. Antique bowls are
still around, but they are very rare and high-priced. Playing a singing bowl is
very simple, and you will be able to play most bowls in less than five minutes.
Simply circle the stick around the outside of the bowl very slowly in a steady
rhythm. You might have to circle for a while before you actually hear anything.
You will begin to hear a slight hum, and this hum will increase as you continue
circling the stick around the bowl.
Singing bowls are often used for meditation, and you can
play your bowl while meditating yourself. You can also ask someone else to play
the bowl while you are meditating. Singing bowls are often used in yoga classes
as well. In a yoga class someone would sit in the class to play the bowl while
the students go through the asanas. This is a nice addition to any yoga class,
and is more soothing than the recorded music that many yoga classes use.
Singing bowls are wonderful to use in outside environments
and for yourself at home. They are becoming more and more popular in the west,
along with yoga and Buddhism. When you are not playing your singing bowl, it
still serves as a beautiful decoration for your home. In Tibet singing bowls
are often used for other purposes, such as offering bowls, as well as for
playing.
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