Facts On The History Of Using Singing Bowls For Therapy

By Eugenia Dickerson


Traditionally, Tibetan singing bowls are not just used to create beautiful music. Each vessel is classified as a bell, particularly, a standing bell. They have been used in that nation for healing for many years. These instruments are also known as suzu gongs. People who play them usually place the bowl with the bottom resting securely on a solid surface such as a floor or a table.

The bell is used with a mallet or striker, which is used to hit the metal repeatedly at intervals. The sound is often a signal that meditation is about the begin. A peal also announces the end of a period of reflection. Usually, in Buddhist practice, this is the only sound that is heard during a period of introspective silence.

Older pieces of art from the Himalayas sometimes feature a bowl in a prominent place. This artwork includes sculpture and paintings, all of which are quite detailed. This allows researchers to easily study the ways in which these objects were used in the past. More ancient pieces are made of bronze. Some have been found in private collections and are often made of similar materials that were available thousands of years ago.

Ancient history has shown that Tibet is not the only country to have relied on these gongs as a means of promoting healing. Awareness of their usefulness in that regard spread to many other nations, including Nepal, Japan and Korea. The Indian and Nepalese people also have a history of using them for that purpose. Pipe organs have sometimes been associated with some forms of Christian music. The gongs are similarly linked to Buddhism.

Meditation is used by many people in the West and East who practice Buddhism. However practicing mindfulness for inner focus is a daily habit of several persons, regardless of their religious beliefs. For Buddhists, using the gongs during walking or sitting mediation helps. They may also apply it during standing sessions to effectively encourage mindful thought patterns.

If you have never heard this bell before, you may be interested in learning what it sounds like. Video sharing sites make it easy to hear samples of this and other uncommon audio. Some may find it appealing while others have an opposite reaction. However it mainly serves to focus ones attention on personal healing.

Beautiful antique Tibetan singing bowls are sometimes kept in private collections. Here, though fewer people are able to admire them, they still have an effect as they represent the historical and cultural traditions of Himalayan people. Galleries and museums that display them allow more people to view them and onlookers may notice that they all are different. The fact that they have been made by hand means that unique traits exist in each one.

People who come in contact with objects from outside of their culture often have lots of questions. Hopefully this article answers many of them. Collecting Tibetan singing bowls can be a rewarding experience. It allows the collector to learn more about another type of art and broadens understanding of other cultures.




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