singing-bowl-meditation

Singing bowl meditation

With its gentle tone that carries the mind to snowy mountains, the singing bowl is a wonderful companion for yoga or meditation.

Its music and its particular frequency indeed help to relax fully to reach another state of consciousness. This object would also have certain virtues on the body, contributing to healing and a better vitality.

But, to fully benefit from the powers of the singing bowl, it is necessary to choose it well! And the first and most important criterion is its manufacturing method. Indeed, an industrial singing bowl will not have the same energy nor the same properties as an object born from the hands of an experienced craftsman.

In this article, we present you with a few tips on how to tell the difference between an industrial and a handmade singing bowl. But first, a little history...

 

The Mysterious Origins of the Singing Bowl

There is an intriguing and magical atmosphere around the singing bowl. And this is not only due to its hypnotic reflection or its tone that seems to emanate from another world. Even its origins are obscure...

It is thought that the first objects appeared in Mesopotamia 5000 years ago. First made of copper, they would have had from the beginning medicinal and musical applications. Craftsmen would make them at home, inviting their beneficial vibrations into their homes.

The singing bowl then spread widely in Asia, from Afghanistan to India. In its early days, the object was thick and heavy, making it difficult to use. It is thought that this density had an economic purpose: at the time, heavy metals and objects made of them were considered precious.

But, despite its widespread presence throughout the Eastern world, it is with the Tibetan Buddhist tradition that the singing bowl is most associated. It is also where its use is most mysterious.

Thus, even though the singing bowl was present in Tibetan monasteries and interiors, it is said that the monks were bound to total silence concerning its use. In fact, even the founding sacred texts of Tibetan Buddhism make no mention of the object. It is said that the monks used bowls in secret rituals, aiming to raise consciousness. Even to perform astral travel...

Even today, the place of the singing bowl in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition is not entirely clear, although the soft metallic sound still echoes between the walls of the temples...

 

singing-bowl-amazon

 

 

A Crafting With An Esoteric Aura

The magical dimension and deeply spiritual nature of Tibetan bowls are also partly due to their basic material and their manufacture.

Thus, a Tibetan legend tells that the metal used to make the first bowls was iron from a meteorite. A material directly descended from Heaven, the realm of the gods, and vibrating with cosmic energies that gave the bowls their powers.

Moreover, the meteorite that impacted the region in the past would have passed through an atmosphere low in oxygen. This would have given all its properties to the iron used to make the bowls.

During the following centuries, the number of metals used for its manufacture would have increased. Sometimes up to 12 different metals were used! The most common alloy was composed of seven metals, each representing a star: gold (Sun), silver (Moon), mercury (Mercury), copper (Venus), iron (Mars), tin (Jupiter) and lead (Saturn).

These different metals were melted and purified before being molded. Then the future bowl was heated and shaped with a hammer. During their manufacture, the bowls were probably already "impregnated" with wishes through the chanting of mantras and sacred formulas.

Today, the reality of the manufacture of singing bowls is no longer the same: if some bowls continue to be conceived according to a spiritual approach, others are produced in an industrial way, without real concern for their sacred and therapeutic dimension.

 

choose-your-singing-bowl

 

Industrial vs. Handmade Singing Bowls

In our world, mass production is at the forefront, and over-consumption is leading to an abundance of poor quality products. It is therefore essential to pay attention to how our favorite sacred objects are made.

Indeed, like any spiritual tool, singing bowls will have a vibration and properties more or less powerful depending on how they are made. We can distinguish industrial bowls from handmade bowls.

At first sight, it is quite difficult to distinguish between a "fake" singing bowl, i.e. an industrially made bowl, and a handmade one. The singing bowl industry is indeed not very regulated, and the finished products often have a deceptive appearance. The industrial can then easily pass for handicraft.

Fortunately, for metal singing bowls, it is more a question of quality than authenticity. Indeed, an industrial singing bowl will function like a handmade bowl, in the sense that it will emit a similar sound. However, this sound will be of lower quality, as you will see below.

So despite the similarity between industrial and handmade bowls, there are some reliable methods to distinguish them.

A small but important clarification: "handmade" or "handcrafted" may still imply the use of specialized machines, for example to polish the metal of the bowl. However, the work is done with care and not in an assembly line or in poor conditions, unlike industrial production.

 

Criteria To Consider When Distinguishing Industrial And Handmade Singing Bowls

Whether you are buying shoes or a crystal clock, you certainly start by asking about the supplier. The same is true with a singing bowl!

It is important to consider the experience and approach of your vendor to ensure that their product will be of high quality. If you can, try to gather information about their values, and the origin of their singing bowls. But also, about their reputation and the degree of satisfaction of their customers.

We place spirituality, quality, ethics and love at the heart of our business. Our singing bowls are consciously handcrafted by experienced artisans. In addition, the employees involved in their making benefit from safe working conditions and fair compensation.

As soon as it is made, each singing bowl is impregnated with good energy. This only strengthens its vibrations and its benefits on the body and mind.

Singing-bowl-sounds-and-vibrations

 

The Price
As you browse through the different options for your singing bowl, pay attention to the price as well. A factory-made singing bowl, made in sloppy conditions, will indeed be a little less expensive, due to the simpler processes employed in its manufacture. A handmade bowl, made with care and attention, will be legitimately a little more expensive. A higher price, certainly, but for a quality singing bowl with a powerful vibration!

The appearance
Even though an industrial singing bowl may look very similar to a handmade one, there are one or two things to look for to distinguish them. For example, a handmade bowl will have slight indentations all over its outer wall, due to the mallet strokes during shaping. An industrial bowl, polished with chemical agents, will generally have a perfectly smooth surface. Also look at the painted or engraved ornaments on your bowl. If they seem too perfect to be made by human hands, they may be! That said, the care and skill of craftsmen can also produce extraordinary results...

The Sound
The last criterion to take into account to distinguish between industrial and handmade singing bowls is the sound of the object. Generally speaking, a handmade bowl will have a richer and more complex sound than an industrial bowl. The tone of the former will often cover a wide spectrum of sound, from low to high. In addition, the sound of a handmade bowl will last longer than that of an industrial bowl. So, a piece of advice when buying: don't hesitate to make your singing bowl sound and take a moment to listen to its voice... It could tell you a lot about its origins and its quality!

 

buy-singing-bowl