Tibetan Singing Bowls

[danieljuk]

Really feel that I want to buy a singing bowl to help with my meditation as a sound to play as I meditate. I don't know much about them. Does anyone have any experiences or tips about them? or things to look for when buying them?

I know they have crystal bowls and the Tibetan metal ones with the beater. I quite like the metal ones. Do they have different sounds? Are there any better places to look for them? Browsing online there is lots of "antique Tibetan ones" for outrageous prices! I don't want to buy into that sort of "item with a history" thing. Does anyone have any favourite places to get them (especially in the UK)?

thanks for any advice, tips and experiences! I want one but very new to it

 

[Debra]

Daniel, I have some experience with the metal ones. Let me urge you to hold it and play it before you buy. There are some that sing beautifully, and others that lack the depth and whatever-the-word-is (reverberation?).

I tried several at a shop once and kept gravitating toward one that *looked* beautiful...but. I played it three times, and each time my eye muscles started twitching uncontrollably. (Really.) The vibration was at exactly the wrong whatever-it-is (frequency?).

So we have four or five. My husband is really good with them. However, whenever he plays any of them, the cats get so upset they start biting each other.

 

[BodhiSeed]

Daniel, like Debra I also recommend you find some to "test drive" before you buy. I have only used the metal ones - not the Japanese type that you hit with a stick, but the Tibetan kind. These you gently move the stick on the outer sides of the bowl, holding the stick vertically as you rub around the sides. The tone starts gradually, then builds to such a vibration that it will rattle the stick. I've had two metal bowls; the first I bought online and never played it before it arrived. It was actually made in India (though advertised as "authentic"). Years later I was at a festival where there were lamas visiting from Tibet. They had a table full of things they were selling (to fund their tour - Free Tibet from China), one of which was a bowl. It was half the size of the one I had from India, but TWICE as heavy. The tone when played was much purer and more beautiful. I think the Tibetan ones are actually made from the seven metals - though advertised as such, most others aren't.
On a side note, when playing the bowl keep your palm flat that the bowls rests on. Otherwise the touch of your hand on the bowl's sides will prevent it from vibrating and singing. Good luck!

 

[ravenest]

There are many types. If you want a 'nice sound' and not an old one or expensive one - you are in the tourist repoduction ( fake) market. But that might be suffiecient if you just want some fun.

A real bowl (old and expensive) is a magical construction. it should be cast by a magical astrological method; magicum electrum they used to call it in the west. Cast the gold and silver together at the appropriate Sun Moon conjunction, Remelt and blend the copper at proper Venus aspect, the iron at Mars aspect ... and so on, it should in the end be cast of 7 metals at the appropriate times (modern ones may have part of this process and some or all of the metals or be what they call 'white metal' - a bit of anything including old motor parts, engine blocks etc.

You can tell by the layers of interactive sound (too hard to describe in words). A really goood bowl, when filled with the right amount of watr and vibrated will cause the water surface to vibrate 'fuzz' and start to lift up and 'dance' forming a standing fountain with various geometric patterns moving through it (like a 3-D Chaldni plate - a membrane with particles like sand on it held over a sound speaker; the sound waves form a mandala shape in the particles)

Even with a cheaper less refined bowl one can fill it with warm water and place on the back and get someone to dong it ... the vigrations will get right into the spinal joints and ligaments like an ultra sound massage.

But - as Deborah says above, make sure its a vibration that is good for you - test it out first.

There is a book at the bottom of my book store, produced in Holland; singing bowls and Tibetan statuary and ritual impiments ... vcant think of the title but extensive google search prob has more info?

Happy bowl hunting.

 

[danieljuk]

thank you so much for your great advice and tips everyone!

the best tip was about trying them out! well I wanted to but could find no places near me immediately sold them. But did find a store online which sold "ethnic" items from around the world and had lots of them! the one I have ordered had very good reviews from many people about the good sound and quality of it. So I hope I like it when it comes. I can return it if I don't!

If I do like it I hope to see them at a fair or festival or in a new age shop sometime and play with them in person but wanted one and was impatient

@Debra lol at your cats fighting and eye problem with one of them! My dog gets funny with high pitched alarm sounds, so hoping this doesn't set him off!

@BodhiSeed thanks for the great tips on how to play them, will try it out like that when it arrives. this one seems about medium sized and someone wrote a comment that it's quite heavy, so hoping that is a good thing and will watch how I hold it!

@ravenest thanks for your indepth info! it is a tourist reproduction one probably for sure but good to try out and see what it does! maybe I will look for a more specially cast one later on. that is a great idea about putting water in it to try the vibrations. never thought of that. will look through for that book!

thanks for taking the time for all your tips! it was really useful. hopefully I will love my first one!

 

[ravenest]

@Debra lol at your cats fighting and eye problem with one of them! My dog gets funny with high pitched alarm sounds, so hoping this doesn't set him off!

Oh yeah ... be careful with that, it may well set him off I have seen dogs get quiet disturbed by the bowl vibration. - V.sensative hearing.

 

[BleuReynard]

I use my singing bowl every now and then. My cats are not affected by it. I gave it a tap just now and they are still sleeping soundly.

There are a few things to check when buying one.
First, like the sound. As people have said use it yourself before buying it. Both chime it and run the edge for the singing effect. Mine has a nice low pitch.
If you can't get it to sing, try other ones. It took me forever but once I learned on one, I can get any of them to sing.

Next find out what tone it is. Depending on the tone is what chakra it stimulates.
http://www.crystalsingingbowls.com/chakras.htm
If they don't have them marked, bring a guitar tuner... if you have one. You can tell a crappy bowl if it spikes all over the place and you can't find it's specific tune.

Size matters (that's what she said). Some people place the massive bowls the backs of others so they can feel the vibrations through the body. It's a healing thing.
I myself have a smaller 6 inch one th-(that's what she... I did that joke already)-at works fine for just sound.

Lastly, check the wooden striker. I have found three types. A solid wood one that gives a louder sound, but also vibrates along the edge. A velvet covered one that is softer sounding and doesn't vibrate. And the combo of the two.


I know someone who owns a wellness store. She calls me in to check the tone of any new bowls she gets.

Oh, and before I forget, there are "normal" bowls and hammered bowls. The hammered ones are more pricey.

 

[tarotbear]

I have a crystal singing bowl that I have had for over 20 years. I have probably 'played' it all of 20 times. It is large enough to make cake batter for two cakes in!

The crystal ones sit on a rubber ring. You have a mallet with a yarn end and a rubber end. You tap the edge GENTLY with the yarn end to get the tone and then use the rubber end to start it soaring by running the rubber end around the inside or outside edge - whichever you prefer. You can also add water and some food color and watch the patterns the water makes when the tone changes.

If you weren't 'across the pond' I would sell it to you - cheap! I really have no use for it; it was given to me by my first partner ... who also once wanted to buy me a pet hedgehog ...

 

[avalonian]

As you are in London you could take yourself off to the Mind Body Spirit Exhibition at Earls Court, it's held on the late May Bank holiday.

http://www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk/events

I checked the exhibitors list and there is one called Creative Earth who may be worth checking out.

It is really good to try them out, I have three, but my favourite is one that I bought at a healing festival, it feels so tuned in to me that it practically starts singing as soon as I touch it. The bizarre thing is that it was the cheapest (and the largest) of the three.

 

[The crowned one]

I have a Med. hand beaten one, It is crucial to have it hand made, not machine, compare the two. Mine has "two voices" multiple harmonic frequencies something you generally only get in the hand made singing bowls. It is caused by variations in the shape of the bowl. You want a bowl you can hold in one hand if you plan to use it on yourself, something I use mine for often.( place it against your forehead gently as it sings, the sensation is amazing and will cure a head ache instantly, if only temporally). There are very few antique bowls on the market, but a good modern hand made bowl is just fine if slightly less mellow.