Description
A short story about our singing bowls.
Singing bowls (also known as Himalayan bowls or rin or suzu gongs in Japan) are a type of bell, specifically a standing bell, not a hanging or stem-mounted bell. Standing bells touch the ground with their bases. The walls and rim of the singing bowl vibrate, thus creating sound. Singing bowls originated in Asia and were used as part of Bon and Tantric Buddhism. Today, they are found worldwide in many spiritual traditions, including meditation, relaxation, health, personal well-being, and religious practice. Singing bowls originate from Nepal, India, Japan, and Korea. The finest varieties come from the Himalayan region and are often called Tibetan singing bowls. Origin, history, and use: In Buddhism, singing bowls are used to support meditation, enter trance, and during prayer. Chinese Buddhists, for example, use a singing bowl with a wooden fish while reciting prayers and strike the bowl during a specific section of their chanting, known as a sutra or mantra. In Japan and Vietnam, singing bowls are often used during chanting, but also to interrupt and change an activity. The use of singing bowls in Tibet is the subject of many stories; some say they are and were used for meditation, others say they are magical objects to transform (oneself or an object). Traditionally, singing bowls are made of Panchaloha (meaning 5 metals in Sanskrit), a mixture of Bronze, Copper, Tin, Zinc, and other metals, often with the addition of Gold and/or Silver and Nickel (the 7 metals). Ancient singing bowls produce polyharmonic overtones that are unique to each bowl. The tones described above indicate a high-quality bronze alloy. Singing bowl making has often been described as a lost tradition and craftsmanship. Craftsmen still produce a modest amount in the hidden, inaccessible parts of Nepal.
