| Is your mind like a runaway train? Is a calm mind only a | | | | muffle the sound. Wrapping your fingers around the |
| dream? The sound of a singing bowl has such a | | | | bowl will muffle its sound more. Two ways that work |
| powerful presence that it is difficult not to focus the | | | | well are either to hold your hand flat and place the |
| mind, especially when you are playing one. It is a | | | | bowl in the middle of the palm or to balance the bowl |
| wonderful way to create a meditative state or calm | | | | on your fingertips. |
| mind with minimum effort and that is good news. | | | | 2. If the bowl has a straight rim, hold the stick straight |
| Do you find it difficult to meditate? Meditation is often | | | | up and down as you move the stick around the rim of |
| defined as quieting or calming the mind. There are | | | | the bowl. If the bowl has a curved rim, try holding the |
| many ways to do this. And that is good news. | | | | stick at an angle toward the center of the bowl as |
| An effective way of calming the mind is to create a | | | | you move the stick around the rim. You can vary the |
| very strong focus on one thing. Singing bowls are a | | | | pressure of the stick against the bowl to control the |
| successful tool for creating this focus. Their sound has | | | | volume of the sound. You can also give the bowl a |
| such a powerful presence that it is difficult not to focus | | | | gentle tap to get the sound started. |
| the mind, especially when you are playing one. It is a | | | | 3. As the bowl begins to sound and vibrate more, you |
| wonderful way to create a meditative state with | | | | may notice the stick rattles against the edge of the |
| minimum effort. And that is even better news. | | | | bowl. The rattle can be minimized by slowing down the |
| Sound moves through your body faster than it moves | | | | movement of the stick around the bowl and by adding |
| through the air. The sound of the singing bowls affects | | | | more pressure on the stick against the bowl. |
| you physically in three main ways. The first is the | | | | Crystal singing bowl: 1. Crystal bowls are more fragile |
| effect of the sound on your brain waves. It stimulates | | | | that Tibetan bowls. They are played usually with a |
| more brain waves in the alpha frequency range | | | | rubber mallet covered with suede. You can use the |
| (around 8 to 13 Hertz), calming the mind. The second is | | | | mallet to chime (i.e. gently strike the side) of the bowl |
| the effect of the physical motion of playing the bowl. | | | | or to rub it around the outside rim as for the Tibetan |
| This simple and repetitive motion commands your | | | | bowl. |
| attention as does the sound created by the bowl. This | | | | 2. Please be aware that crystal singing bowls can get |
| in turn creates the third effect. Your breathing and | | | | very loud. Loud enough to cause discomfort or |
| heartbeat slow down, putting you into a relaxed state. | | | | damage to your hearing. You can control the volume |
| I have assisted many people in learning how to play | | | | of your bowl by the varying speed of moving the |
| the Tibetan and crystal singing bowls and have found | | | | mallet around the bowl and by varying the pressure of |
| a few simple things to make your first experience | | | | the mallet against the outside of the bowl. |
| playing the bowls successful. A singing bowl is played | | | | As you are playing your bowl, turn your awareness to |
| either by striking the outside of the bowl or by rubbing | | | | the effect of the sound on your body, emotions and |
| the stick or mallet around the outside rim. Some people | | | | mental state. Often as a person plays a bowl for |
| find that there is a subtle difference in the feeling and | | | | several minutes, the physical change in their body is |
| effect created within them by choosing either a | | | | quite dramatic. Their shoulders relax and their breathing |
| clockwise or counterclockwise direction for the rubbing | | | | slows down. The whole body becomes more relaxed |
| movement. If you have a singing bowl, I invite you to | | | | and the mind becomes more calm. Often, the person |
| play with this. Below are a few helpful hints. | | | | becomes so engrossed in the sound that they |
| Tibetan (or metal) singing bowl: 1. If the bowl is small | | | | become oblivious to their surroundings. That is powerful |
| enough to fit in your hand to play, make sure you hold | | | | focus. |
| the bowl in a way that does as little as possible to | | | | |