Singing Bowls
According to the book, Altared Space: Harnessing Healing Energy Using Feng Shui Principles, by Nicholas Cappele, singing bowls, also known as Tibetan, Himalayan or medicine bowls, rin gongs, and suzu gongs, are classified as a standing bell with the bottom surface resting and the sides and rim vibrating to produce a sound. Traditionally, they were used throughout Asia in spiritual practice. Today they are employed worldwide within and without spiritual traditions, for meditation, relaxation, trance-induction, healthcare, personal well-being and religious practice.
Singing bowls are played by applying friction with a wooden or leather-wrapped mallet around the rim of the bowl to produce overtones and a continuous singing sounds. High quality singing bowls produce a complex chord of harmonic overtones and may also be played by striking the rime with a soft mallet to produce a warm bell tone.
Singing bowls are unique in that they are multi-phonic instruments, producing multiple harmonic overtones at the same time. Alloys made with multiple metals are used to create the bowls. The specific alloys used produce the specific kinds of overtones in the bowls. Traditional manufacturing techniques have been largely lost, however, there are new bowls being produced with old hand-hammered method. The difference in today’s bowls versus ancient bowls is in he quality of the alloy and the aging process itself. The tone improves as they age so the new bowls will not sounds as warm and mellow as the real antique.
The alloy mix for antique bowls often include silver, gold, nickel and the most prized “sky iron” from meteorites, which produced multi-phonic and poly-harmonic overtones, making them highly prized for their tonal qualities. New singing owls are also made of bronze alloy, however they usually do not include gold and silver. The best handmade examples now come from Nepal, followed by Japan and Korea. Both new and antique bowls are used in meditation practice, yoga, sound healing, music therapy, religious services and personal enjoyment.
