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Singing Bowls & Meditation
Saturdays 10am $5.50 (no booking required)
Come & have some fun as you discover the joys of learning to play singing bowls. Lynda will guide you on a journey into the world of sound. 
These amazing instruments can help facilitate
• Clarity of mind
• Deep relaxation
• Healing
• Inner harmony
As your mind tunes into the power and subtleties of sound, the body begins to realign to its natural frequencies. Resonating with our inner rhythms can lead to higher states of consciousness.
You are welcome to bring your own singing bowl or we will have bowls to share and some for sale at the studio.
All about Singing Bowls - Harmonizing the Left & Right Hemispheres of the Brain
For many adults, the left hemisphere of their brain is the more dominant of the two sides. The left hemisphere tends to deal with more logical thinking including mathematics and analysis, as well as being home to the speech center of the brain. While the right half of our brain is more creative based; dealing with feelings, visual perceptions, music, dreams and spirituality. In western cultures the right brain tends to be less valued compared to the thought processes of the left side. Interestingly enough however, western societies allow children to use their creative sides of their brain, and in fact even encourage right brain thinking up until the age of about 5 years-old. However as one gets older society tends to better reward those who think logically with their left brain. Coincidently, adults have a hard time using the right half of their brain, producing creativity blocks and repressing feelings and emotions.
One of the many healing qualities of singing bowls is trying to bring balance and synchronization back to the hemispheres of the brain. In perfect situations both of the brain hemispheres are in harmony, however in the busy work weeks that so many people endure day in and day out, it becomes easier for our brain to fall out of balance. Sound healing with singing bowls aspires to stimulate the underdeveloped right side of the brain so that balance may be restored.
In order to better understand the brain, it’s important to realize the two halves of the brain – often independently of each other – both produce brain waves, which are all associated with different states of consciousness.
Brain Waves
Beta Waves – (between 13 and 30 hertz) Beta waves are often associated with work including heavy activity and intense thinking. Almost everyone produces beta waves throughout their work day, with the waves usually emitting from the left side of the brain.
Alpha Waves – (between 8 and 13 hertz) Alpha waves are usually connected to relaxation, mediation and a sense of calmness. It is often linked to feelings of love, creativity and satisfaction.
Theta Waves – (between 4 and 7 hertz) Theta waves are related to the point in between waking up and sleeping or just a light sleep. Theta waves are also associated with deep relaxation, day dreaming and imagination. Some who enter hypnotic trances are putting off theta waves.
Delta Waves – (less than 4 hertz) Delta waves take place during dreamless sleep. These waves generate a deep trance-like state sometimes enabling the person to recall deep repressions.
In order to achieve harmony between the two hemispheres of the brain and therefore a balance in your life it is important to try to achieve a desirable alpha state in everyday life, all the while making sure to exercise the right side of the brain.
Very little is known about the effects singing bowls can have on brain waves, but experiments and tests have shown that with only 20 minutes of sound therapy from a singing bowl, many people coming from a high stressful situation, including work or a traffic jam, were able to reach a relaxed state; with many of them being able to reach theta waves and a few even being able to peak into delta waves. With continued use of singing bowls and sound healing it is possible to make alpha waves the most prominent of your brain waves when confronted with high stress situations that would have caused increased pressure in the past. As always, the intent of the person is the most imperative part of relaxation techniques and the search for synchronization between the two hemispheres of the brain; and as long as a person is willing to open up their mind and body to the resonance of the singing bowl, healing effects can mend and sooth the soul into a sense of peace and harmony.
How to Play Bowls
1. Hold the bowl in the palm of either hand.
2. With the striker, rub the outside rim in a circular motion. Keep an even pressure.
3. Gently increase the speed as the bowl begins to vibrate, and as the sound grows. It may help to tap the bowl to begin the vibration. Sometimes this method can take practice.
Another method is "gonging" or "striking" the bowls. This is a simple method that involves striking the bowl with a wood or padded striker.
Singing Bowls as a Tool for Meditation and Relaxation
The resonance and vibrations of singing bowls have a certain gift and ability to reach the insides of our bodies, the very marrow of our bones. The sound can do everything from making the hair on your arms stand up, to making you feel the need to sit down and let the reverberations fully envelop your entire body and all of your senses. For many people their feelings start to flow in unexpected paths and the sound has the ability to bring about unforeseen inner transformations.
Most people consider the sounds of singing bowls very peaceful and restful; bringing a calming sense to their bodies, which is why many people use singing bowls in their meditation and relaxation exercises. One of the most essential components of trying to feel the full impact of a healing treatment from a singing bowl is being fully relaxed and in a meditative state. Only when you have reached that point will you truly be able to surrender to the sound vibrations, otherwise the tenseness that rests at a deep point in all of us could prevent you from even reaching even a minimum of relaxation - and in some instances may even make the sound from the singing bowls unpleasant. However, if you are able and willing to reach a fully relaxed condition and you’re prepared to receive the sound vibrations you will be able to work on your spiritual connectedness in order to help better facilitate reaching tranquility. Remember, practice makes perfect, and with the reverberations echoing throughout the room and entering you body and spirit the sounds from the singing bowl will become sacred and the healing aspects of the bowl can help to rejuvenate your mind and being, giving you a feeling of joy, satisfaction and inner peace while you enter your meditative state.
Healing Powers
Singing bowls have longed been believed to contain healing powers. While Western medicine may not know how or be able to document the real therapeutic values of singing bowls, more and more therapists are experimenting with the singing bowls and their effects on brain waves by using new measuring equipment to discover which brain waves are affected by the vibrations of singing bowls, however it should be noted that such a clinical approach can have an influence on the results.
One of the most often used healing powers of the singing bowl is its effect on the aura and the seven different chakras of the endocrine glands. The aura is the ethereal field that surround and binds objects and living beings, while chakras are wheel shaped energy centers that form connections between the physical body and the cosmic energy passing though the aura. The chakras and the delicate bodies of the aura; including the emotional, mental, astral, spiritual and ethereal bodies are all linked and help to protect one from negative influences. Vibrations from singing bowls have a unique ability to find the center of the aura and to help bring balance back to the body. And while every singing bowl does have a specific note it corresponds to, the bowls have such a large range of harmonics that one bowls can be used on a variety of the chakras. But while any singing bowl can be used, many of the singing bowls with lower tones are typically used with the chakras that are lower on the body, while those singing bowls with higher tones are used on the upper parts of the body.
Every chakra is linked to a specific element, color, tone, precious stones and a variety of stages of spiritual consciences. The chakras also correspond to many important acupuncture points and have a vital part in physical and spiritual health.
Chakras
Chakras are energy centers located along the center of the body. Many people use the bowls for chakra and energy healing. We use the traditional Chakra method when determining the corresponding Chakra for each bowl buy using the dominant note in each bowl. Below is a list of the traditional Chakra system.
The Crown chakra or Head chakra is positioned at the top of the head. It is associated with cosmic awareness, highest spirituality, and complete integration with Source. Violet is the color of the crown chakra and the musical note is B.
The Third Eye chakra is located in the center of the forehead. This chakra is also called the Ajna center. It is associated with intuition, understanding, visualization, and inner vision. Dark Indigo Blue is the color of the third eye chakra and the musical note is A.
The Throat chakra is positioned in the base of throat. It is associated with communication, expression and speaking one's truth. Azure Blue is the color of the throat chakra and the musical note is G.
The Heart chakra is positioned in the center of the chest, usually shown to be even with the nipple line. The heart is associated with compassion, friendship, empathy and the ability to give and receive love. Green is the color of the heart chakra and the musical note is F. Sometimes the heart chakra is shown as pink, especially in relation to sending love out from the heart.
The Solar Plexus chakra or Third chakra is located midway between the end of the breastbone and the navel. It is associated with issues of personal power, emotions (especially blocked emotions), passion for living, and the ability to protect oneself from being the target of negative or aggressive emotions. Yellow is the color of the solar plexus chakra and the musical note is E.
The Sacral chakra, also called the Second chakra or the Sexual chakra, is positioned in the area between the navel and the pubic bone. Depending on which sources you read, it can be shown to be centered on the navel itself or to be aligned with the sexual organs - ovaries in women and testes in men. It is associated with creativity, sexuality, relationship, and reproduction. Orange. is the color of the sacral or second chakra and the musical note is D.
The Root chakra, also called the First or Base chakra, is located at the base of the spine. It is associated with issues of survival, drive, ambition, grounding one's energy in the physical dimension, your life forces, and balancing experiences that create "fight or flight". Red is the color of the root chakra and the musical note is C.
The Seven Chakras
The Root Chakra – Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is also knows as the base chakra and corresponds to the earth element and the adrenal glands. The root chakra color is red and its tone is C. Precious stones associated with the root chakra include hematite, red jasper and ruby. The root chakra is associated with being grounded, survival and security; as well as having an awareness of the body. If it is blocked it can lead to constipation, back pain and obesity.
The Sacral Chakra – Located above the root chakra, the sacral chakra is associated with male and female reproductive organs: the testicles and the ovaries. The sacral chakra element is water, its color is orange and its tone is D. Precious stones are carnelian, fiery opal and moonstone. The sacral chakra is responsible for sexuality, wanting to belong and being able to relate to others. If blocked it can lead to problems with lower back pain, kidneys, the womb, the bladder and impotence.
The Solar Plexus Chakra – Connected to the pancreas and the adrenal glands the solar plexus chakra is associated with the fire element and its color is yellow. The solar plexus chakra’s tone is E and its precious stones are amber, citrine and golden topaz. The solar plexus is linked to self-confidence, power, energy and deep emotions, if it is blocked it can lead to diabetes, hypoglycemia and stomach disorders.
The Heart Chakra – Located at the midpoint of the seven chakras the heart chakra is tied to the thymus. Its element is air, its color is green, its tone is F and its precious stones are emerald, chrysolite and aventurine. The heart chakra is coupled with unconditional love, compassion and the free will of self. If it is blocked it can lead to heart and lung disease and high blood pressure.
The Throat Chakra – Related to the endocrine glands of the thyroid and the hypothalamus. With an element of ether, the throat chakra corresponds to the color blue and the tone G; its precious stones are aquamarine, turquoise and lapis lazuli. This chakra is accountable for creativity, singing, speaking and inner hearing. If it is blocked it can lead hearing problems, a stiff neck and shoulders, pain in the arms and hands and problems with your thyroid.
The Forehead “Third Eye” Chakra – Allied to the pineal gland, its element is light or spirit. Its color is indigo and its tone is A; with precious stones being azurite, lapis lazuli and blue sapphire. This is the chakra of clairvoyance, intuition and introspection and consequently the third eye is located here. If it is blocked, it can lead to visual problem and headaches.
The Crown Chakra – positioned at the top of your head, the crown chakra is linked to the element of cosmic consciousness or infinity. It is responsible for the pituitary gland with its colors being violet or white and having a tone of B; corresponding stones include amethyst and fluorspar. Through the crown chakra one can achieve enlightenment, ecstasy and non-duality; as well as contact mystical and cosmic elements. If it is blocked it can result in depression, apathy or spiritual or metal confusion.
Sound Healing with Singing Bowls
One of the great attributes of singing bowls is there ability for the individual to create their own healing treatments for themselves. There are no clearly-defined rules when using sound treatment and it’s important to note the intent is more vital than the usage of a specific bowl. Many therapists feel it is the intent that truly powers the sound and the intended healing behind the bowl being used; so getting into the right state of mind is imperative when beginning sound healing.
While everyone has their own way of performing a sound healing, there are a few points that people use to get started. When getting treated with sound some practitioners like to talk to their clients to get a feel for the individual person and what might be ailing them, others make a point not to talk at all before or after the healing to make sure not to disturb the chakras. However, if there are multiple treatments it might be beneficial to talk about the experience with the practitioner so as to help better facilitate the experience.
A sound healer, or someone providing sound healing, needs to be prepared to deal with people who have many different levels of feeling and emotions, many of which are deeply set. The therapist must be equipped to handle such emotions if they are to help restore the patients to feeling of balance. It is also important that the therapist be sure to keep a close eye on their patient to make sure they are comfortable and benefiting from the experience. If the patient is relaxed, breathing easily and has somewhat of a smile on their face then they are probably open to the sounds and are taking it all. But if the patient looks pale, is not relaxed and is appearing to hold their breath then some relaxation techniques and breathing exercises might be necessary before continuing with the sound healing. It is important to note that those who have a problem relaxing and letting go of their mind might be fearful of the lower tones that some of the larger singing bowls have, but if they remain still and quiet the reverberations tend to disappear and the patient is able to appreciate the sounds and the relaxation that comes with slow humming. For many people, falling asleep is very common and it is sometimes considered a safety release for those who are incredibly stressed. By falling asleep many healers feel it allows the patient to better absorb the healing powers of the singing bowls by shutting off their mind and thought processes; allowing the sound to flow more easily through the mind and body. Many therapists will also use several instruments other than the singing bowls including tingshas, bells and gongs.
Experiencing a Sound Healing
When the patient arrives for the sound healing the singing bowls, tingshas, bells and gongs should already be in place in and around the treatment area. Anywhere from 15-30 bowls and 3-7 tingshas can be used in this process. The patient will lie down either on a massage table or on the ground. The larger, deeper sounding bowls should be placed near the legs and feet of the patient and the smaller lighter sounding bowls and tingshas should be placed closer to the upper part of the body and head.
To begin the sound healing the therapist will alternately and softly strike the tingshas and smaller bowls while holding and striking a larger bowl above the patient and moving it from the feet to the head searching for areas of unbalance or distortion. To locate such areas the therapist closely listens to the bowl for variations in the sound vibrations. After discovering an area of unbalance the therapist will pause overhead and gong the bowl with three variations of pressure trying to saturate the area of distortion with high, medium and low tones from the bowl. When the area has regained its balance the bowl will regain its “typical” and full range and he or she can move on with the sound healing.
After listening to and locating unbalance all over the body the therapist will begin to gong the bowls placed around the body and may give the feet a sound treatment by placing the ankles on a pillow and holding a bowl against the tops and bottoms of the feet so that the person may feel the vibrations. Other methods the therapist can use would be the placement of singing bowls on the patients’ stomach or chest. After getting the bowl to sing the therapist may gently place the bowls on the body, letting the reverberations echo throughout the stomach or chest cavities.
After completing the sound healing for the front of the body the therapist will have the patient slowly roll over and lie on their stomach. A larger thick-sided bowl which produces deep tones may be placed in the middle of person’s back, with a smaller lighter sounding bowl placed on the upper back. The two bowls will then be alternately struck, with some high-sounding tingshas being lightly gonged and slowly passed over the whole body, by doing this it should allow for any energy blockage to start flowing freely again.
The tingshas and sometimes gongs are used to end the sound healing session as they are meant to provide a grounding effect for the patient. It is important the patient feels grounded before they leave and some therapists even provide a neck massage and some suggestive words to make sure the patient has completely returned to the present and they can go back home and make a comfortable return to daily life. A sound healing session can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, but longer sound massages can take upwards of two and a half hours; it all depends on the stress levels of the patient and what is required to bring that person back to balance.
Other Sound Healing Applications
1) Breathing Exercises
2) The “Lemniscate” treatment (a sound healing massage where a singing bowl is moved over the body in a figure-eight pattern to restore the body’s energy balance).
3) Intense treatment with various gongs
4) A facial massage
5) More focused aura healing and chakra treatment
6) Harmonizing the left and right half of the brain
7) Directed mediation or image exercises
Self Sound Healing
Conducting a self sound healing massage is difficult since you are unable to completely relax because you have to gong the bowls yourself, but it can be done in a way that does provide a certain sense of relaxation. One method would be to play a recording of singing bowl music, and then you can fully give in to the sound. It is important to read any instructions that may come with any singing bowl recordings and it is usually recommended to listen to the sound through speakers instead of headphones. Another method that you can use is a simple sound healing massage. Make sure you won’t be disturbed during the healing process. Lie down on your back, take at least three deep breaths and try to relax as much as possible. Place a larger deeper sounding bowl on your stomach – about two finger-widths below your navel – a point that is near the perfect middle of your body. Exhale quietly and gong the bowl letting the vibrations pass through your body.
After completing this exercise, experiment by placing bowls on other points of your body including the seven chakra points. The larger bowls with lower tones tend to work better for the chakra points that are lower on your body and the smaller bowls with higher tones are generally for the points higher on your body. It’s important to note that after the reverberations have been silenced you remain lying down and you enjoy the sounds and vibrations that you felt as well as the silence that now envelops the room. At the end of any sound healing session it is imperative that one must be able to enjoy the silence in themselves in order to be able to reflect on yourself and how you can carry this feeling of peace and relaxation throughout your day and workweek.
A History of Singing Bowls
The history of singing bowls has a difficult past to trace; in fact if one were to travel to Nepal or Tibet and ask someone if they had a singing bowl in their possession, many would disavow any knowledge of such a thing. But if you were to enter their residence you would more than likely see many “singing bowls” throughout the kitchen.
If you were to ask monks or patrons of a monastery whether or not they had ever heard a singing bowl being played inside the walls of the temple, the answer would once again almost always be no. But if you were to walk into a monastery or look at old photographs of one, you would surely see “singing bowls” used throughout the buildings, many of which are used as chalices or sacrificial dishes.
So why the mystery and obscurity behind singing bowls?
Could it be that people of the region don’t want to share their knowledge and faith with foreigners, could it be that Westerners are the ones that created the myths and legends behind the powers of singing bowls, or could the invasion of Tibet by the communist Chinese have sent many of the religious practices by the peaceful Tibetan people underground in hopes of trying to save their beliefs from the invading armies?
Either way many people believe that it’s the obscurity of the singing bowl origin that gives them their true healing qualities and powers. Many scholars have studied the intense use of sound in rituals and meditation in Tibetan Buddhism, most have traced back the origin of singing bowls to at least the seventh century A.D. But still to this day few if any people from the Himalayan region admit to their use or how big of a part they truly play in their religion.
There are many different opinions on who or how singing bowls were made in the ancient times, but many scholars point to the shamanistic traditions that reached the region through trade routes from Mongolia, India and China. During the early seventh century A.D. traders and travels caravanning through Tibet helped bridge Mongolian shamanism and Indian Buddhism in the region, creating Tibetan Buddhism. The new religion had two branches of influence; Lamaism, which is basically Buddhism, and the Bon religion, which is now considered a shamanistic branch of Buddhism.
Some believe that with the trade routes came metal smiths that created the singing bowls. But no one really knows whether the bowls were made for their own accord or if they were commissioned by monks. Either way, the metal alloys used to make early singing bowls tell of a special process that had to require very specific knowledge of metallurgy that still to this day can not be exactly recreated. Legend has it that traditionally the early singing bowls were made from the seven metals that represent the known planets of the time:
Gold the Sun
Silver the Moon
Mercury Mercury
Copper Venus
Iron Mars
Tin Jupiter
Lead Saturn
Commonly known as the “roof of the world,” the mountains of the Himalayan region have abundant amounts of rock and ore and very little clay, which is on one of the reasons given for why so many different metals were used in the making of the bowls. The actual proportion of the metal tends to vary in each bowl, giving each bowl its unique sound. In fact many of the earlier bowls don’t even have all seven alloys in their makeup since many of the metal smiths were travelers and had no way to carry all of the different metals with them.
One of the most important factors in discovering what metals are in a bowl is learning what region it comes from. It’s said that a singing bowl from Tibet is generally made with more silver and tin, giving it a more dull sheen, why bowls from the Nepalese region have a more golden radiance to them. But the only true way to discover the metal makeup of a singing bowl is to have it break and to do a cross section analysis of the metal. Scientists have discovered that most of the bowls seen today are made up of copper, tin and iron and that none of the bowls have ever tested positive for mercury or lead; leading some of the researchers to believe that the seven metals used in the production of earlier singing bowls was more of a myth, especially since the bowls were also supposedly used for cooking and cooking.
To make the bowls it is believed that the ancient metal smiths would pour the liquid metal onto a flat stone and let it cool as a metal plate. They would then return and begin to beat the plate with a hammer; stretching the metal and creating a bowl. The metal smiths would then decorate the bowls with designs or engravings. Many of the bowls that were of the same size and shape were made, but all still had different sounds to them; meaning that a customer could pick and choose which bowl truly spoke to them. This would also help explain why there are still so many bowls in circulation, even though the bowls have not been made in the traditional way for about the past 50 years.
While many natives of the region refuse to admit any knowledge of the metal bowls being used in any way other than as eating dishes, there is good reason for the silence and supposed secrecy. If the bowls were really made by traveling shamans and if they were used in monasteries behind closed doors for rituals, the silence of the people makes sense since Buddhism is the dominant religion in the Himalayan region and there is no record of singing bowls having an official capacity in the religion. No one wants to admit they own the bowls and use them in rituals that tend to be more based in shamanistic rituals instead of Buddhist ceremonies. However, everyone does need dishes to eat out of, allowing for the singing bowls to be sold and displayed openly, no matter what there use. In fact some scholars believe that eating out of the singing bowls might even provide healing powers from the minerals in the bowls, however eating out of them is not recommended.
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Celebrate Christmas with Samadhi Dec 7th
