Friday 27 December 2013

The History Of Utilizing Singing Bowls For Therapy

By Eugenia Dickerson


Traditionally, Tibetan singing bowls are not just used to create beautiful music. Each vessel is classified as a bell, particularly, a standing bell. They have been used in that nation for healing for many years. These instruments are also known as suzu gongs. People who play them usually place the bowl with the bottom resting securely on a solid surface such as a floor or a table.

The bell is used with a mallet or striker, which is used to hit the metal repeatedly at intervals. The sound is often a signal that meditation is about the begin. A peal also announces the end of a period of reflection. Usually, in Buddhist practice, this is the only sound that is heard during a period of introspective silence.

Older pieces of art from the Himalayas sometimes feature a bowl in a prominent place. This artwork includes sculpture and paintings, all of which are quite detailed. This allows researchers to easily study the ways in which these objects were used in the past. More ancient pieces are made of bronze. Some have been found in private collections and are often made of similar materials that were available thousands of years ago.

Ancient history has shown that Tibet is not the only country to have relied on these gongs as a means of promoting healing. Awareness of their usefulness in that regard spread to many other nations, including Nepal, Japan and Korea. The Indian and Nepalese people also have a history of using them for that purpose. Pipe organs have sometimes been associated with some forms of Christian music. The gongs are similarly linked to Buddhism.

People practice mindfulness in various body positions. They may sit, walk or stand for example. The bells may be used by Buddhists when practicing any of these. Primarily, they have been applied during walking and sitting meditation in order to produce a greater feeling of harmony. Walking is more comfortable for many people because it prevents the legs from being locked in one position for too long.

Remember that this music mainly serves to allow people to concentrate on personal awareness and healing. It is not primarily for entertainment. Some may like the sounds while others are not fond of it. Samples of this type of audio can easily be located on video sharing sites like YouTube that are popular and free to use.

Beautiful antique Tibetan singing bowls are sometimes kept in private collections. Here, though fewer people are able to admire them, they still have an effect as they represent the historical and cultural traditions of Himalayan people. Galleries and museums that display them allow more people to view them and onlookers may notice that they all are different. The fact that they have been made by hand means that unique traits exist in each one.

People who come in contact with objects from outside of their culture often have lots of questions. Hopefully this article answers many of them. Collecting Tibetan singing bowls can be a rewarding experience. It allows the collector to learn more about another type of art and broadens understanding of other cultures.




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