Buddhist Singing Bowls
Singing bowls are adored across the world by millions of people but none more than the followers of Buddhism for their immaculate sound and the inner harmony the sound provides. The Buddhist singing bowls originate from the ancient Himalayan regions like India, Nepal and Tibet, where the original followers of Buddhism were originated. They were originally used for eating food off them but their sound generating characteristics have given them a different purpose among the Buddhists across the globe. When played with a wooden mallet, the metal Buddhist singing bowls produces or resonates a pleasing sound that is known to assist in meditation and also in releasing Buddhist mantras.
Tibetan singing bowls as well as Nepali singing bowls can be considered as Buddhist singing bowls as they were originally constructed for the various Buddhist religious purposes. These purposes include meditation, religious activities, chanting mantras and so on. These singing bowls are traditionally constructed by the mixture of seven metals; gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron tin and lead, which correspond to the seven entities of our solar system (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, mars, Jupiter and Saturn respectively). These instruments are known for their calm and contemplating sound. They are throughout the Himalayas in countless Buddhist monasteries and homes, making it one of the types of Himalayan Singing bowls. The Buddhist practices involve the singing bowls to be used as a symbol or a signal to commence and end periods of silent meditation; meditation being the ultimate practice to attain the enlightenment. The Chinese Buddhists use the Buddhist singing bowls alongside other Buddhist arts like Buddha statues, wooden fish, etc during religious chanting by striking it when a particular mantra or phrase is chanted. Similarly, the Japanese and Vietnamese followers of Buddhism use these instruments in chanting and to mark the passage of time. Furthermore, in Japan, the Buddhists use singing bowls to worship their ancestors and their traditional funeral rites.
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The Buddhist singing bowls come in all shapes and sizes. They are adorned by various Buddhist chanting (Om Mane Padme as the most famous one) in either Tibetan script or in Devanagari Script on the outside of the bowls. The Buddhist singing bowls are a wonderful combination of art, science, spirituality and sound healing. This mix of characteristics and qualities makes way for paths of personal enjoyment for the listener. The Buddhists, specially the Tibetan Buddhists, not only use these instruments as the tool to aid them in meditation but also for the beneficiary qualities of the resonance they produce. The benefits include stress relieving, improved immunity, improved blood pressure, healings from pain and depression, etc. The harmonic ambience from Buddhist singing bowl aids one to engage in a peaceful atmosphere where the body finds its solace with the mind and soul. This in turn enhances the humanity within the users soul. The healing ability is also due to the singing bowls’ chakra revitalizing quality, thus the name chakra singing bowl is also given to the Buddhist singing bowls. During the healing process, the Buddhist singing bowls are played around and sometimes even placed on the body of the receiver of the treatment. The practitioner that balances the chakra and provides relaxation to the user uses the resonance of the bowls’ harmonic vibration.
Amidst all the qualities the Buddhist singing bowls carry, the advantages and benefits of playing such instrument provides one a different goal to achieve the inner peace of his or her life. Sacred Buddhist chanting and mantras are also sung to diffuse the Buddhist singing bowls in order to provide a proper intent for the bowls. The importance of this instrument is felt as they are widely played and enjoyed equally in many Buddhist monasteries as they are easy to use and learn. Authentic Buddhist singing bowls are rare to find and they are considered to be one of the most sought after Buddhist art in recent times. Any Buddhist follower or the admirer of Buddhist art can have a fulfilling experience while the instrument is being played. Thus, if you are looking to buy Buddhist singing bowls, even as a gift for your family or friends, take a look at our online singing bowl shop in our catalog.
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