How to Use a Singing Bowl

A "singing bowl" is a metal bowl --- originally made in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and India --- that when struck or vibrated with a wooden mallet produces a tone. Each handmade bowl has a unique sound determined by its shape and the metal or metals in it. Traditionally, a singing bowl is made from one of the seven sacred metals in Tibetan culture: gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin and antimony. Modern singing bowls may contain a combination of metals. The singing bowl produces a bell tone that is sometimes used in New Age music. Singing bowls can also be used for meditation and to promote natural healing.

Things You'll Need

• Singing bowl
• Mallet
• Striker
• Comfortable seat
• Quiet room

Show More

Instructions

Playing the singing bowl

• 1

  Hold the bowl flat in the palm of your hand, or place it on a round pillow to support it. If the bowl is smaller than 7 inches in diameter, hold it on your fingertips.

• 2

  Grasp the middle of the mallet in your other hand. Hold the mallet so it is perpendicular to the floor.

• 3

  Gently but firmly rub the mallet around the outside of the bowl. The friction will cause the bowl to vibrate and "sing" a note.

Meditating with a Singing Bowl

• 4

  Lie down in a comfortable position in a quiet space.

• 5

  Place the singing bowl on your chest. You may want to place a rubber mat of some kind under it so it doesn't slip.

• 6

  Strike the bowl gently with the striker. A striker may also be a mallet, but the wooden end of the striker should be wrapped in cloth, felt, leather, or another soft material to protect the bowl from the wood.

• 7

  Breathe and listen to the sound of the bowl.