Singing bowls can be found in many places these days, as they seem to be growing in popularity. Despite what some may think, these bowls are not just trendy accessories. Instead, they serve a purpose that is deep-rooted and profound.

Through the power of sound, singing bowls can be used to heal, create feelings of peace, and cultivate energy flow and balance into your chakras. Here is how you can use them to help bring your body, mind, and soul into a state of balance and harmony.

What Is Sound Healing?

Many cultures and religions revere sound, some describing it as "the universe into being". A great example of the sacredness of sound is the familiar "aum" - the mother tone, which comprises the frequencies of all other sounds. Like sounds, our entire bodies, as well as our brain waves, vibrate at a frequency. In fact, everything vibrates, from the tiniest molecule, to the universe itself. Anything that vibrates makes some sort of sound. Not all sounds can be heard by our ears, but they can be perceived by skin and bone conduction. Therefore, sound travels through the whole body.

When sound travels through a body, that body's frequency begins to align with the frequency of the sound. When a body part or energy center is unhealthy, its frequency is out of harmony and therefore in a state of "dis-ease". When sound is projected into this ailing area, it brings it back into a state of harmony and, therefore, a healthy state. The use of sound has been shown to heal various parts of the body, mind, and spirit. The positive effects of sound healing have become so recognized that there is growing research on its qualifications as a medical aid, such as being used in cancer recovery.

What Are Singing Bowls?

Singing bowls are bowls that produce harmonies when played. They are used all over the world for relaxation, music, meditation, healthcare, and general well-being. When played, they emit a powerful, long-lasting harmonic hum that has both invigorating and calming effects. The resonance of the bowls' harmonic vibrations is believed to impact the nervous system and create a balancing synchronization between the left and right brain, which promotes stress relief and relaxation. Many sound healers use singing bowls to balance and activate chakra energy flow. They are a wonderful tool for relaxing and realigning the body, mind, heart, and soul.

How to Use Singing Bowls

To play a singing bowl, begin by gently tapping a singing bowl mallet against the side of the bowl to "warm it up". Holding the mallet at about mid-length with your palm facing down, rub it around the outside edge of the rim of the bowl, as if you are stirring a big kettle of soup. Make sure to move the mallet around the rim with an even, firm pressure and at a steady pace, allowing the sound to build up slowly as the singing bowl picks up the vibration.
 

Each practitioner has a unique style of playing singing bowls, so have fun experimenting and finding your sound!

You can play singing bowls as a way to:

• ground and center yourself when feeling unsettled

• enhance meditation

• clear negative energy in environments by directing the vibrations from the bowl to the surrounding space

• heal by directing the vibrations of the bowl to out of balance physical, mental, emotional, and energetic spaces

Do you have a way that you love to use singing bowls? Share it with us in the comments below!