By literally looking at them, singing bowls can be described as a kind of standing bell. Instead of the usual bell that hangs inverted or attached to a certain handle, a singing bowl usually sits with the bottom surface resting. The orientation allows the sides as well as the rim to vibrate in order to product sound, which by the way is highlighted by a basic first harmonic frequency and in most instances, two audible harmonic overtones.
Still used in many parts of Asia, singing bowls were conceptualized as a form of tradition to make sound using brown bowls. The oldest proof of the existence of singing bowls in history dates back three thousand years. Today, SSI singing bowls are used all over the world for rather contemporary objectives. The main purpose is for meditation. However, they're also used for relaxation, personal well-being, and of course, music. They are also being used by different professionals in their respective fields, such as health professionals for treatment and medication, musicians and teachers for teaching music, and spiritual teachers for meditation.
The origin of singing bowls can be a subject of debate, but there's no arguing as to what countries developed and embraced them. While they can be seen all throughout Asia, the most prominent countries that use them up until now are Nepal, Japan, and China. You also see them in India and Korea.
The Buddhist Connection
The Tibetan Buddhist practice is considered the most influential factor in the spread of the popularity of singing bowls. They originally used the bowls from http://www.silverskyimports.com/ to signal the beginning and end periods of a silent meditation. For Chinese Buddhists meanwhile, the singing bowls are used to accompany the wooden fish during chanting, striking the same when a specific phrase is chanted. For the Japanese and Vietnamese Buddhist cultures, singing bowls were also used for chanting and as mark for the passage of time.
How They Are Played
Today, singing bowls are played by way of striking the rim using a padded mallet. Some people use wood, plastic, or leather wrapped mallet to produce friction around the rim. This is to emphasize the harmonic overtones and produce a somewhat continuous singing sound. Furthermore, singing bowls are able to produce a distinctive sound together with physical vibration that can be of use to many people. And yes, both the antique and modern singing bowls are widely used in different parts of the world for meditation, music therapy, yoga, sound healing, musical performance, and even religious services.