Dan Turner

Article DAN TURNER

BRIEF HISTORY

The practice of sound healing has a longstanding association to many ancient cultures including India, Asia, Africa, Europe, indigenous tribes and Native Americans.

Within the Asian region, Tibetan singing bowls emerged from China/Tibet between 3000-4000 years ago, and fall into the ‘bell’ or ‘gong’ family. From a spiritual perspective, the bowls were primarily used as sacred vibrational sound instruments to enhance/deepen meditative practice (contemplate emptiness/the void), as facilitative tools during shamanic practices (connect to the higher realms of spiritual consciousness/existence), and to receive transmission of energy or teachings (Dharma) regarding the ‘Four Noble Truths’ (in Buddhism).

COMPOSITION/CONSTRUCTION

Traditionally, the older (antique) singing bowls were painstakingly hand-crafted from an amalgam of up to 9 different metals. According to Tibetan astrology, many of the sacred metals corresponded to one of the 7 planets in our solar system: Gold – Sun (Leo), Mercury – Mercury (Virgo/Gemini), Silver – Moon (Cancer), Iron – Mars (Scorpio/Aries), Lead – Saturn (Capricorn/Aquarius), Tin – Jupiter (Sagittarius/Pisces), and Copper – Venus (Taurus/ Libra). To complement the material combinations used, some bowls are made at certain phases of the moon, created under particular astrological conditions, and/or forged with prayers/mantras of ‘pure intention’ with every hammer-blow.

ENERGETIC FREQUENCIES

The sound vibrations produced from a singing bowl are pure forms of energy, with up to 7 different audible harmonic frequencies. The 2 dominant tones include a fundamental bass tone (male/yang) produced by striking the body of the bowl with a mallet, and a resonant higher overtone (female/yin) from rubbing the outer rim with a suede covered stick. Various other harmonic overtones are often present depending on the construction method, material composition and playing techniques used.

EFFECT OF ENERGY ON HUMAN FORM

A modern perspective of the Universe (quantum physics) and of the human form is slowly assisting us to understand how energy has the potential to determine our state of health or ‘energetic’ balance. When the body experiences ‘sickness’ or ‘dis-ease’, this is often linked to an underlying imbalance in energetic vibrational state within cells/ organs, altered brain wave activity (confusion/ stress/depression), or within the energetic (Vajra) body – blocked meridians/chakras/weak auric field. In additional to ancient traditions, beliefs and practice, an increasing number of scientific studies are revealing how sound (vibrational energetic frequencies) has the potential to positively contribute to our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.

SINGING BOWLS FOR MEDITATION AND HEALING

Sound vibration (energy) is one of the underlying forces in nature that gives structure to matter; including the Earth – a living organism with its own energetic vibration; and the human body – a living entity of vibrations. As such, the vibrational sound frequencies of singing bowls can be used as a highly effective tool in meditative practice to transmit positive energies via processes called ‘sympathetic resonance’ and ‘brainwave entrainment’ to facilitate re-balancing/healing of the mind/body/spirit down to cellular, sub-atomic and subtle energetic levels.

UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS

When we become ‘one’ with the sound and are able to identify ourselves ‘as’ vibrational sound; the mind, body and soul become harmonically aligned. When aligned on all these levels of being; our thoughts, words and actions synchronise – for clarity of mind, purity of speech and loving kindness towards Self and others.

For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/unityofsound/ https://unityofsound.org/