Have You Ever Heard of the Singing Bowl?
Does a?certain song move you to tears? Can your favorite song magically change your mood? Read about the unique ability of sound to impact your emotions and help you heal in this interesting article.??
Sound has a unique ability to impact our emotions and help us heal. Here’s how to incorporate this ancient form of stress reduction into your day.
Ever notice how a favorite song can suddenly change your mood? Or how hearing a beautiful piece of music can move you to tears? Sound elicits other types of physical reactions, too.
Consider the way our bodies can feel the deep bass vibrations at a loud nightclub (or nails on a chalkboard) or the way high-pitched beeping can bring on a headache, or an unexpected interruption from Alexa can ruin our concentration.
That's real impact.
Ancient healers around the world have incorporated the power of sound into their treatments for hundreds of years. More recently, science has linked sound to stress and anxiety reduction.
One practice that has gained traction in the past ten years or so uses so-called?singing bowls?and is considered beneficial for?stress ?relief,?anxiety ,?depression , and many other physical and mental problems.
What Is a Singing Bowl?
A 2016?research study ?on the effects of sound notes that “Australian aboriginal tribes have used the didgeridoo as a sound healing instrument for over 40,000 years. Ancient instruments have also been used for religious and spiritual ceremonies such as Tibetan (also called “Himalayan”) singing bowls.”
In recent decades, these singing bowls have become increasingly popular all over the world. Practitioners say they induce a meditative experience and can be used for targeted massage, or in combination with gongs, tuning forks, voice, and other instruments, to create a sound bath.
The “Tibetan” singing bowls are said to be made from an alloy of at least seven metals and come in a variety of different sizes. According to the California-based?Sound Healing Center , the metals in the bowls are associated with celestial bodies: Gold corresponds to the Sun, Silver—to the Moon, Tin—to Jupiter, Lead—to Saturn, Copper—to Venus, Iron—to Mars, and Mercury—to well, Mercury.
The practice has been rising in popularity in the West over the past 50 years, starting, perhaps, with the 1972 album of?Tibetan Bells ?by Nancy Hennings and Henry Wolff. One of the most prominent pioneers of using the bowls for sound therapy is?Peter Hess , whose students and followers have established practices of his method all over the world.
How Does A Singing Bowl Work?
When used for massage, the sizes of the bowls correspond to particular body parts. The bowls are placed on or near the specific body part, and when they are struck or rubbed, they vibrate at different frequencies, and these vibrations generate responses within the body and induce a state of relaxation.
What Is A Sound Bath?
For sound baths, a combination of several different bowls, voice, gongs, crystals, and tuning forks can be used, and the specific bowl-to-body part connection is not relevant in the same way as with targeted massage.
The purpose of the sound bath is to allow yourself to be immersed in the full-body meditation experience, with the vibrations washing over you, like waves (in the literal and metaphorical sense!)
How Does A Sound Bath Work?
The principle at work here is simple. Every object, animate or not, vibrates at a particular frequency—this is what is referred to as a “resonant” or “natural” frequency of that specific object.
When a sound wave of the same frequency hits the object, the sound becomes amplified: that's “resonance”. Resonance is why certain sounds seem louder or fuller in some spaces than others—singing in the shower is a great example of this phenomenon.
During the sound massage, the frequency at which one’s stomach, legs, chest, or back vibrates, is matched by that of the particular bowl, thus amplifying that vibration, and making the patient feel it in their body.
It may take a few tries to find the exact bowl that works for each person: there is variation in size and thickness among the different categories—after all, our legs, stomachs, and chests are all different in size and sensitivity.
A sound bath session usually lasts between 60 and 90 minutes, while massages last between 30 and 75 minutes. People typically attend a sound bath or get a sound massage anywhere from once a month to once a week, though some prefer to go more or less frequently. It can be incorporated as a practice (like yoga) rather than a one-off, and be developed into a monthly or weekly routine with a practitioner.
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The Benefits of Singing Bowls and Sound Baths
Mag Phil. Sonja Christine Wechselberger , an Austrian-based practitioner, has been using singing bowls for both massages and sound baths for nearly 30 years. She says that the practice can be very effective for people suffering from depression and anxiety, as well as for people with?autism .
She recently used the singing bowls to communicate with a non-verbal autistic patient. The two sit across from each other and take turns playing the bowls, producing sounds by either rubbing or striking the bowl with a mallet.
In this way, they have a conversation by creating a soundscape together. The bowl conversation allows the patient to be in control of the stimuli and express himself. It's a way for him to experience a meaningful connection with another person.
“What the singing bowl massage or a sound bath can do is make people feel connected to their bodies,” says Wechselberger. “A lot of the time those who suffer from mental health disorders feel like they lack that connection between their spiritual and their physical selves, and this practice helps with that by activating the vibrations within the body.”
The 2016 research study referenced earlier found “significant beneficial effects of Tibetan singing bowl meditations on a number of markers related to well-being,” and suggested there was significant potential for further research into the benefits and uses of these bowls.
Another?study ?analyzed the effects of Tibetan music on anxiety in patients waiting for surgery and found that they responded favorably to the music, suggesting that future applications could prove useful.
Who Shouldn’t Try It
Wechselberger told?Psycom?that her techniques were not recommended for people with?borderline personality disorder . According to her, because of the unpredictable mood swings and attention shifts associated with borderline, the experience can be destabilizing and trigger panic.
The practice is also counter-indicated for people who are epileptic. The vibrations can be quite strong so pregnant women should avoid using singing bowls as well. If you have metal joint replacements or implants, check with your doctor before diving into a sound bath!
How to Find A Sound Bath Practitioner
Due to growing interest, sound bath practitioners can be found around the globe. A quick internet search will likely yield several results in your area.
Costs vary but average $30-60 for a group sound bath session, though many studios offer a sliding-scale model as well. Private sound baths can cost quite a bit more, and massage prices typically range from $50-150.
Sound healers do have to undergo special training. Be sure to ask about their specific training and experience when selecting a practitioner so you receive the guidance you're looking to receive. Different practitioners have different specializations.
[Note: Sound healing is currently not regulated by the FDA. There is no set legal licensing, certification, or training requirement to become a practitioner. In recent years, there's been a push within the sound healing community to institute certification requirements and uniform training similar to the way yoga instructors are certified.]
Do Singing Bowls Really Come from Tibet?
As with many other objects and practices, the “Tibetan” singing bowls, have been the subject of some controversy regarding their origins.
The general consensus among academics and historians is that they are not, in fact, Tibetan, but rather a mostly Western invention. Experts say the bowls, alongside other popular accouterments, are marketed to Western tourists and in fact, do not have a verified place in Eastern spirituality.
In an article published in the?Toronto Star, Tenzin Dheden of the Canada Tibet Committee argues that the mis-association of these objects with Tibet and its culture is harmful to the Tibetan people who face significant struggles and poverty.
This isn't to say there aren't real benefits to sound massage and sound baths.
It may be best to seek out a practitioner who focuses on the experience and the power of sound, not a fanciful story about the relationship to ancient Tibet.
Article Original Link :?https://www.psycom.net/singing-bowls-sound-bath-healing
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