Thangkas are one of Tibet’s most famous art forms, and they have fascinated generations of art fans around the world. Developed during the Songtsan Gampo era of Tibet, they incorporate elements from both Nepalese art and traditional Chinese paintings. Valued for their exquisite craftsmanship, they are also admired for their unique beauty and practical function. When traveling to other places, Tibetan monks will often carry a thangka to communicate with their gods. On a good tour in Beijing, you can find exquisite thangkas made by great Tibetan artists.

Thangkas are a type of scroll painting that can be easily rolled up for storage. Most thangkas are either hung on the wall of a house or carried by a monk or traveler when moving around to different places. Because Tibetans are traditionally a nomadic people who are also deeply religious, they need an easy-to-carry item like a thangka to help them communicate with gods on their journeys.

In many ways, thangkas are like Buddhist statues. Both of them are used as a medium through which people pay tribute to their gods, say prayers, and make requests. But the difference is also obvious: whereas a Buddhist statue only represents a certain deity in Buddhism, a thangka shows the deity and depicts his/her life stories, important events, and the Buddhist teachings associated with the deity. Such depiction is aimed to educate, enlighten, and enhance the contemplative experience of the Buddhists who study them.

On a thangka, no detail is too small to ignore. Everything, like the color, the clothes, and the positions or postures of the people, contains bits of information that contribute to the profound symbolism of the overall image. For a Buddhist, the teachings of Buddhism can be learned by memorizing these details and imaging the image in their minds.

When used by monks traveling from place to place, thangkas can serve as an excellent educational tool. Tibetan monks who carry thangkas have been traveling to remote regions and teaching Buddhism for hundreds of years. As a tradition, monks living in monasteries display their precious thangkas to the public during ceremonies or festivals.

Thangkas are either painted by hand or embroidered with high-quality threads. Some extremely valuable thangkas are made of precious pearls and gold. Making a thangka is not an easy task. Usually it takes five properly trained artists to finish one thangka. Paint made of natural minerals is commonly used, as it gives a touch of vividness to the picture. Painting a thangka requires a mastery over a variety of drawing skills and an in-depth understanding of Tibetan Buddhism. Subtle hints are incorporated into every detail on the image.

Depending on the method of production and materials used, thangkas can be grouped into two main categories: “Bris-Tang” and “Go-Tang.”

“Bris-Tang”: Thangkas that are painted are called “Bris-Tang.” The five specific types of this category are: Multi-Colored, Gold Background, Vermilion Background, Black Background, and Block Printing “Bris-Tang.”

“Go-Tang”: Thangkas that are made of silk or decorated with embroidery are called “Go-Tang.” This category includes: Embroidery, Applique, Glued Applique, Hand-Woven, and Block Printing “Go-Tang.”

All thangkas are made to conform to a strict standard concerning the use of colors. Different colors are used to show different themes or different characters. Red is the main color for thangkas that depict the life stories of the Buddha. Black is the main color for thangkas depicting gods who fight against evils. Blue is used to represent joy. Green is used to represent activity. And white is the symbol for peace and compassion.

In the amazing local shops of Beijing, there are authentic thangkas made by master painters from Tibet. When you are in the city, be sure to check out these exquisite products. If you are not familiar with the local business, it’s best to find a tour guide in Beijing to help you shop.

A. Lao writes about Chinese culture and history. He assists a Beijing personal shopper who helps tourists find unique Chinese items. Sometimes he personally tailors Beijing tours.

Tags: Asia, beijing, Buddhist, China, embroidery, handicraft, painting, religious, shopping, thangkas, tibet, tour

Thangkas are a unique, popular Tibetan art form that originated in the Songtsan Gampo era of Tibet. Initially a type of painting designed based on the Nepalese style, it later developed into a mesmerizing, full-fledged art form with its unique beauty and function. In its last stage of development during the 18th century, it was heavily influenced by the elements of traditional Chinese paintings. To pay tribute to their gods, Tibetan monks and commoners alike carry a thangka with them as they travel from place to place. When in Beijing, remember that some local shops here have exquisite thangkas for shoppers and tourists like you in Beijing.

Much like a scroll painting, thangkas can be easily rolled up for storage and unrolled for display. Travelers and monks like to carry a thangka when they travel to other places because it is very lightweight. Home-dwelling Tibetans also like to use thangkas in their homes because they are beautiful and can be easily be put on a wall.

Serving as an object for worship and meditation, thangkas often have images that depict prominent figures of Buddism, like the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and other gods. These figures, along with the depictions of their life stories that usually appear in the background, are intended to educate, enlighten, or enhance the contemplative experience of the people who study them.

For people who understand Tibetan Buddhism, the complex picture on a finely made thangka has a profound symbolism that reveals itself through very exquisite details on the picture. People can learn the teachings of Buddhism by carefully studying these details and finding out the intricate connections among them. One of the most common items depicted on thangkas is the Wheel of Life, or the universe in Buddhism.

When used by monks traveling from place to place, thangkas can serve as an excellent educational tool. Tibetan monks who carry thangkas have been traveling to remote regions and teaching Buddhism for hundreds of years. As a tradition, monks living in monasteries display their precious thangkas to the public during ceremonies or festivals.

Most thangkas are painted by hand on a cotton canvas or silk, but a few of them are embroidered or made of precious materials like pearls and gold. Making a thangka is usually an extremely complex process that employs a variety of techniques and paints. Paint made of natural minerals is often used, giving the pictures a bright and unique color that can last hundreds of years. Such paintings require a mastery of different drawing skills and a deep understanding of Buddhism and Tibetan culture. Since every detail on a thangka contributes to the overall symbolism through subtle hints, only a properly trained artist can make a thangka.

Depending on the materials used and the way it was made, thangkas can be divided into two main categories: “Bris-Tang” and “Go-Tang.”

“Bris-Tang”: Thangkas that are painted are called “Bris-Tang.” The five specific types belonging to this category are: Multi-Colored, Gold Background, Vermilion Background, Black Background, and Block Printing “Bris-Tang.”

“Go-Tang”: “Go-Tang” is the name for thangkas that are made with silk and adorned with embroidery. This category also has five specific types: Embroidery, Applique, Glued Applique, Hand-Woven, and Block Printing “Go-Tang.”

All thangkas are made to conform to a strict standard concerning the use of colors. Different colors are used to show different themes or different characters. Red is the main color for thangkas that depict the life stories of the Buddha. Black is the main color for thangkas depicting gods who fight against evils. Blue is used to represent joy. Green is used to represent activity. And white is the symbol for peace and compassion.

When in Beijing, check out the beautiful, authentic thangkas in many of the city’s shops. For shoppers unfamiliar with the local business, it’s best to find a Beijing tour guide to help with the shopping.

Tags: Asia, beijing, Buddhist, China, embroidery, handicraft, painting, religious, shopping, thangkas, tibet, tour

Early Tibetan Buddhist art was used to depict the life of Gautama Buddha in the Indian subcontinent in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. Throughout Asia, Buddhism spread widely and with it its influence over Tibetan art and culture in Asia. The first traditions of Tibetan Buddhist art followed the practices of aniconic artwork, meaning that the use of Buddhist symbols and emblems to represent the Buddha and his travels and teachings without actually using a human form to represent the Buddha himself. This was the typical way that Tibetan Buddhist art was made until the first century CE, when the Buddha was finally represented in human appearance, which is still followed to this day. In every new country or region in Asia, where Buddhism went, Buddhist art followed its worshippers and artists as the faith developed in many different ways. These colorful forms are widely used in Buddhist meditation.

Tibetan Buddhist art is considered sacred and religious in nature, or was always thought of as religious in Asiatic cultures throughout the continent and in ancient Himalayan kingdoms such as Ladakh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Before the middle of the twentieth century, Tibetan Buddhist art was created to be depicted as sacred in its subjects and traditions. The art of Tibet centers on the philosophical and spiritual key concepts, but as the art of Tibet developed, the vitality of the aesthetics of Tibetan art also come into prominence when it came to the growth of the different schools of Buddhism all over the various regions and countries it influenced. The symbology of Buddhism used in Tibetan Buddhist art can be considered a study in the impressions that have emerged over the influences in Buddhism over the centuries.

In the fourth century saw the emergence of the Mahayana Buddhist influence. This particular influence emphasized those who wished to forgo achieving Nirvana in order to help those others in need. The deity Chenrezig is commonly depicted as a thousand armed deity with a single eye in each hand in the Tibetan art of this Buddhist influence.

Another influence in Tibetan Buddhist art is that of Tantric Buddhism; the most common symbolism being that of the diamond thunderbolt. Angry deities with furious faces are also prevalent in Tantric Buddhism as depicted in the art of the period. The ghastly images often represent protectors who are dedicated to the teaching of tantric practices and the conquering of negative aspects.

The Bon influence as it is known in the Himalayas is a shamanistic religion that ads a host of local deities to Tibetan Buddhist art. These local deities are created as statues with the Buddha in Tibetan temples. The shamanistic gods have a history of being blamed for evil, but have since become defeated by Buddha and are forever in service to him.

Buddhist meditation covers a wide variety of techniques in meditation that promote mindfulness and concentration among other things. The core techniques have been preserved in ancient texts that have been reproduced throughout the centuries between teachers and students.

Hinduism was also greatly influenced by Tibetan Buddhist art but in the tenth century, Buddhism was no longer practiced in India due to the expansion of Hinduism and the enthusiastic growth of Islam.

Tags: arts, buddhism, esoterica, ethnics, meditation, oriental, religion, spirituality, tibet

Early Tibetan Buddhist art was used to depict the life of Gautama Buddha in the Indian subcontinent in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. Throughout Asia, Buddhism spread widely and with it its influence over Tibetan art and culture in Asia. The first traditions of Tibetan Buddhist art followed the practices of aniconic artwork, meaning that the use of Buddhist symbols and emblems to represent the Buddha and his travels and teachings without actually using a human form to represent the Buddha himself. This was the typical way that Tibetan Buddhist art was made until the first century CE, when the Buddha was finally represented in human appearance, which is still followed to this day. In every new country or region in Asia, where Buddhism went, Buddhist art followed its worshippers and artists as the faith developed in many different ways. These colorful forms are widely used in Buddhist meditation.

Tibetan Buddhist art is considered sacred and religious in nature, or was always thought of as religious in Asiatic cultures throughout the continent and in ancient Himalayan kingdoms such as Ladakh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

The Tibetan Buddhist art that was created previous to the middle of the twentieth century was steeped in traditional techniques and devoted to the vision of sacred iconography. Not only are the works of these early Tibetan Buddhist artists festooned with the central topics of philosophy and spirituality, they were also dedicated in showing the energy of the aesthetics that Tibetan Buddhist art was known for as it came into eminence during the growth of the various schools of Buddhism all over Asia and the regions it influenced with its presence over the years.

Mahayana Buddhist influence came into being around the fourth century and emphasized its influence over those who wished to help others and forsake their own Nirvana. In the Tibetan art of the Mahayana influence, Chenrezig is the deity that is depicted most commonly as having a thousand arms and an eyeball in each hand.

Tantric Buddhism is another aspect of Tibetan Buddhist art; the diamond thunderbolt is the most common symbol in this influence. The art of the Tantric influence during this period is most heavily symbolized by fearsome looking deities with angry faces. These angry deities most often are representative of protectors who are devoted to tantric practices and education and the suppression of negativity.

The Bon influence as it is known in the Himalayas is a shamanistic religion that ads a host of local deities to Tibetan Buddhist art. These local deities are created as statues with the Buddha in Tibetan temples. The shamanistic gods have a history of being blamed for evil, but have since become defeated by Buddha and are forever in service to him.

A great variety of techniques are used in Buddhist meditation in order to achieve mindfulness, concentration and the promotion of well being. Ancient texts were set down by priests and other practitioners of Buddhism to preserve the core techniques that are passed between teachers and pupils.

As Tibetan Buddhist art flourished it had a great influence on the development of art in the Hindu religion. In the tenth century Buddhism nearly disappeared from India due to the brisk expansion of Islam along with Hinduism in India.

Tags: arts, buddhism, esoterica, ethnics, meditation, oriental, religion, spirituality, tibet

Generally speaking, Buddhist symbols can be considered based on a particular culture and its followers. Everebody heard about Eight Auspicious Symbols, dorje and bell, mandala etc. Many of these symbols can be found in ancient India where Hinduism is the main religion. Their meaning and usage may however not be in the same light. The Buddha lived around the 6th Century B.C. However, no Buddhist art or artifacts are known to have been in existence by then. In the Buddhist holy writings, it is claimed that the Buddha would sometimes use Buddhist art or images such as the Wheel of Life to illustrate his teachings. Ornamental carvings have been found dating to the reign of Emperor Ashoka. Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism, thereby making this religion popular both in India and the countries in the vicinity.

Excavations of Buddhist art that have been discovered dating to the first century have mostly been symbolic by nature and their significance remained symbolic until the appearance of the Buddhist Tantra. This Buddhist used imagery and visualization as part of the Buddhist meditation. From here, Tibetan Buddhism was born and Buddhist temples began to have collections of Buddhist art and religious artifacts for Buddhist meditation purposes.

Symbols as the wheel, lotus and the stupa were found in almost any Buddhist temple. Reflecting on these symbols was regarded as part of the Buddhist meditation ritual. Let?s consider some of these symbols in the light of current Buddhist meditation and religious practices.

The bell is one of the symbols used and it serves a natural function and is said to drive out evil spirits. It consists of a lotus symbol, dorje and a moondisc. In religious rituals, the bell is harmonized with the dorje, another symbol. The bell is used to represent the feminine principle of wisdom while the dorje represents the masculine principle of compassion.

The dorje is a substantive symbol that represents the invincible state of Buddha hood. The dorje is actually a scepter and is regarded as a very important ritual item in Buddhism meditation practices.

Incense burning is also taken to be a significant part of Buddhism worship. During the incense offering, this is the time to offer specific requests of success, longevity and any personal need. After this, Buddhist meditation is performed and such qualities as love, joy and compassion are reflected upon during these meditation periods.

Some religious locations are also part of Buddhism. Mount Kailash is regarded as a Buddhist temple and a significant symbol of Buddhist worship. Taken to be the central point of the universe, Mount Kailash is a Himalayan peak and is considered out of bounds to climbers. Its religious attachment extends to 4 religions. These are Buddhism, Jainism, Bon and Hinduism.

Buddhist art forms are seen by many as visual mantras. The large assortments are usually located in the Buddhist temples. By contemplating on these religious Buddhist art forms, it is generally accepted that one will build an inner contact with the facet being represented.

Tags: buddhism, buddhist symbols, design, esoterica, ethnics, incense, india, meditation, oriental, spirituality, Symbols, tibet, tibetan buddhism

Incense burning is considered a religious and a purification rite in many places. Incense, the practice of burning aromatic materials to release fragrance has been done for hundreds of years and in recent years, the practice is quite popular. Burning of incense is done either for aesthetic purpose or due to some medicinal benefits that go along with it.

Today, with advanced technology, incense burning has taken a different turn and the reasons for incense burning have changed. This has largely been influenced by the underlying cultural of roots of the people as well as the diversity of cultures. Whatever the reasons, it seems that incense burning has picked up in recent years.

There are many aromatic materials that are burnt today as incense. Extractions of solid materials as well as oils have been burnt and considered authentic aromatic substances. With the many materials has come the many incense burners used while undertaking the ritual.

When it comes to liquid aromatics, these substances must have special incense burners to hold the essential oils. In most cases, a base that is extracted from charcoal powder is added to the liquid fragrances and is used as a base. Cheaper fragrances have been used as incense and they are derived from chemical synthesis. These fragrances require special incense burners to hold them during the burning process.

Incense classification can take many forms. In most cases, the mode and degree of incense burning is used. The 2 groups commonly used are indirect and direct burning. In indirect burning, charcoal or burning embers provide the heat source. Frankincense is one of the materials that is indirectly burnt as well as myrrh. In Europe, Frankincense is used to signify any aromatic substance that is burnt on an incense burner. During burning, frankincense is placed on coal embers in its unprocessed state on the incense burner and let to burn.

In direct burning, the combustible incense is placed on an incense burner and lit directly. Once the flame has been removed, the material will continue to smolder away burning the entire incense without the need to put a flame in again. The incense substance must therefore be made of a moldable substance that has to be finely grounded or even in liquid form.

Frankincense coils can be burnt directly or by suspending them on an incense burner so that it burns completely in a coil-like fashion. Some incense sticks have a bamboo core for support while for loose powder, wood ash incense burners are used. When burning powder directly, it first has to be enclosed under another material before placing it on the incense stick and lighting it up. Other forms of direct burning use cored sticks, solid sticks and incense blanks. In incense blanks, scented dust is used as the fragrance substance.

Incense burners come in virtually all shapes and sizes. Whether buying incense burners or aroma lamps, burners can be classified in countless ways. There are incense burners that look like mythical gods and goddesses, celestial burners, pentagrams, animal and miscellaneous incense burners. You can find all the pictures of these burners online before making a purchase.

Tags: alternative health, aromatherapy, buddhism, esoterica, health, herbs, hinduism, home, home improvement, incense, india, meditation, spa, tibet

Singing bowls (also known as ‘Himalayan bowls’ or ‘rin’ or suzu gongs in Japan) are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, standing bells sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound. Singing bowls were traditionally used throughout Asia as part of Bön and Tantric Buddhist sadhana. Today they are employed worldwide both within and without these spiritual traditions, for meditation, relaxation, healthcare, personal well-being and religious practice.

Singing bowls were historically made in Tibet, Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, Japan and Korea. Today they are made in Nepal, India, Japan and Korea. The best known types are from the Himalayan region and are often called “Tibetan singing bowls.”

Origins, history and usage

In Buddhist practice, singing bowls are used as a support for meditation, trance induction and prayer. For example, Chinese Buddhists use the singing bowl to accompany the wooden fish during chanting, striking it when a particular phrase in a sutra, mantra or hymn is sung. In Japan and Vietnam, singing bowls are similarly used during chanting and may also mark the passage of time or signal a change in activity.

The use of singing bowls in Tibet is the subject of much debate and many stories. Some people say they were used for meditation while others say they were magical tools for transformation of self and of matter.

Little is known in western scholarship regarding Himalayan singing bowls. It is likely they were used in rituals, having a specific function like other instruments (such as the ghanta, tingsha and shang). The oral and written traditions from the Himalayan region are vast and largely unknown in the west. To date, no specific texts have been found discussing the use of singing bowls in depth, but paintings and statues dating from several centuries ago depict singing bowls in detail. Singing bowls from at least the 10th-12th century are found in private collections. The tradition may date significantly earlier since bronze has been used to construct musical instruments since ancient times. Bronze bells from Asia have been discovered as early as the 8th-10th century BCE.

Singing bowls are played by the friction of rubbing a wooden, plastic, or leather wrapped mallet around the rim of the bowl to produce overtones and a continuous ’singing’ sound. High quality singing bowls produce a complex chord of harmonic overtones. Singing bowls may also be played by striking with a soft mallet to produce a warm bell tone.

Singing bowls are unique because they are multiphonic instruments, producing multiple harmonic overtones at the same time. The overtones are a result of using an alloy consisting of multiple metals, each producing its own overtone. New bowls can also produce multiple harmonic overtones if they are high quality bronze, but many are made from a simpler alloy and produce only a principal tone and one harmonic overtone.

While it is generally believed that the traditional manufacturing techniques are lost, there are new hand-hammered bowls being produced in the centuries old tradition. The difference is the quality of the alloy and the aging process itself. The tone improves as they age, so new bowls cannot sound as warm and mellow as a real antique.

Both Antique and New Bowls are widely used as an aid to meditation and as a tool for trance induction. They are also used in yoga, music therapy, sound healing, religious services, performance and for personal enjoyment.

Antique singing bowls

Traditionally, antique singing bowls were made of Panchaloha (literally meaning “five metals” in Sanskrit): a bronze alloy of copper, tin, zinc and iron and other metals. Antiques often include silver, gold and nickel.

Antique singing bowls produce multiphonic and polyharmonic overtones which are unique to the instruments. The subtle yet complex multiple harmonic frequencies are a special quality of the high quality bronze alloy. The art of making singing bowls in the traditional way is often called a lost art, but traditional craftsmen do still make singing bowls in the traditional manner in hidden corners of Nepal.

Antique singing bowls may display abstract decorations like lines, rings and circles engraved into the surface. Decoration may appear outside the rim, inside the bottom, around the top of the rim and sometimes on the outside bottom.

Antique singing bowls are highly prized and collected worldwide. Their popularity is due to their fine craftsmanship and remarkable sound. The aging process greatly improves the tone and centuries old antiques produce an incredibly rich and beautiful sound.

New singing bowls

Singing bowls are manufactured today and every year the quality improves. New bowls may be plain or decorated. They sometimes feature religious iconography and spiritual motifs and symbols, such as the Tibetan mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, images of Buddhas, and Ashtamangala.

New singing bowls are made from bronze just as the antiques were. However, the bronze alloy is not as special and does not contain gold and silver as some of the antiques. New singing bowls are exported from Nepal and India. The best hand made examples are made in Nepal. High quality new singing bowls are made in Japan and Korea but are not widely exported.

Hand made new singing bowls produce multiple harmonic overtones and sound much like the antiques. They lack the warmth and mellowness that develops with centuries of use. Hand made bowls do capture the complex and musical quality of the antiques.

Machine made bowls produce only two harmonic overtones: the principal tone (1st harmonic) and an overtone of a perfect 5th (2nd harmonic). The more perfect pitch, due to the uniform manufacturing process, sounds nice but much less interesting to most listeners.

Source: Tibetan Singing Bowls

Tags: buddhism, crystal bowls, japanese gongs, singing bowls, tibet, tibetan bowls, tibetan singing bowls

Crystal Singing Bowls are basically a new twist of a very old idea.

The quartz crystal singing bowls are excellent tools for sounding, sound healing, meditation, chanting, musical accompaniment.

The modern Crystal Singing Bowls are made on a special process which makes them strong and incredibly resonant. They are made from the purest quartz ever available.

Crystal Singing Bowls are tuned up to the notes of the seven chakras, so by playing the bowls we can tune up and balance our chakras to promote health and emotional wellbeing.

A rich, resonant tone exudes from the crystal bowls by striking gently or rubbing them with the accompanying mallet.  Theses tones move through our body in vibrant waves, and then are calming, aligning and healing our energy centers.

Growing medical researches are validating the powerful use of the singing bowls in balancing and healing the human body, mind and spirit.

Source: Tibetan Singing Bowls

Tags: buddhism, crystal bowls, healing, health, singing bowls, tibet, tibetan bowls, tibetan singing bowls

Healing is the state of inheriting balance and harmony with our highest purpose.

Healers use a prayerful, meditative state of awareness, adopting a dispassionate, loving, and sympathetic attitude towards the person in need. They go beyond the individual self-feeling and get united with each other and with the All. They have an immense caring and empathy for the person being healed.

During this state the healer most often doesn’t consider himself to be a source of the healing, but only a conduit through which the “healing” flows from a higher power.

When an organ or body part is healthy, it produces a natural resonant frequency in harmony with the rest of the body. When the vibration of a part of the body is out of harmony, we have “dis-ease”. With “dis-ease”, a dissimilar sound pattern is established in the affected part of the body. When sound is projected into the “dis-eased” area, correct harmonic patterns are restored.
Modern medicine can now measure and hence confirm the practice of sound as a tool to promote healing. Thence, sound is a type of energy medicine that creates the sacred space in which people can get healed from stress disorders, depression, pain, the emotional rollercoaster and more.

There are many techniques of healing with sound. Mantras and chants have been used for thousands years. Many acoustical instruments are used in a diverseness of ways to effect change. The human voice is perhaps the most powerful musical instrument.

Ancient instruments, including Tibetan singing bowls, sound in specific rhythmic patterns to create vibrational sound harmonics at the frequency of AUM or OM. This sound is often known as that of Perfection impacts the sympathetic nervous system as brain waves synchronise to the vibrations of the bowls.
Sound Healing is an effective and proven modality that uses vibrational sound to help reduce stress, alter consciousness and create a deep feel of peace, well-being and better health. Sound has also known to be a vital part of the healing process for cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and side effects, especially for pain relief management.

During our waking state, the normal frequence of our brainwaves is that of Beta. Sound tools entrain the brain to move into the deeper Alpha and Theta brainwave frequences. These are the frequences that induce deep meditative and peaceful states, clearness of mind and intuition.

Among the many effects of Sound healing - are relief from pain, stress-related conditions, the ability to alter ones consciousness. It is an integral part of curing the effects of chemotherapy, reducing pain and discomfort from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. After sessions patients experience improved clarity, memory, vitality and the ability to take action. Many patients report of body experiences, a deep sense of tranquility, a good sleep.

The harmonical vibrations engage the relaxation reflex and slow up the respiratory, heart and brain rate and disrupt the pain reflex, creating a deep sense of well-being.

Source: Tibetan Singing Bowls

Tags: buddhism, crystal bowls, healing, health, singing bowls, tibet, tibetan bowls, tibetan singing bowls

Singing Bowls are wide used since the ancient times in Nepal and Tibet, mostly by buddhist practitioners for meditation, religious ceremonial music, for praying, as traditional melodic instruments; used for sound therapy, sound massage and as holistic healing tools.
The rich harmonic pacifying sound, tones and vibration they produce, harmonize energy and vibration and aid to get calm and relaxing. In this modern time, these singing bowls are found in meditation halls, are used for home, medical cures, relaxation; they are being used by doctors, sound therapists, sound massagists, healing specialists, yoga practitioners as curing tools and for activating higher brain function, calming the nervous system, clearising and purifying air, relaxing and soothing mind and balancing our entire being.
Singing Bowls, bells, gongs are handmade crafts, made from combination of various metals: gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin and lead, which correspond to the seven planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, respectively).
Singing Bowls are also known as meditation bowls, chakra bowls, healing bowls or Himalayan singing bowls. They had been widely used since ancient times in Nepal and Tibet, mostly by the buddhist practitioners for meditation, ceremonial music, ritual offerings, for praying, as traditional musical instruments. The sound of a singing bowl can be used to mark the beginning or end of a meditation session, or during meditation to focus the mind.
These bowls were used as bowls for rice or food bowls as well, mostly in the Himalayan area.

Singing Bowls produces a wonderful sound when they are hit, struck, tapped or rubbed by wooden striker, mallet or dowel.
The pitch of the bowl depends on its thickness, size and weight. The pitch is fixed but may be controlled by tone and volume by the push of the tap, the hardness of the striking stick, and the pointing of percussion.
You can find various Nepalese singing bowls, Tibetan handmade singing bowls, Nepalese handhammered singing bowls, Himalayan meditation chakra bowls, crafted and handcarved singing bowls, praying bowls, sound therapy bowls, seven-metal bowls, ritual bowls, bowls for meditation, sound therapy, sound massage, healing and more.
Singing bowls are made in different sizes and shapes, colors, they are handcrafted and have carved designs and various ornaments with their own unique sound depended on the metal composition used.

Their designs can resemble traditional meaning, symbols and decoration, like Tibetan buddhist Om Mani Peme Hung Mantra, Asta Mangal (Eight Auspicious Symbols), Dharmachakra - wheel of life, Endless Knot, Dragon carved, Buddha face and eye, Bodhisattva Leafs, Asta mandala, lotus, Nepalese and Tibetan buddhist ritual quotes and modern designs and crafting as well.
It is believed that mantras chanted during the making of a singing bowl are released into the universe when the bowl is played.
Nowadays singing bowls are used for medical cures and treatment by the technique of sound therapy, sound massage as tools for holistic healing, calming the nervous system and revitalizing brain functions. The sound produced by a singing bowl is believed to evoke the Kundalini energy spiral.

To play a singing bowl, hold the bowl gently in the palm of your hand, allowing the body of the bowl to vibrate freely. With the wooden stick (puja), rub the outside rim with a circular motion, keeping a level pressure. Gently increase a speed, the bowl begins to vibrate, and the sound rises. You could also tap the bowl to start out the vibration.

Source: Tibetan Singing Bowls

Tags: buddhism, crystal bowls, singing bowls, tibet, tibetan bowls, tibetan singing bowls