Singing bowls: what they are and how they are used

A singing bowl is one of the simplest instruments there is. There are no keys or strings, just a bowl and a stick, and a sound that keeps going long after you stop playing.

Bowls are the instrument most people picture when they hear the words sound bath. If that is what brought you here, the page on a sound bath at home or for a group explains how one runs with me. This page is about the bowls themselves: what they are, the two main kinds, how to play one and how they are used.

What is a singing bowl?

A singing bowl is a kind of standing bell. Instead of hanging upside down with a clapper inside, it sits on its base with its open side up. You make it sound in one of two ways:

• Striking. A soft tap on the outside wall with a padded mallet. The bowl rings like a bell and fades slowly.
• Rimming. Running a mallet steadily around the outside of the rim. Friction builds the vibration until the bowl hums, a continuous tone that grows the longer you circle.

Most bowls come with a mallet, often wood, sometimes wrapped in suede or felt. A bare wooden mallet gives a brighter tone when rimming; a padded one gives a softer strike.

What is the difference between metal and crystal bowls?

There are two broad families, and they sound quite different.

Metal bowls are usually made of a bronze alloy, either hammered by hand or cast in a mould, and many are made in Nepal and India. They are often sold as Tibetan singing bowls, though the history of the name is told with more certainty than the evidence supports. A metal bowl produces several tones at once, a main note with others shimmering above it, so the sound feels warm and layered. They are sturdy, travel well, and come in every size from a palm to a basin.

Crystal bowls are made from quartz, fused at high heat, and are usually frosted white or clear. A crystal bowl produces one strong, clear note that carries a long way and lasts a long time. They are louder than most metal bowls of the same size, and much more fragile: a crystal bowl can crack if it is knocked or dropped, and large ones are heavy.

A quick way to tell them apart by ear: a metal bowl wobbles and shimmers; a crystal bowl holds one pure, steady note.

How do you play a singing bowl?

1. Hold it flat. Rest a small bowl on your open palm with your fingers flat, not wrapped around the sides, which would dampen it. Set a larger bowl on a cushion or ring.
2. Strike first. Tap the outside wall gently, just below the rim, and listen to it fade.
3. Then rim. Press the mallet against the outside of the rim and move it around the bowl in a slow, even circle, keeping the pressure steady. Move your whole arm, not just the wrist.
4. Let it build. After a few circles the bowl starts to hum. Keep the same speed. If it rattles, slow down and press a little more evenly.
5. Let it stop on its own. Lift the mallet away and let the sound fade, or rest a finger on the rim to quiet it.

It takes a few tries. A bowl that rattles is nearly always being played too fast.

How are singing bowls used in a sound bath?

In a sound bath, you lie down, propped and covered with a blanket, and listen while instruments are played around you. Bowls are often at the centre of it, placed on the floor near you and played one after another, struck and rimmed, so the tones overlap and fade. Some practitioners use only bowls; many add a gong, chimes or a drum.

You do not need to do anything. Some people drift, some fall asleep, some notice their breathing slow. All of it is fine. A sound bath sits naturally next to other practices done lying still, such as yoga nidra or a guided body scan, and at the end of a gentle class like a restorative lesson.

What can a sound bath do, and what not?

It is a time to lie still and listen. That is the honest description, and it is enough. A singing bowl is a musical instrument, and a sound bath is not a medical treatment. I make no claim that it treats or prevents anything, and you should be wary of anyone who claims a bowl repairs organs, balances anything inside the body or replaces medical care.

Who should take care?

• Sensitive hearing or tinnitus. Bowls can be loud close up, crystal ones especially. Lie further away, ask for softer playing, or use soft earplugs.
• Pregnancy. Lie on your left side with pillows rather than flat on your back later in pregnancy, and check with your OB or midwife first. Ask for the bowls to stay on the floor, not on the body.
• Trauma or distress with eyes closed. Keep your eyes open, lie near the door, and know that you can sit up or leave at any time.

Choosing a bowl of your own

• Listen before you buy. Every bowl sounds different, even two of the same size.
• Start small to medium. A bowl that fits your palm is easiest to learn on.
• Metal for travel, crystal for volume. Metal survives a bag; crystal needs a padded case.
• Ignore promises. Choose a bowl because you like its sound, not because of what a seller says it will do for you.

Hearing them in person

Every private lesson I teach ends with savasana and sound healing to close, and a sound bath can also be booked for a group or an event by inquiry. For a team, one can be the calm end of a block of team building games. If you would like to hear bowls in your own living room, message me on Viber.