It is believed by historians that metal workers were able to perfect the craft of forming Tibetan singing bowls as long as 2500 years ago. Thus, the history of these artifacts dates back into 700AD. One of the amazing things about Tibetan singing bowls is that the sounds from the ancient versions can't be replicated today. This is because the old bowls were made from more metals and alloys. Some of the metals were even taken from meteorites. Plus, the aging process affects the bowls in such a way that it enriches the sounds that they make.
If you hold the bowl in the palm of your hand, that leaves it free to vibrate. Then, you run the wooden mallet along the rim of the bowl, gently. This will create the sound, or "singing" noise. You can also gently strike the side of the bowl. This creates a sound like a bell ringing. Either way you play Tibetan singing bowls, it is the vibrations that produce the sound, just as if you rubbed your finger around the edge of a wine glass. The pitch of the noise can vary depending on the size of the bowl and the density of the metal. Bowls can range in diameter from 5 to 13 inches. You can also speed up the mallet movement to change the sound.
In the Hindu and Buddhist religions, sound is an integral part of spiritual practice. In the Buddhist tradition, 9 methods of realization of reaching enlightenment exist. The seventh way was sound. Because of this, the bowls' sounds are used by Buddhists as one element of their religious music and rituals.
The singing sound is both relaxing and captivating. It helps with Tibetan meditation, and helps induce a sense of calmness. It also helps those meditating remain in the present moment, which is an important Buddhist concept.
Tibetan Singing Bowls are works of great beauty, and we hope this page has helped to shed some light on their beauty and history.