Using a singing bowl adds another layer of ritual to your meditation, which can help to prime your mind and body for practice. This can be especially helpful if you’ve been finding it challenging to make the transition from “regular life” into your self-practice.
How do we use it in our meditations?
A home meditation practice relies on consistency and for many, a ritual to help set the tone for some quiet time. Make your space comfortable and inviting. It’s ok if you don’t have a specific area that is “only” for your meditation practice. Before you practice, set up your space with items that make you feel good and help you to ground. When you are ready to begin, start by lightly striking the bowl. This simple action can help signal the start of your meditation, and over time, that sound can help condition the mind and body to relax quicker. You can continue to play the singing bowl throughout the meditation, waiting for each strike to completely fade, if you feel like you need help focusing.
If you want to better feel the vibration of the sound, make the bowl sing by lightly striking the bowl and slowly run the soft part of the mallet around the edge until you hear the bowl singing softly. Less is more here. The sound can be piercing if you move too quickly. When the meditation draws to a close, lightly strike the bowl a final time and allow for a moment of silent contemplation.
Benefits of Sound Healing
All behaviours, both on and off the mat/cushion, are attempts to come into resonance with the universal energy field (UEF). When our bodies lose resonance with this UEF, there is a loss of energy and vitality. One of the principals of sound healing is that all physical, mental, and emotional symptoms are being generated by underlying energy fields. If we change this energy field we are able to change the associated physical, mental, and emotional patterns as well. In layman terms, think about what you feel in your body and mind when you listen to a sad song vs. a happy song. Singing bowls are tuned to create a resonance that is pleasant and that has a calming effect, helping you set the stage for meditation.
In the end, how you use the bowl and set up your meditation space, is up to you. Establish your own rituals or follow traditions you feel connected to.