What are the benefits of a Tibetan Bowl session?
The tone of the Tibetan Singing Bowl:
- Balances the body
- Synchronizes the hemispheres of the brain
- Calms the mind
- Reduces pain and stress
- Produces alpha brain waves
- Permeates the cells within the body to release blockages
- Restores vibrational balance
- Breaks up rigid energy patterns
- Restores the body’s circular flow of energy
- Balances the chakras
- Facilitates altered states of consciousness
- Manifest thoughts through prayer
“If we accept that sound is vibration and we know that vibration touches every part of our physical being, then we understand that sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies. One reason sound heals on a physical level is because it so deeply touches and transforms us on the emotional and spiritual planes. Sound can redress imbalances on every level of physiologic functioning and can play a positive role in the treatment of virtually any medical disorder.”
—Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, director of Medical Oncology and Integrative Medicine, the Cornell Cancer Prevention Center in New York
Where do the bowls come from?
Their origins and detailed histories are shrouded in the distant past and are surely a gift from the shamanistic ‘Bon’ religion which precedes Buddhism in Tibet by centuries. The current use of Tibetan Bowls follows a tradition dating back to the Buddha. For centuries they have been utilized for healing and consciousness transformation. The ancient bowls actually came from various Himalayan regions including Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. At one time the bowls were made from a consecrated alloy of 7 metals representing the seven planets and hand crafted by monks while chanting prayers and mantras so they carried sacred energy of healing and transformation. While there are “old” bowls still available made in this tradition, most of the bowls on the market today are crafted my machine instead of being hand hammered.
How do the Tibetan Bowls work?
In the words of the great Tibetan master, Bodhisattva Gwalwa Karmapa, the Singing Bowls of Tibet emit the “Sound of the Void”, the sound of the universe manifesting. the sound of “Om”. The bowls’ characteristic blend of harmonic resonances are used as a vibrational tool to induce stress reduction, chakra balancing, energy synchronization and spontaneous healing. They effectively alter consciousness into a peaceful and expansive meditative state. Participants report accentuated clarity of mind and body, enhanced creativity and a sense of peace and well-being.
On a biological level these instruments affect a great deal of physical change but Tibetan bowl healing has far-reaching implications that occur on emotional, spiritual, and physical levels. It is a regenerative process married to a spiritual awakening that can have profound consequences on illness, disease, and all aspects of our lives. In fact, mainstream medical teaching facilities like Duke University and the University of North Carolina have added programs that link body, mind, and spirit to the treatment of cancer. Cancer prevention centers are utilizing sound as a vital part of the healing process for patients with astounding results. We are now discovering the science behind this powerful ancient modality which is so effective for healing today. Modern medicine can now measure and thus confirm the practice of sound as a means to heal.
Dr. Mitchell Gaynor has been using sound, including Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls and chanting in work with cancer patients for many years. The medical director of the Deepak Chopra center in California, Dr. David Simon, found that the sound from Tibetan bowls as well as chanting are chemically metabolized into ’endogenous opiates’, that act on the body as internal painkillers and healing agents.
How do the vibrations from the singing bowls help in the healing process disease?
According to Diane Mandle, certified Tibetan Sound Healer, it can be said that illness is a manifestation of dis-harmony within the body—an imbalance in the cells or a given organ and that healing can be achieved by restoring the normal vibratory frequencies of the diseased, out-of-harmony parts of the body. Since all matter is energy vibrating at different rates, by altering the rate of vibration we can change the structure of matter. Sound from the bowls entrain the brain to move into the deeper Alpha and Theta brain wave frequencies that induce deep meditative and peaceful states, clarity of mind, and intuition. When placed directly on the body the sound vibrations are transmitted into our blood, organs, tissues, and cellular memory through the 80% water in our system. The sound vibrations impact our nervous system, engaging our relaxation reflex and inhibiting the stress or pain response. It reduces brain wave activity, slows the respiratory and heart rate creating ‘Cardio-Respiratory Synchronicity’—the perfect condition to release blocked energy and bring the body back into alignment.
Dr. Gaynor mentions in an article in Shamans Drum magazine that the reason sound (and chanting) are still used in shamanistic cultures is that the sound induces trance states of consciousness conducive to healing. The ancient Himalayan bowls are made from a consecrated seven-metal alloy which, when skillfully stimulated, produces five individual and simultaneous tones, each at its own consistent frequency, which vibrationally dance with each other. The raw materials were collected, smelted and purified, cast, reheated and hammered into shape and tone. Mantras or sacred chants were sung and infused intent into the bowls. Their sound synchronizes sentient brain waves and creates a therapeutic effect upon the mind/body realization.
Singing bowls, produce the primordial sound of ‘AUM’: The fundamental utterance of energy metamorphosing into matter. They alter space, mind and time; awakening cellular memory and healing the energy body. The act of listening to their captivating overtones effectively stops one’s internal dialog, the ’Monkey Mind’. The individual is transported into a space of tranquility and balance where the ’Universal Chord’, found within each self, is touched, joined with, and understood. The Universal Chord, if you will, is the primordial substance from which our whole reality is made and from which our universe originated. Although the vibrational energy of the bowls can be directed to a specific area for healing purposes, they work more on a fundamental level.
Thus, sound is a type of energy medicine that creates the sacred space in which people can heal from stress disorders, pain, depression, the emotional roller coaster and more. It also creates the perfect state for deep meditation, creative thinking and intuitive messages. The healing process is initiated by entraining our brainwaves and creating sympathetic resonance with the perfect vibrations of the bowls.
What can I expect during a session?
While lying clothed on a massage table, Tibetan Bowls are placed on and around the body working with the body’s subtle energies, nervous system, tissues and muscles. Light weight clothing is recommended. Other instruments may be included such as drums, tuning forks, chimes, and/or gongs.
How Do I Schedule a Session?
Check out the Balance and Harmony services page for pricing and details on scheduling your appointment.