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In the beginning, wind ("lung") moved the Great Silence & created sound. From its vibrations, sound produced
both subtle and gross forms. In Creation Myths world-wide, sound is recognised as the womb from which the Visible and Invisible
emerged.
In ancient Egypt ordinary people were not allowed to listen when the Gods where singing songs for self-healing,
only the high priests were allowed to hear these songs. Much later the Gods sent the priests out to chant these songs to heal
people. This was the first time that people used sound to heal.
Somehow this healing knowledge disappeared. As the
Gods had taught that sound could move the Sun, it is maybe understandable that this knowledge was kept secret. It was Phytagoras,
the Greek mathematician and philosopher, who first stated that sound that could move mountains. His studies in sound were
published, but until today his work on healing is still not understood.
Singing Bowls originated in the pre Buddhist
Shamanic Bon Po culture of the Himalayas. Though they are often called "Tibetan" singing bowls, they seem to date
back some 3000 years to the Bronze Age in China. In legend the iron for the bowls came from meteorites found in the Himalayan
Mountain tops: metal from the Heavens. Unlike some Tibetan sound producing instruments whose use is well documented in the
Tibetan Buddhist Canon, there is absolutely nothing written about singing bowls, even though they have been found in both
monasteries and private homes. When questioned about the use of the bowls Tibetans are evasive, saying that they are simply
vessels for food.
Today with the New Age spirit, many people are trying to explain the magical power of sound. For
over two years I searched to understand the healing properties of sound. Now I believe that by working with healing sound,
we can do good for ourselves and others even if we do not fully understand why it works. And the knowledge of, how to work
with sound comes from an awareness of what it does to our body, mind and spirit.
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Sound Meditation
For meditation, focus on the breath or alternatively
on sound. The vibrating sounds of the singing bowl are ideal for stilling the mind and bringing it into a centred clarity.
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Sound Massage
- Hold a bowl first in the right hand, and gong it every 10 seconds. Move the bowl in front of your body and let it stay
for a while in one place while you experience the energy exchange. Then change the bowl to your left hand and repeat.
- Place the bowl in front of you and with your right hand gong it every 10 seconds. Feel the vibration and direct
this where you want to experience it. Repeat with the left hand.
- Lay on your back and put the bowl on your
body. Gong the bowl every 10 seconds, first with your left hand and then with your right hand.
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Sound Concert
Place all your bowls and other instruments comfortable around you, and start to play your instruments intuitively, and let
them sing .
Once you feel really comfortable of your playing, you can invite other people to come listen to your creation.
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Some examples of creativity and improvisation:
1) Place the bowl in the palm of your hand, holding it away from your body. Gong it softly with a wooden mallet and absorb
the sound with your eyes closed. Listen not only with your ears but also get in touch with how it makes you feel and how your
body responds. The labyrinth of over-laid sounds and harmonics is always a unique experience for each person. You will have
an intuitive sense of which bowl you are in harmony with, instilling feelings of great peace, space and paradoxically profound
silence.
2) Then strike the bowl lightly again and with pressure, slowly rub the mallet firmly around the edge. It
will start to sing quietly and increases in volume with successive rotations. Do not try to force the sound to be louder than
it wishes to vibrate, as this will make the bowl rattle unpleasantly. If you have no immediate results, persevere and you
will slowly gain the necessary skill. Each bowl has a life of its own and sings its unique song. If you do not respond to
one particular bowl, try another, for there will indeed be a special sound for you. We all react to sound in accordance with
our accumulated experience, therefore making this choice an entirely personal one. You will recognise your sound immediately
but you will have to experiment to find it.
3) The bowl may be placed on different parts of your body and "gonged"
as described above. The resonance will flow around and through the body sympathetically tuning and healing it. The intention
is to create harmony of the body and heart through the vibration of sound like the alchemist who changes leaden hearts into
gold.
4) Your bowl may be placed on a small firm cushion or rubber ring. Use "Gong beaters" to stike the
bowl. Every mallet will produce a different sound, especially those covered with tape, felt, leather, cork, rope or wood.
5) When the bowl is singing, place it close to your lips. By opening and closing your mouth you will hear various
harmonics. You can also hum or intone directly into the resonating bowl. The voice reinforces what the ears are hearing and
creates a circuit connecting the ear with the voice, resulting in a more focussed listening mode. The difference between hearing
and listening will now become obvious.
6) The "shape" of sound will becomes visible when you rub a bowl
which has been filled with a little water. When it hums, the vibrations can even cause a fountain of tiny, sparkling droplets.
These sounds make patterns in the water, much like a mandala.
The underlying philosophy of "SilentSoundCentre.tripod.com" is to provide a space for
many different flavors of the truth. The views and opinions expressed by the authors of our articles and/or interview subjects
are not necessarily those of the editors, management and staff of Silent Sound Centre. Silent Sound Centre does not endorse
any individual product or concept, but rather, offers this information for your individual discernment. We are happy to receive
your opinions and feedback and actively encourage you to send us your views for publication in future issues.
Copyright: Silent Sound Centre, 2003- 2023
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