Singing Bowls in Meditation

Tibetan singing bowls originated in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Northern China, India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Historians are unable to pinpoint exactly when singing bowls came into being, but the technique to build similar instruments existed in Asia as long as 2,500 years ago. Some sources believe that singing bowls were first used in India 3,000 years ago, and in Tibet 1,000 years ago. It is believed that the "Bon" sect of shamans often used singing bowls in their rituals.


Singing bowls were originally comprised of five, seven, or nine different metals including gold, silver, mercury, copper, tin, and iron. Some also believe that meteorite was used in making the original bowls. But most bowls were made using five metals or less. Today, singing bowls are often made by pouring metal into a cast. These singing bowls are smoother and are generally easier to play. There are also hand-hammered singing bowls on the market. Hand-hammered bowls are more difficult to play, and even though they are often passed off as old or antique, few of them are. Antique bowls are still around, but they are very rare and high-priced. Playing a singing bowl is very simple, and you will be able to play most bowls in less than five minutes. Simply circle the stick around the outside of the bowl very slowly in a steady rhythm. You might have to circle for a while before you actually hear anything. You will begin to hear a slight hum, and this hum will increase as you continue circling the stick around the bowl.

Singing bowls are often used for meditation, and you can play your bowl while meditating yourself. You can also ask someone else to play the bowl while you are meditating. Singing bowls are often used in yoga classes as well. In a yoga class someone would sit in the class to play the bowl while the students go through the asanas. This is a nice addition to any yoga class, and is more soothing than the recorded music that many yoga classes use.

Singing bowls are wonderful to use in outside environments and for yourself at home. They are becoming more and more popular in the west, along with yoga and Buddhism. When you are not playing your singing bowl, it still serves as a beautiful decoration for your home. In Tibet singing bowls are often used for other purposes, such as offering bowls, as well as for playing.

How to play a singing bowl?

Singing bowls are very useful in meditation, healing, and as instruments. Singing bowls can be played alone at home, in yoga classes, or in concerts. Like anything, learning how to play a singing bowl takes a bit of practice, but once you learn how to play one singing bowl you will be able to play other singing bowls as well.

Singing Bowl Playing Environment

Find a calm environment where you can be alone and make your body comfortable. You might find it comfortable to sit in the floor on a pillow or to sit in a chair. Close your eyes for a moment just before playing your singing bowl so that you bring your body and mind to a calm, quiet space.

Holding The Singing Bowl

Please make sure you put the
singing bowl on the front of your palm.

A common mistake in learning how to play singing bowls is to place the singing bowl in your fingers.

Striking the Singing Bowl

You can strike the singing bowl with a singing bowl mallet before you begin playing the bowl if you would like to, it is not required to do so for the singing bowl to play. Strike the singing bowl near the rim or the side of the bowl and the sound will make the singing bowl resonate for a while after.

Playing the Singing Bowl

Singing bowls make their sound, or sing, by rubbing the striker around the rim of the singing bowl. Wooden singing bowl strikers give the singing bowl a low tone. Leather wrapped singing bowl mallets give the singing bowl a lower tone. But different singing bowls make different sounds based on the shape of the bowl. Singing bowls can be curved inward, outward, or straight up and down. Each of these different shapes makes a different sound. We have included recordings of each singing bowl listed on our site so that when you shop for a singing bowl you can choose the sound you would like to purchase, as well as the color, size, and style.

Be sure to press the wooden singing bowl striker firmly against the rim of the singing bowl. The striker must remain in constant contact with your singing bowl. Move the striker slowly around the outside rim of the singing bowl and you will soon hear the singing bowl hum, or sing. Slowly run the mallet around the bowl with constant even pressure. If the hum of the singing bowl sounds inconstant, or choppy, slow down and continue to move the striker slowly along the outside of the singing bowl.

If you let the striker stray away from the side of the bowl, the singing may stop, in which case you start over, slowly increasing the speed without ever going too fast. Some bowls come to full volume in a couple of seconds, others take ten or more seconds. If you have trouble making your singing bowl sing, see the 'tips to remember' section below.

By adjusting the speed and angle of the mallet, the sound will change accordingly. Practice to find the speed and pressure that allows you to make the singing bowl hum, or sing. Find the proper balance of angle, speed, and pressure in order to make your singing bowl sing continuously for as long as you would like to play.