Are There Health Benefits to Tibetan Singing Bowls?

What is singing bowl therapy?

Singing bowls are metal and crystal bowls used to deepen meditation and promote relaxation. They produce sustained sounds and vibrations when hit or circled with a mallet.

Sound therapy and guided meditations often make use of singing bowls. Bowls of varying sizes are placed around the room, around your body, or on your body. You can use them by yourself or with the help of a meditation or healing practitioner.

In addition to relaxation, people say singing bowl sound therapy can help:

• lessen chronic pain
• improve sleep
• reduce anger
• improve blood pressure
• improve respiratory rate
• reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• improve symptoms of some neurological disorders such as fibromyalgia and Parkinson’s disease

What is sound meditation?

Singing bowl therapy falls under the umbrella of sound meditation. Sound meditation incorporates singing, chanting, and instrumental music. It is ancient practice that has become a popular complementary treatment for many physiological and mental health conditions.  UCLA, which offers a music therapy treatment program, cites research showing that sound therapy can help improve both physiological symptoms and mental health.  Research at McGill University has explored the neurochemistry of music. The researchers noted that sound therapy is an ancient art that has migrated in the past several decades into clinical settings. Clinicians use it for

• pain management
• relaxation
• psychotherapy
• personal growth