A Tibetan singing bowl vibrates and produces a rich, deep tone when played. Also known as singing bowls or Himalayan bowls, they are said to promote relaxation and offer powerful benefits and healing properties, including stress relief, better sleep, and pain relief.
Buddhist monks have long used Tibetan singing bowls in meditation practice. In addition, some wellness practitioners (including music, massage, and yoga therapists) use Tibetan singing bowls during treatment.
Jump to Key Takeaways
Kimberley Coole/Getty Images
Benefits of Tibetan Singing Bowls
- Stress relief: Some research supports the use of Tibetan singing bowls to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.
- Improving sleep: Singing bowl therapy has been linked to decreased anxiety and tension, so it may be helpful for improving sleep. Further research is needed to support this.
- Lowering blood pressure: A preliminary study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion in 2014 examined the benefits of starting a directed relaxation session with 12 minutes of singing bowl sounds. It found a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure and heart rate than silence before the session.
- Reducing depression: One study linked singing bowl therapy to improvements in mood and suggested that this approach may be a low-cost way to help reduce symptoms of depression.
- Stimulating the immune system: Some also claim that Tibetan singing bowls can stimulate the immune system and produce beneficial changes in brain waves.
- Pain relief: One older study of chronic spinal pain found that people treated with singing bowl therapy experienced significantly decreased pain intensity and stress. However, placebo treatment had the same effects, so the study’s authors concluded that the effectiveness of singing bowl therapy for pain relief could not be confirmed.
- Balancing and harmonizing the body: Many proponents claim that the vibrations of a singing bowl can produce beneficial changes in the body by “harmonizing” the cells and “balancing the body’s energy system.”
- Enhancing other healing practices: Some people use the bowls in combination with other healing practices, such as meditation and deep breathing.
Do Singing Bowls Work?
It is important to note that while Tibetan singing bowls are often used for these purposes, research is still needed to determine what impact they actually have. Proponents may suggest that they have these benefits, but that does not mean that they actually work. Some of the claims don’t have a clear scientific basis.
How to Do It
During singing bowl treatment, you will lie on the floor while the bowls are placed in different configurations. For example, they might be placed around your body, on your body, or in various locations around the room.
Once positioned, the practitioner uses mallets to strike the bowls in a sequence to produce sounds and vibrations. In some cases, your practitioner may also include a guided meditation.
To use a bowl on your own:
- Practice making sounds: Firmly press the accompanying mallet in a circular motion against the bowl’s outside edge or rim. When you hear a bright, clear tone, you can slow down the motion. Use your full arm to make the motion, rather than just rotating your wrist.
- Explore alternate motions: You can also make the same circular motion against the outside belly of the bowl or gently strike the bowl before beginning the circular motion.
- Use with or without water: A singing bowl can be used with or without water. Water in the bowl can produce different resonant vibrations and sounds.
- Incorporate meditation: Singing bowls can be used for meditation in various ways. While meditating, you can gently tap on the sides of the bowl to produce gentle sounds and vibrations that you can focus on. You can also incorporate repetitive motion into your meditation by slowly rubbing the mallet around the inside of the bowl in a clockwise direction.
- Care for your bowl: Clean your singing bowl by wiping it down gently with a soft, slightly damp cloth. You can also use a non-acidic sanitizing cleanser to remove soiled spots. Avoid harsh cleansers and never put your bowl in the dishwasher.
How Do They Work?
A few different theories have been proposed to explain why Tibetan singing bowls might be beneficial. Such theories suggest that:
The benefits of listening to the bowls may be related to the ancient practice of sound therapy. Often used by Indigenous cultures throughout the world, sound therapy involves pulsing sounds, clapping, drumming, and singing for ceremonial, spiritual, and health purposes.
For example, singing bowls are often used during sound baths, a meditative experience in which people meditate while listening to resonant sounds. Research has found that sound baths can have a variety of beneficial effects, including:
- Improving positive moods
- Reducing anxiety
- Decreasing pain
A 2020 review of the existing research concluded that there was not enough current evidence to recommend singing bowl therapies. However, the study’s authors noted that there was evidence indicating that this type of treatment had some positive effects that warrant further investigation.
What to Look for Before You Buy
If you are interested in trying Tibetan singing bowls, there are a number of places where you can find them. Some sources include:
- Online retailers
- Meditation centers
- Yoga studios
- Music shops
- Stores that specialize in new age products
Experts suggest that higher-quality bowls tend to produce more resonant sounds.
Smaller to medium-sized bowls are often more appropriate for beginners. Larger singing bowls may be suited to more advanced users. There are a number of good-quality singing bowls available that are small enough to be comfortable for beginning users but still produce quality sounds.
Look for a high-quality bowl that is able to produce a variety of resonant tones. Some experts suggest purchasing a hand-hammered bowl as opposed to a machine-made one in order to obtain a more resonant tone.
When to Avoid
While using Tibetan singing bowls is generally regarded as safe, there is not a great deal of research on using them as a type of treatment. People who may want to avoid singing bowl therapy include those who:
- Are prone to headaches: Some people report experiencing headaches as a result of the noise and vibrations that the singing bowls produce.
- Are pregnant: Because the effects on pregnancy are not known, you might want to avoid this type of therapy if you are currently pregnant.
- Have epilepsy: In some instances, noise and vibrations may trigger seizures.
Where Did Singing Bowls Come From?
There is debate about the exact origins of the Tibetan singing bowl, although there is some evidence that it may have originated in China around the 16th century BC. Traditional bowls were made of a variety of metals, including mercury, lead, silver, iron, gold, and copper.
During the 1970s, people began importing the bowls to North America and Europe. They grew in popularity in the 1990s as a complementary and alternative treatment for a variety of ailments.
Key Takeaways
- Tibetan singing bowls are believed to promote relaxation, relieve stress, and produce other healing effects.
- Purported benefits include improving sleep, reducing depression, relieving pain, and increasing immunity. However, current evidence cannot substantiate these benefits. While there appear to be some positive effects, more research is needed to determine how and when singing bowls are best used.
- Tibetan singing bowls may have some benefits, but more research is needed to support their use as a treatment for stress, anxiety, and other concerns. Some research does indicate that these singing bowls can enhance meditation and deep breathing, which may help maximize the stress-relieving benefits of those practices.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Goldsby TL, Goldsby ME, McWalters M, Mills PJ. Effects of singing bowl sound meditation on mood, tension, and well-being: an observational study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017;22(3):401-406. doi:10.1177/2156587216668109
Landry JM. Physiological and psychological effects of a Himalayan singing bowl in meditation practice: a quantitative analysis. Am J Health Promot. 2014;28(5):306-9. doi:10.4278/ajhp.121031-ARB-528
Wepner F, Hahne J, Teichmann A, Berka-Schmid G, Hördinger A, Friedrich M. [Treatment with crystal singing bowls for chronic spinal pain and chronobiologic activities – a randomized controlled trial]. Forsch Komplementmed. 2008;15(3):130-7. doi:10.1159/000136571
Panchal S, Irani F, Trivedi GY. Impact of himalayan singing bowls meditation session on mood and heart rate variability – an observational study. zico E, ed. IJPR. 2020;1(4):20-30.
Cotoia A, Dibello F, Moscatelli F, et al. Effects of Tibetan music on neuroendocrine and autonomic functions in patients waiting for surgery: A randomized, controlled study. Anesthesiol Res Pract. 2018;2018:9683780. Published 2018 Mar 5. doi:10.1155/2018/9683780
Stanhope J, Weinstein P. The human health effects of singing bowls: A systematic review. Complement Ther Med. 2020;51:102412. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102412
Stanhope J, Weinstein P. The human health effects of singing bowls: A systematic review. Complement Ther Med. 2020;51:102412. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102412
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?
Helpful
Report an Error
Other
