Using Crystal Singing Bowls for Sound Therapy

Oanh Ngo, spa manager of Heart of the Earth Spa and resident singing bowl artist at Four Seasons Resort Nam Hai, Hoi An, continually renews her knowledge and training to explore the purpose and philosophy of practicing singing bowls. Here, she shares her top tips for spa pros. 

Crystal Singing Bowls

Crystal singing bowls are instruments used for sound healing. They are typically made of 99.9% crushed crystal quartz that is heated under high temperatures and formed into different bowl shapes.

Related: Sound Therapy Adds Spiritual Benefits to Your Spa Offerings

These bowls have powerful spiritual energy and amazing healing vibrations. A high-quality bowl will be able to hold its vibration and produce several tones, harmonics and overtones. These tones produce positive physical, mental and emotional effects for those who hear them.

Proper Setup

To get the best results, follow the below advice.

A quiet place: A quiet atmosphere allows you to focus when playing and for the tones to be heard clearly and vibrations to flow through the body clearing the negative energy or illnesses.

Be mindful: A singing bowl is not an inanimate object; each has its own thoughts as well. When we play the bowl, it should seem like we talking to them, making connections while the crystal bowls produce the best sound for whomever receives it. Most importantly, think positive thoughts when you are playing the singing bowl, and those thoughts will be magnified by the sound and vibrations.

Related: This Body Treatment Blends Sound Healing & Massage Therapy

Make the connection: Crystal singing bowls are like friends, so connect with them and handle them with care. Before I start to play, I take a moment to connect with them mindfully.

Playing Bowls Correctly

These are some predominant ways you can play the singing bowls.

Tap the wand on the side of the bowl to create a bell-like sound. This is an effective way of creating a sound change when playing a concert or sound session. It is a beautiful way of opening and closing.

Using the rubber ball end of the wand works particularly well with classic frosted bowls. Slowly encircle the circumference of the bowl until the bowl sings at the level of intensity you desire.

If the bowls are close together and you play them too loudly or forcefully, they can shatter, so you must grasp the striker like a pencil by the wooden end.

Lightly tap the outside rim of the bowl and immediately begin to run the striker around the corner of the outside edge of the rim of the bowl.

Your striker should be at about a 30-degree angle to the outside of the bowl. Take special care to maintain firm and constant pressure.

If you hear a grating or chattering sound, you are not applying enough pressure. Practice makes perfect. If you have trouble producing a solid sound, take a deep breath and try again.

If you prefer to gong your bowl by striking it, be sure to do it lightly. Your crystal bowl is a high-quality, fragile instrument; with proper handling, it can remain beautiful and viable for a lifetime.

It is imperative that you use the correct striker and the rubber ring when playing.

Remember that bowls can become dirty during normal use. Clean them with pure water and sea salt; I believe that the best time to clean the bowls is under the full moon to bring more powerful vibrations and absorb lots of positive energy.