Key points at a glance
- The music journalist Joachim-Ernst Berendt and the ENT doctor and scientist Alfred Tomatis are considered pioneers of sound work.
- In monasteries, metal bowls were used as offering vessels or by begging monks.
- So far, there is no evidence for the earlier use of Singing Bowls in rituals or healing ceremonies.
The initial spread of Singing Bowls in Western culture
The spread of Singing Bowls in Western culture is associated with the hippie movement in the late 1960s. Young people in this movement sought new experiences in India and Nepal, among other places, and encountered the "singing bowls" on their travels.
They were fascinated by the sounds, which led them into trance-like states in which consciousness-expanding experiences were possible. Many brought Singing Bowls back home, and there are numerous recordings from this time – especially from the New Age music scene – in which Singing Bowls can be heard alongside other exotic instruments.
Where do Singing Bowls come from?
Singing Bowls originally come from the East Asian region - from China, Japan and Burma. Their predecessors were the so-called standing bells. These were approximately hemispherical bronze vessels that stood on the floor with the opening facing upwards and were struck with a wooden mallet.
The temple bells are a special form of these forerunners and look back on more than 5,000 years of history - they are similar to our church bells. The latter, however, are much younger at around 1,500 years old. Depending on the area of distribution, various types of Singing Bowls developed from this, as we know them today. They differ enormously in terms of sound and vibration behaviour and quality.
Note
Most of the Singing Bowls that are available in our latitudes today come from India, Nepal, Tibet, Japan or China.
The Origin of Peter Hess® Singing Bowls
As early as the 1970s, Peter Hess embarked on a journey of discovery into alternative forms of therapy. In Nepal, he became acquainted with many different methods. He was particularly impressed by the effect of sounds on the human body and mind and began to investigate this in more detail.
Working with sound, especially with Singing Bowls, fascinated him so much that over the years he developed a completely new concept – the sound massage. This method is based on the use of specially developed Singing Bowls, which are struck on or next to the body. Together with other companions, he discovered over time which sounds are suitable for which area of the body and which type of Singing Bowl has the best possible effect. This is how Peter Hess began developing specific Therapy Singing Bowls for body work.
Even today, Peter Hess's thirst for knowledge is far from quenched - he is intensively involved every day with the further development of the Peter Hess® Singing Bowls and Sound Massage. It is important to him to pass on his experiences and knowledge. He is convinced that sound massage is an enormously powerful method and is needed more than ever today. In the video you will learn exciting details and insights into working with sound and the development of Therapy Singing Bowls.
Joachim-Ernst Berendt and Alfred Tomatis as pioneers of sound work
A pioneer for the increasing popularity of sound and hearing was the music journalist Joachim-Ernst Berendt (1922-2000) in the 1980s. With his audio performance “Nada Brahma – The World is Sound” and his books, he inspired a large audience. In his works, he accompanies his listeners and readers on a journey through the unexplored regions of the unconscious – an often forgotten world that consists of sound, rhythm and vibration. A must for anyone who wants to understand the universe better.
Another pioneer for sound work was the French ENT doctor and scientist Alfred Tomatis (1920-2001), who dedicated himself to researching the close connection between voice, brain and ear and published books such as “The Sound of the Universe” or “Sound World Womb”.
What were Singing Bowls used for in the past?
Like the origin, the original use of the bronze bowls is unclear. What is clear is that they were used as signal transmitters and everyday objects. For example, food and liquids were kept in the metal bowls – also to enrich them with minerals such as iron or copper. There are parallels here to the nutritional teachings of the more than 5,000-year-old Ayurveda or alchemy.
Use of Singing Bowls in trance rituals or healing ceremonies
It is interesting that there is no evidence for a once ritual use of Singing Bowls or even in healthcare. Corresponding stories are mostly based on legends, sagas or myths. More recently, they are also often created by resourceful advertisers to arouse the interest of customers and increase sales figures.
But even if there was a secret use of Singing Bowls as part of trance rituals or healing ceremonies, it certainly has nothing to do with the sound massage or sound therapy as we know it today in the West.
Note
The sound massage, in which Singing Bowls are positioned on and around the clothed body and played, has been developed by Peter Hess for people in the West since 1984, based on his experiences in Nepal – so it is a Western method.