Singing Bowl Meditation Outdoors: Enter into a Deep Connection with Nature
Outdoors in the midst of blooming nature, we often feel more connected and at the same time find our own center more easily. The beauty and abundance that surrounds us, especially in spring and summer, can be deeply impressive. A walk in the woods or simply being mindful amidst plants and trees are very simple ways to let go of thoughts and ground yourself more in the here and now.
What if you could experience this nature encounter even more intensely? The singing bowl can help you connect even more deeply with nature. To inspire you to use your singing bowl more outdoors, we would like to share with you in this text a simple instruction for a singing bowl meditation in nature.
1. Preparation for meditation with singing bowl in nature
Store your singing bowl and mallet safely in a bag. A special singing bowl cover or a singing bowl bag is best suited for this purpose. A singing bowl pillow or a felt coaster for your singing bowl can also be helpful, but is not mandatory.
You don’t own a singing bowl and matching mallet yet?
For beginners who want to dive deeper into the work with sound, we recommend the Peter Hess® Universal Bowl. If you want to use the bowl mainly for meditation, the Peter Hess® Sangha Meditation Singing Bowl is also a good alternative. As a suitable mallet, the soft felt mallet from Hess Sound is suitable for beginners as well as for advanced players.
2. Find a beautiful place in nature
Find a quiet and green place in nature that particularly appeals to you today. This can be in a park near you, a forest or even your garden. What trees and plants do you enjoy the most? What smells do you perceive as particularly pleasant? Trust completely in your first intuition and follow your feelings. Once you have found a place, set your blanket, singing bowl and any other paraphernalia you have brought along so that you can comfortably sit here for some time.
3. Place the singing bowl
Find a comfortable, upright sitting position on the blanket placing the singing bowl in front of you on your pillow or coaster. You should be able to easily reach the singing bowl with your mallet without having to leave your upright sitting position or extend your arm too far. Now close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to center yourself and calm down.
4. Find your grounding
Imagine how you release more and more weight towards the floor. Your hips become heavy and the connection of your legs to the floor becomes more and more saturated. Your inhalation can help you focus and with your exhalation you can release more and more weight towards the earth. Perhaps the image of a tree slowly taking deeper and deeper roots into the earth will help you. Feel the grounding and how it strengthens the connection to your surroundings.
When you are ready, slowly open your eyes and consciously notice the beauty of nature around you. Let your eyes gently wander over the lush green leaves and vibrant colors. Notice the smell that surrounds you and how the air touches your skin.
5. Connect with nature through a mantra
If it feels right for you, you can focus on individual plants, trees, or elements while repeating this mantra quietly or out loud a few times:
“I see the beauty of nature in every detail.”
Linger with your gaze on the tree or plant until you have absorbed all of its splendor.
6. Integrate your singing bowl
Now bring your attention to the singing bowl in front of you. Look at it with appreciation and notice its shape, texture, and the light it reflects. If it feels more comfortable for you, you can also place the bowl on the heel of your hand. Take the mallet in your other hand and gently strike the top of the singing bowl. Feel the gentle vibrations and sounds spreading around you. Strike the singing bowl again as soon as the sound has faded away.
7. Combine sound and nature
Notice very consciously how the sound flows out into the vastness of nature. Focus on details in your surroundings and look at them attentively. This can be a single leaf moving in the wind, the strong trunk of a tree, or a flower that particularly appeals to you at the moment. Take in the full beauty of your surroundings. You can also close your eyes briefly every now and then to bring your attention more to yourself and your grounding.
8. Let body, sound and nature become one.
Feel the sound of the singing bowl flowing into your inner being and the vibrations spreading through your body. More and more you absorb the vibrations of the singing bowl allowing them to flow through your whole being.
Imagine how your body itself becomes a singing bowl and nature around you resonates. The vibrations that you have absorbed from your singing bowl, you now consciously give back to your environment. Stay with this image for a few minutes until you can perceive the steady flow of energies more and more.
Now notice the sounds of nature such as the singing of the birds, the rustling of the leaves, the rustling of the wind. Let the sound of the singing bowl merge with the natural sounds of your environment. Feel how the sound of the singing bowl amplifies the vitality and energy of nature and deepens your connection with nature. Let the tranquility and harmony of the natural environment fill you, and enjoy being at one with nature.
9. Finish the singing bowl meditation in nature
Strike the singing bowl one last time and let the tones fade away. Now return your focus to your breath. Breathe in and out evenly through your nose a few times while once again paying close attention to the sounds of nature around you.
Before you open your eyes again, take a moment to notice what has changed and what you experienced during the meditation with a singing bowl in nature.
Connecting with nature on a regular basis will help you find more peace and serenity. You can get better access to your inspiration and get in touch with your inner wisdom. Above all, consciously connecting with our natural environment reminds us that we are never separate from each other and are constantly interrelated. If we take good care of our environment, we will also take good care of ourselves. Meditation with a singing bowl in nature can help you to remember again and again to perceive the healthier needs of your environment, and to act accordingly.