The History Of Crystal Bowls
Quartz crystal singing bowls are among the most powerful, beautiful, and easy-to-use transformational tools available today. These bowls are specially crafted to resonate with healing frequencies, enhancing their therapeutic effects.
Made from 99% silica sand (quartz), the bowls are created by spinning the sand into a centrifugal mold, which is then heated to 4000 degrees. An electric arc fuses the individual quartz grains into a single, cohesive structure.
This process results in the bowl’s interior being smooth while the exterior remains granular and sparkly, resembling tiny quartz grains.
Once the bowls are formed, they undergo a tuning process. This involves either sanding down the outside of the bowl or trimming its height until the desired musical note is achieved.
To produce sound, the outer rim of the bowl is played by pulling a suede mallet or a beater with a large rubber ball along it, creating friction and producing a resonant tone.
This process is similar to the way a sound is generated when a wet finger is run around the rim of a wine glass. Additionally, the bowls can be lightly tapped to create a more bell-like ‘dong’ sound.
Crystal singing bowls were originally a byproduct of the computer industry. Quartz can be heated to high temperatures, so quartz ‘crucibles’ were used to grow computer chips and other components within them.
Crystal Singing bowls first came into being as healing tools in 1990. Tibetan ‘7’ metal bowls, which work in a similar way, have been in use for centuries. More recently, the quartz bowls have been infused with other gemstones, such as Ruby and Rose Quartz, as well as precious metals such as gold and silver. Crystal bowls are so powerful as they combine several modalities: sound through resonating quartz crystal using light and color.
The power of focused intention can further enhance these properties. Sound frequencies work on the principle that everything in our universe is energy, which has a vibration. Everything in existence within the universe is in a vibrational state. The frequency at which we usually vibrate is called resonance. Certain sounds, therefore, will resonate with different organs and parts of the body.
Sound has been scientifically proven to have an effect on our autonomic, immune & endocrine systems, as well as the neuropeptide transmitters inside our brains.
Sound practitioners approach their clients with the understanding that vibrational imbalances in the energetic system—such as the aura or electromagnetic blueprint—can lead to disease. To address this, they seek to correct these imbalances by reintroducing the correct sound patterns, helping the body to heal and return to optimal health through the law of resonance. This law states that when one energetic system encounters another similar system, their vibrations must come into a state of resonance or harmonic vibration.
The impact of sound on matter, particularly on the human body, which is composed of approximately 80% water, has been well-documented. Dr. Masaru Emoto’s book, The Hidden Messages in Water, demonstrates how different sounds create various geometric shapes in frozen water. For instance, playing Mozart produces beautiful, symmetrical snowflake-like crystals, while discordant sounds result in unclear structures. This illustrates the profound effect sound can have on the water within our bodies.
Dr. Hans Jenny further explored this phenomenon through Cymatics, which involves using ‘Pure Tone’ or ‘sine waves’ within the audible spectrum to create physical patterns in mediums such as liquid or sand. A notable example is how the ‘Shri Yantra’ pattern is produced by the ‘Aum’ sound.
Crystal singing bowls are unique in the realm of sound instruments because they produce ‘pure tones’ when played. Unlike other instruments or the human voice, where notes may waver and vary, the sound produced by crystal bowls remains steady. This generates a wave of energy known as a ‘sine wave,’ which can extend up to a kilometer from the bowl in all directions and persist for several minutes. Sine waves are naturally occurring, seen in ocean waves and light waves, and at higher frequencies, sound transitions into color, which falls within the light spectrum.
Sine waves also mirror the energetic patterns in our brains when in an alpha state. In this brainwave state, the brainwaves operate at about 8 to 12 cycles per second or hertz, a calm and meditative state where a person is still alert and more receptive to learning, focus, and suggestion.
Quartz crystals have been scientifically proven to possess high piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties. The piezoelectric effect occurs when a quartz crystal is compressed, causing it to release a voltage of electricity and sometimes light. In the case of crystal singing bowls, this compression of the crystalline structure happens when the bowl is played, generating this piezoelectric effect.
Additionally, piezoelectricity is influenced by temperature variations within the crystal, which causes the energy inside the crystal to expand when heated and contract upon cooling. This cooling process stores the energy within the crystal’s structure. Interestingly, in my experience, a crystal bowl ‘warms up’ during play, and even slight temperature changes can trigger this pyroelectric effect.
Quartz crystals are remarkable for their ability to absorb energy, store it, redirect it, and amplify it. Since quartz absorbs white light, it inherently contains every color frequency within it. Our bodies also contain silica, and certain glands, such as the pineal gland, have crystalline structures and even oscillate like crystals. This structural similarity allows quartz crystals to resonate with these parts of our bodies.
Moreover, crystal bowls infused with other gemstones inherit the metaphysical properties of those stones. The specific mineral content and color of the gemstone play a significant role in its healing properties. For instance, turquoise, a gemstone rich in copper, is known for its ability to alleviate joint pain and conditions like arthritis. Copper bracelets have long been used to bring relief from such ailments, so a crystal bowl infused with turquoise would have a similar beneficial effect.
Crystal bowls operate as a synergy of various powerful modalities. Quartz has the unique ability to absorb energy and vibration, and since our thoughts themselves are waves of energy or vibration, these bowls can absorb and amplify our ‘thought vibrations.’ As Carlos Castaneda suggested, there is an immeasurable, indescribable force that shamans refer to as “intent,” and everything in the cosmos is interconnected through this force. When we focus our thoughts with clarity and precision, we are tapping into the vibration of what we wish to manifest.
Quartz bowls have the ability to refine and sharpen our thoughts, making them clearer. Through the law of attraction, these focused and clear thoughts begin to magnetize what we desire toward us. It also highlights how our thoughts and the vibrations they create play a crucial role in shaping our reality. Positive thoughts have been shown to produce beneficial changes in our physiology, reinforcing the idea that what we believe and intend has real, tangible effects.
Therefore, the more we focus our intent and believe in the power of crystal singing bowls to influence ourselves and others, the more potent their effects will be. Through this synergy of sound, energy, vibration, and intent, crystal bowls become a powerful tool for manifesting positive change and transformation.