The Mind, Body & Soul Benefits of Singing Bowls

You don’t need to understand how singing bowls work to feel their benefits. All you need to do is sit down and let the sound waves take you on a journey of relaxation. But if you’ve experienced the blissfulness of a sound bath or come across the supporting scientific research like this one that found a reduction in tension, anger, fatigue and depressed mood, you might be curious. What is actually happening and what can you gain from enjoying singing bowls regularly?

There are many benefits of experiencing the soothing sounds of singing bowls on a mind, body and soul level. 

the benefits of singing bowls for the mind

The sounds of singing bowls feel so relaxing for a neuroscientific reason. Due to something called brain entrainment, our brain waves synchronise with sound waves in our environment. As our brain waves determine our mental state, sounds can change how we feel. 

We spend most of our time in beta brain waves that allow us to be active and alert. When we want to relax, we need to move into alpha, theta and the slowest brain waves, mostly associated with deep sleep, delta. Singing bowls release sound waves that slow down our brain waves and that has a wonderful effect.

quietening of thoughts

As you drift into deeper and deeper relaxation, your thoughts quieten. You can switch off worries and focus on the present, the sounds of the singing bowls or nothing much at all. That’s a welcome relief for those of us with busy minds. 

mental clarity and a new perspective

In this process of letting go of thoughts, you can get a new perspective on yourself, your life and situations that were concerning you. The respite from constantly being ‘on’ breaks the cycle of worry, creates space for reflection and provides clarity. 

meditative state

For many, myself included, the effects of singing bowls feel like a meditation. I struggle to achieve that kind of calm, peace and presence on my own but the singing bowls bring me there.

letting go of emotions

Moving into relaxation can help us release emotions. As the tension dissipates so do any intense feelings that we were holding onto.

centred and calm

As the sound waves of singing bowls literally change the state of our brains, we can start the session on high alert and in a matter of minutes reach a place of calm and feeling more centred. And that feeling can remain long after the sound bath. 

the benefits of singing bowls for the body

As the mind moves into states of relaxation, the body follows suit. Due to the chaos and overwhelm of modern life, many of us get stuck in fight or flight and our sympathetic nervous system is always on. This means our survival response is always switched on. 

When we calm the nervous system, as singing bowls help us to do, we switch to the parasympathetic nervous system. This is known as the rest, digest, restore and repair mode. As we don’t have to worry about immediate threats anymore, the body changes its focus to functioning for long-term wellbeing. 

deep restorative relaxation

One of the first things you’ll notice alongside a quieter mind is a relaxed body. It’s like all the physical tension melts away. Your muscles relax, your breathing slows and your body truly rests.

regulate bodily functions

In this relaxed state, your body can find balance and regulate bodily processes vital to health and wellbeing. From heart rate and blood pressure to digestion and hormones, taking a break from stress can help the body return to healthy functioning.

cellular repair

When in the safety of the parasympathetic nervous system, the body can do deep restorative work including cellular repair. Crystal singing bowls, in particular, are supportive of cellular repair because our bodies and the quartz the bowls are made from have the same crystalline structure, forging a strong connection. 

release physical pain

Singing bowls can also have an effect on our experience of physical pain. Relaxing the body and reducing stress levels can help lower the pain response. One of the bodily processes supported by the deep relaxation of singing bowls is the release of nitric oxide which has been linked to an inhibited pain response.

the benefits of singing bowls for the soul

For some, playing and receiving crystal singing bowls is a spiritual experience. Those who do connect with it spiritually feel like it releases stagnant energy, emotional blockages and rebalances the chakras. 

Each of the different notes of singing bowls is associated with one of the chakras. So you might feel the notes stimulating vibrations in different parts of the body such as the third eye or heart chakra. As the chakras are connected to certain benefits themselves, singing bowls can evoke spiritual shifts within us energetically. 

deep sense of connection

Singing bowls can help us connect to ourselves again. As we’ve shut out the noise of the outside world and quietened the worries that can hold us back, we rediscover our true selves. 

strength of intuition

As singing bowls help us disconnect from outside influences and fears, our intuition becomes louder. With a quieter mind we have the ability to listen more deeply. Some people experience revelations and epiphanies in sound baths because they are more connected to themselves and tapped into their intuition. 

amplify intentions

Intentions are a big part of playing and receiving crystal singing bowls because the bowls amplify our energy. By setting intentions when sitting down with bowls, we target the amplification towards our goals and desires, helping us turn our intentions into reality.

coming home to the body

Sometimes it feels like we spend too much time in our heads reliving memories from the past and imagining worst-case scenarios about the future. Singing bowls bring us back to the present and our physical bodies. It quietens the internal chatter and focuses our awareness on what we can experience here and now. Usually in sound baths it’s the frequencies of the singing bowls layered over one another, woven together with subtle sounds—the breath of the person beside you, or the soft whisper of wind outside the window—that deepen the experience of presence.

joy and inner peace

With the rebalancing of the chakras, free-flow of energy and reconnection to the self, people feel spiritually renewed by singing bowls. They’ve released what was burdening them and cleared the path to joy and peace. 

There are so many reasons to bring singing bowls into your life for your mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. You can do this by attending sound baths and sound healing events, getting your own singing bowls and learning to play them in a workshop, or hiring a sound practitioner like me to run a private session. 

Book a discovery call to discuss how you can enjoy the benefits of singing bowls. If you’re interested in playing your own bowls, listen to the sound library so you know what notes resonate with you the most. This will help us find an aligned set that best suits you.