About Crystal Singing Bowls | Illuminations of Gaia : Bindy

About the Crystal Singing Bowls

Hearing the haunting sound of the crystal bowls seems to awaken an ancient remembering, touching the essence of the soul. How can we explain what it is? Is it the crystal from which the bowls are made? Is it a refrain from the ethers? Is it our connection with the source of our creation?

Our Crystal Singing Bowls are made with only the purest quartz crystal (99.999% pure) that is sourced from a location within the United States. Our Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls are created entirely within the USA and are created with a proprietary process that allows us to fuse minerals, metals and crystals with the pure quartz, creating a sound healing tool that is entirely unique in the world.

Our process is patented, and is not available from any other source. Each bowl that is created is marked with a unique serial number so that the owner can be assured that it is a genuine Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowl. Each bowl that is created has been crafted from the highest standard of materials and has been thoroughly inspected and carefully chosen to ensure the integrity of the final product.

The difference between our bowls and any other on the market is obvious, from the purity of the tones to the beauty that radiates from each and every bowl created.

What are crystal bowls?

Crystal bowls are made from 99.992% pure crushed quartz and heated to about 4000 degrees in a centrifugal mold.

They are available in frosted bowls in a variety of sizes, ranging from 6 to 24 inches in diameter. Also available are the exquisite Alchemy, Advanced Alchemy and Master Alchemy available in 5 to 12 inches in diameter as well as in Practitioner hand held bowls. The crystal bowls emit a powerful, pure resonance. The larger bowls are much more reverberant, with the tone lingering longer, simply because of the size and amount of crystal.

The size of the bowl does not necessarily determine its note, although the larger bowls sound lower octaves and notes. Each bowl is tested with digital technology to identify its sound. One will have a sense of which tone "feels" most congruent with individual needs or desires. The notes, C, D, E, F, G, A, B correspond with one’s energy centers or chakras.

Some bowls harmonize with other bowls, and when both are played simultaneously, the effect is exquisite and synergistic.

Alchemy Crystal Bowls and Classic Frosted Crystal Bowls

All of Crystal Tones crystal singing bowls are made with pure quartz crystal. The Classic Frosted bowls gift us with a deep earthy sound. They are hearty, made thicker than the alchemy bowls, which make them a wonderful addition to classrooms or hands on experience with children. Some find that the frequencies of the Classic Frosted help to clear energies, preparing clients for the higher frequencies the alchemy bowls bring. For those on a limited budget, the Classic Frosted Bowls are a good entry point, where a set of two or three can be put together with financial ease.

The alchemy bowls, which include advanced alchemy and master alchemy bowls are of a much higher frequencies as they are made with pure crushed quartz crystal and further infused with precious gemstones, minerals, metals and elements. They are much lighter and smaller than the classic frosted bowls. The moment the alchemy bowls are heard is the moment that the words become the experience of the depths of their powerful clearing and remapping medicine.

How to use crystal bowls

One should "clear" the bowl, using whatever methods are used for clearing other crystals. An invocation at the beginning of a session helps create sacred space and affirms intention. Using the bowls in combination with voice or other instruments is dynamic and very effective.

Rubber-ball mallets or suede-covered wands are used to sound the bowls. The effect of each is different, and personal preference will determine the choice.

One should strike the outside of the bowl, in an upright position, giving about half the length of the wand to the bowl surface near the top rim, then "follow the sound around the bowl, " with the wand or mallet, enhancing the duration and loudness of the tone.

Each practitioner has a unique style of sounding the bowls. Some will move the wand or mallet clockwise for specific intentions, while others prefer a counter-clockwise motion, or a combination.

Anyone can play the crystal singing bowls, all one needs is an open heart. Bindy offers an Introduction to Crystal Singing Bowls class several times a year.

Sound Healing - Article by Sam Gileadi, Sound Engineer for Crystal Tones

There are several elements to the sound of the Crystal Singing Bowls that make them incredibly suited for meditation and sound healing purposes. Unique to the Crystal Singing Bowls is the presence of what are called vocal formants. Understanding what formants are is as simple as singing vowels such as ‘ahh’ or ‘oooh.’ Formants are the elements of sound that makes vowels sound like they do. The bowl or bell shape gives the sound similar characteristics to the human voice. This quality is why they are known as singing bowls. The use of both bells and choirs is a well-known part of many religious and spiritual ceremonies. Studies have also shown that the human mind reacts positively to the sound of singing. One need only picture a mother calming a child with the sound of her voice, or a yogi chanting OM to understand how deeply we react to vowel sounds and singing.

They are excellent tools for creating natural binaural beat tones. Scientific studies and a multitude of experiences by practitioners suggest that the use of binaural beats is an effective way to treat anxiety and similar disorders, and to achieve a meditative mental state The Crystal Singing Bowls offer a unique advantage over beats created by synthesized tones because the sounds are created acoustically. The sound is natural, more complex, and more pleasant to listen to. Importantly: when two bowls are used, the process of entrainment occurs naturally between the two as they feed back between each other and cause each other to resonate towards a state of equilibrium.

The Singing Bowls generate not one single note, but several. Musically speaking these are known as the fundamental note (lowest note) and the harmonics. The harmonics generally follow musical intervals, so playing a single bowl has similarities to playing a chord on a piano. What the ‘chord’ might be depends on the construction of each individual bowl. In some cases the harmonics are close enough to each other in pitch that they add a natural vibrato to the sound, following the same principle of interference beating that makes binaural beats possible. Think of a piano player using major or minor chords to make their audience feel different emotions. Another example would be Tibetan monks overtoning so as to create multiple tones with their voices.

The addition of metals or gemstones to the Alchemy Crystal Bowls adds another dimension to the sound. They add their own qualities by dampening or filtering the pure crystal sound. Especially in the case of metals such as gold or platinum, they also add the resonant characteristics of these materials. For example, with a Gold Alchemy bowl, the sound will be smoother and slightly metallic. Consider how a classical composer might use the softer sound of a violin or cello to evoke feelings of nostalgia, or she may employ the more metallic sound of brass instruments to give more energy to the music. The alchemy elements subtly alter the sound for a similar range of effects.

Each of these elements on their own has beneficial effects to human psychology. The Crystal Singing Bowls take all these different elements, each with positive effects, and integrate them into a single, holistic system that is rooted in ancient tradition. A skilled bowl player takes advantage of all of these elements. Through proper playing technique one can emphasize or eliminate any of the tones that the bowls are able to make. This means that by means of biofeedback, or reacting to how the player feels and what they hear and changing the sound accordingly, she can tailor the experience of playing the singing bowls according to how she feels.

Singing Bowl Cases

Crystal Tones offers three styles of cases to transport your beloved crystal bowls safely. The golden silk cases, the heavy duty purple ballistic cases and the airplane safe hard cases. Each Crystal Tones alchemy order requires your bowls to ship in a case for protection and to ensure they are insured. Bindy recommends the purple ballistic cases for your alchemy bowls for the best padded protection. The hard cases are your ultimate protection and are what Bindy uses for all of her alchemy bowls. Cases can be purchased on their own without crystal bowls also if needed.

Pricing

Classic Frosted bowls range in price of a 10 inch bowl of $179 to an 18 inch bowl of $319. Classic Frosted bowls are available up to 24 inches and also in 3 or 5 bowl Endrocrine sets as well as 7 bowl Chakra sets. Bindy recommends when it comes to Classic Frosted bowls to not go smaller than a 9 or 10 inch bowl for best performance.

The Alchemy and Advanced Alchemy bowls range in price based on their alchemy mixes. Crystal Tones is always creating new blends, currently there are over 20 pricing tiers. A 6 inch bowl in tier one retails for $649. The alchemy blends can range in price up to $4,000 or more depending upon the type of bowl and the size.

Bindy offers a discount on all of Crystal Tones bowls, and a greater discount is given when 3, 4, 5 and beyond sets are created as well as when Master Bowls and Master Etched Bowls are ordered.

To begin working with Bindy please review all the information here under the Crystal Bowls section and then email her at Bindy@Bindy.org with details to what you are seeking and what your budget is.

Shipping

Shipping rates are quoted once your set is confirmed and your shipping location is determined. Classic Frosted bowl have a slightly higher shipping fee due to their added weight.

Getting Started

Please read through the entire section of Crystal Singing bowls to become more familiar. Once complete please email Bindy at Bindy@Bindy.org and explain what you are looking for and what your budget is. This will assist Bindy in her recommendations as we work together to build your set. Bindy does recommend ordering bowls in pairs, sets of 3 are most ideal. If this is your first crystal singing bowl purchase, and you choose a single bowl, you will very quickly return to Bindy to add at least one more. The crystal bowls want to harmonize with each other. It is truly best to have us harmonize your pair or sets together. You can always add additional pairs or sets over time as you build your collection.