Exploring the healing power of singing bowls: An overview of key findings and potential benefits

Summary & key facts

Singing bowl sound meditation is an old Tibetan and Buddhist practice. This review of studies found short-term calming effects: lower negative mood, higher positive mood, and some small improvements in blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing in some studies. The authors say the reasons are unclear (possible changes in brain waves, binaural beats, or vibration with the body's “biofield”), and they call for more research on long-term effects and clinical use.

Key facts:

• This paper is a review article published in Explore (NY) in Jan–Feb 2024 (Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 39–43).
• The review notes that singing bowl sound meditation has been used for centuries in Tibetan and Buddhist cultures.
• Several studies summarized in the review reported reduced negative affect (negative emotions) and increased positive affect after singing bowl sound meditation.
• Some studies included in the review found physiological changes after singing bowl sessions, such as reductions in blood pressure, lower heart rate, and slower respiratory rate.
• The authors list possible mechanisms (changes in brain waves, binaural beats, and vibration interacting with the body's “biofield”) but state these mechanisms are not fully understood.
• The review describes singing bowl sound meditation as a low-cost, low-technology intervention that may reduce tension, anxiety, and depression and promote spiritual well-being, but it emphasizes that more research is needed on long-term eff

Topics

Biofield Effects and Biophysics Music Therapy and Health Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Physiology

Tags

Acoustics Anxiety Archaeology Energy (signal processing) Feeling History Intervention (counseling) Mathematics Meditation Mood Physics Psychiatry Psychology Singing Social psychology Statistics