Are Seven Metal Tibetan Singing Bowls Really Made of Gold and Silver, or is it a Myth?

Are Tibetan Singing Bowls Made of Seven Metals? A Myth Busted.

Tibetan singing bowls are fascinating ancient instruments with a long and mysterious history and have been used for centuries for meditation, relaxation, and healing. There is some debate about whether they are actually made of seven metals and contain gold and silver or not, and what the significance of those metals is.

• According to some sources, traditional Tibetan singing bowls are made from a unique combination of seven metals, each representing a celestial body: gold (Sun), silver (Moon), mercury (Mercury), copper (Venus), iron (Mars), tin (Jupiter), and lead (Saturn). However, other sources claim that this is a myth and that there is no evidence that the ancient bowls contained such a precise alloy. Some suggest that the seven metals are symbolic rather than literal representations of the cosmic forces.
• The process of making Tibetan singing bowls is intricate and requires the skilled craftsmanship of experienced artisans. The following steps provide an overview of the traditional manufacturing process:
  • The metals are melted together in a furnace and poured into a mould to form a bowl.
  • The bowl is then cold-forged, refined, and shaped by hand using wooden mallets and hammers. The hammering creates the curvature, thickness, and rim of the bowl, as well as the distinctive markings on the surface.
  • The bowl is then polished and tuned by more hammering, sanding, and rubbing. The tuning involves striking the bowl with a wooden stick and listening to the sound it produces and hammering it again until the artisan is satisfied with the final product. The sound should be clear, resonant, and harmonious.
  • The bowl is then decorated with engravings, paintings, or inlays, depending on the style and preference of the maker. Some bowls may feature symbols, mantras, or images related to Buddhism or other spiritual traditions.
• Each metal has its own vibration and influence, and when they are combined in the right proportions, they create a harmonious and powerful sound that can affect your body, mind, and spirit. Bowls can help you balance your chakras, the energy centres in your body.
• The significance of the metals in Tibetan singing bowls is not fully understood, but some possible interpretations are:
  • The metals represent the different elements of nature: earth, water, fire, air, space, consciousness, and wisdom.
  • The metals correspond to the different chakras or energy centres in the body: gold for the crown chakra, silver for the third eye chakra, mercury for the throat chakra, copper for the heart chakra, iron for the solar plexus chakra, tin for the sacral chakra, and lead for the root chakra.
  • The metals reflect the different qualities of the mind: gold for purity, silver for clarity, mercury for communication, copper for compassion, iron for strength, tin for expansion, and lead for stability.

So is there any truth to this claim that the singing bowls are made of seven metals? Well, not really. There is no evidence that the bowls contain these seven metals or that they have any special effects on your health or well-being. In fact, most modern bowls are simply made from bronze, and some may even contain other metals like nickel or zinc. The only way to know for sure what your bowl is made of is to test it in a laboratory, which can be expensive and difficult. You can expect me to be wearing a lab coat soon.
So why do some people still believe in the seven metals myth? Well, it could be because of marketing or tradition. Some sellers may use the seven metals story to attract customers or charge higher prices. Some buyers may like the idea of having a bowl that connects them to the cosmos or has a mystical origin. Some practitioners may use the story to enhance their experience or create a certain mood.
But whatever the reason, the truth is that you don’t need to worry about what your bowl is made of. What matters is how you use it and how it makes you feel. Nepali Tibetan bowls are wonderful tools for relaxation, meditation, and healing, regardless of their composition. They can help you calm your mind, soothe your nerves, and connect with your inner self.
And in this spirit, we are going to use the term seven or five metals in our store in the best belief the way we have been presented by the artisan or wholesaler we pick our bowls from.

If you are interested in learning more about Tibetan singing bowls, you can check how they are made and how to play them, you can check out these articles:

• Can Tibetan Singing Bowls Help Relieve Stress?
• Are There Health Benefits to Tibetan Singing Bowls?
• Tibetan Singing Bowls – Instruments of Divine Sound.
• Tibetan singing bowls are not Tibetan.
• What Are Tibetan Singing Bowls Made Of?

How Are Tibetan Singing Bowls Made?