Singing bowls have a mysterious past and not much is known about their origins. Their history began at a time long before the dawn of modern civilization, with the result that written information about them is almost close to non-existent. The first singing bowls were said to be made in Mesopotamia over 5,000 years ago – of pure copper and produced for both medicinal and musical purposes.

Although singing bowls could be found inside monasteries and homes, it was said that monks were not allowed to discuss anything about these bowls. As a matter of fact, the monks’ sacred text, called the Tibetan Buddhist Canon, also contained no information about the bowls. Anecdotal references say that Tibetan lamas and monks used these bowls for secret, sacred rituals. It is even said that these rituals were so spiritual in nature that it gave the monks the ability to astral project and travel into other realms and dimensions.

Let me add my personal 2 cents to this. If the very first singing bowls were made of 100% copper well that’s just insanely powerful. That sounds about spot on to anything we learn about advanced ancient civilizations. Bowls today are made of brass, tin and a couple other earth’s metals including copper, but how much copper – I have no idea? When I asked the singing bowl maker, he told me “copper is very expensive these days” nevertheless there still is a close connection to earth metals and our energetic field, you can feel the resonance of a metal bowl unlike any other instrument. One sound healing technique is placing a singing bowl on someone’s body applying direct contact. When the singing bowl is struck you can feel the vibrations unlike any other instrument in the world. It’s exciting to know that when playing a singing bowl you really are using a ancient healing tool.

Credit to shantibowl.com for the history insight.