Singing Bowl Steps: Inviting the Bell to Sound

WHO

Everyone has the right to invite the bell and invite others to stop and practice.

 

WHAT

An invitation to sound the bell. Inviting instead of striking is more sacred, more of a nonviolent attention.

WHEN

  1. Beginning of the day, end of the day, and transitions.

  2. Before meals.

  3. Whenever someone doesn’t feel grounded or the atmosphere doesn’t feel peaceful.

  4. Before a yoga practice.

WHERE

  1. Front of the room

  2. Meeting space

  3. Mini centering center

  4. Small room

HOW

1.Sat Nam or Namaste or Hello your singing bowl~ as your friend.

2.Close your eyes. Place one hand on your belly and the other on your heart.

3. Tune into your rhythm, your pattern, your sensations.

4. Place bowl in the center of your palm, fingers open wide. {Closing fingers will stifle the sound.}

5. In and out, take two breaths.

6. Gently tap the bowl to “awaken the bell” and let those around you know that soon there will be a full ring.

7. Invite everyone to stop what they’re doing and tune in.

8. Follow your breath for another 11 seconds, 22 if you’re generous.

9. Invite the bell fully. The sound as Thich Nhat Hanh describes it, sounds like a bird soaring up.

10. Take 3 deep breaths and invite the bell again. And again-three breaths and one final invitation.

11. Invite everyone to open their eyes and look at you when they don’t hear the sound of the vibration anymore.

WHY

  1. The sound brings us back to our true home where we feel grounded and elevated.

  2. Others feel they can breathe deeper by being around you.

  3. The deeper we tune in, the deeper our breath, the deeper our nerves, the deeper our thoughts, the deeper our words, the deeper our actions, the deeper our lives..

Please share your singing bowl stories with us..

Sat Nam

 

 

 

 

More to Explore

  • Yes To Higher Aim…No To Lame

    Say Yes to Brightness,
    To Certainty, To Health
    Say no to dullness,
    To doubt, to filth.

    Say Yes to Careful,
    To Enthusiasm, to Aim
    Say no to Careless,
    To Backsliding, to Lame.

    Say yes to activity,
    To Attention, To humility.
    Say no to Heedless,
    Inertia, Instability.

    How to say NO
    To such 9 Disturbances?
    Create a “no” prop
    To play interference.

    A block will work wonders
    To impede interruptions.
    Place between your hands
    To help with deductions.

    Press your hands in
    To fire your inner shoulders.
    Breathe your arms up
    And become a beholder.

    Keep pressing in
    To activate what’s dull.
    Reach the block up high
    As well as your skull.

    Hold a block in one hand
    Lift up your opposite knee
    Tilt to block side
    Finding freedom is key.

    Place the “no” block
    Right between your thighs.
    I know it is awkward
    May your enthusiasm rise!

    Press your thighs back
    Keep your shins fixed.
    Fold Forward, touch the floor
    Breathe steady while betwixt.

    Step back into Downward Dog,
    Bend your knees a lot.
    Press your block up and back
    Notice your train of thought!

    Shift forward into plank
    Lower down flat like a pancake.
    Keep shins pressing down
    Lift thighs up with a mandate.

    Stretch your belly and heart forward,
    Hips back toward your toes
    Open your shoulders
    Like a polyphonic prose.

    Press back to Down Dog
    Come down to table.
    Remove your block
    Keep hands and shins stable.

    Prepare to find freedom
    With boundaries no less.
    In this grounded pose
    We call “No Table Yes”.

    As you stretch right leg back
    Exhale Yes to Higher Aim.
    As you bring knee to forehead
    Inhale No to Lame.

    Your spine arches and curves
    As you continue 5 times
    Try it fast, Try it slow
    Switch sides
    Cause it’s prime.

    Sit is easy pose
    Tune into your frame.
    Each inhale in
    Think Yes to high aim.

    Each exhale out
    Think No to Lame
    May this help you
    Up your game.

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    Yes, we all hit the wall.  If we didn’t, we wouldn’t know what’s on the other side. The climb over can be tough, but anything that’s easy is just that, easy.  Teaching children is a challenge.  Teachers need to be able to tap into their own light, with conviction, to put forth their best effort, class after class, year after year.  All teachers understand that, right?  But, what if you are teaching pre-school children? What if you are introducing them to something brand new and want them to love it so they will continue?  What if you were teaching them yoga?