QUANTUM BOWLS
Quartz singing bowl user guide
QUANTUM
Basic guidelines for using quartz crystal singing bowls
Connect with your inner self
Basic guidelines for playing, listening to and enjoying your bowls
Sound · Presence · Energy
We want you to enjoy your bowls from day one. You can play them for yourself, share them with someone or include them in your classes and sessions. Give yourself a few minutes to listen, breathe and notice how you feel.
In this guide, you will learn how to prepare the space, make your bowls sing and adjust the volume. You will also find our approach to working with intention and the chakras, along with ideas for guiding a session from beginning to end.
Prepare · Play · Listen · Support
01 / The basic technique
Make it sing, connect and feel its energy
- Make contact
- Rub
- Listen
Before you begin, breathe
Take a few mindful breaths to settle yourself and connect with your inner self. Relax your shoulders and your hand. Place the bowl on its support ring on a stable surface and take a moment before playing.
Place the mallet against the bowl and rub gently
Place the silicone part of the mallet against the bowl and begin rubbing with a gentle, continuous movement. Gradually increase the pressure until the sound emerges. Keep your wrist relaxed and avoid letting the wood rub against the crystal.
Find the balance
Pressure and speed affect the volume. There is no need to move very quickly: aim for firm pressure without forcing it, and a calm rhythm that keeps the sound going. Adjust both until the sound is sustained and pleasant, without becoming intrusive.
Listen to what you feel
Once the sound is sustained, take the mallet away and listen until it fades. Notice how it feels in your body. Try several times with just one bowl: this will help you get to know how it responds and build confidence.
Wellbeing / Sound healing
What quartz crystal singing bowls are used for
You can include the bowls in yoga, relaxation and meditation practices. They can also accompany yoga teachers’ classes and the sessions of therapists who work with sound.
Relaxation and meditation
Return to the sound whenever you become distracted. You do not have to empty your mind: simply listen and breathe at your own pace.
Reducing stress and anxiety
When the day feels heavy, gentle listening may help you release tension and feel calmer. Find a comfortable volume and give yourself that time.
Yoga practice
You can play them during the final relaxation of a class or at the start of a gentle practice. Leave room to breathe and rest between sounds.
Therapists and yoga teachers
If you are a therapist or yoga teacher, you can include them at the beginning or end of your sessions. Try each bowl first and prepare a simple sequence that suits the way you work and the group.
A sound healing experience
Pauses matter in a sound bath too. You do not need to play all the time or turn up the volume. Listen to the group and let each sound finish before starting the next.
02 / Preparing for the session
Prepare the space and take a moment for yourself
Keep everything within reach
Place each bowl on its ring on a stable surface. Leave enough room to move the mallet without the bowls touching each other. Test how they sound from where the group will be: you may need less volume than you thought.
Take a moment for yourself too
Before welcoming the group, take a few mindful breaths. Relax your shoulders and feel the support of your feet. If you arrive in a rush, give yourself a minute. It will be easier to play calmly and listen to what is happening.
You can begin with these words
Find a comfortable position and notice how your body is supported. Let your breathing find its own rhythm. For these few minutes, you can listen without having to do anything else.
Breathing to return to the body
Invite each person to notice the air flowing in and out, without forcing it. A few mindful breaths can help them leave distractions behind and pay attention to the body. Each person will find their own rhythm.
A simple intention
Choose what you want to share today: a moment of calm, rest or inner connection. For us, that intention is part of our energy work. Keep it in mind as you play, without asking anyone to feel anything specific.
03 / Supporting the group
A gentle sound that invites you to feel
Listen to what you are offering
The bowls can sound very powerful. Start gently and listen from where the group will be. You do not need a high volume to enjoy the vibration. If anyone feels uncomfortable, lower the intensity or stop.
Let each person find their place
Prepare a comfortable space for the practice, with room to sit or lie down. Keep the bowls away from ears and pay attention to the intensity from the very first sound. Allow time for everyone to settle before you begin.
Listen to your body too
Invite people to notice their breathing and the sensations that arise with the sound. Sometimes emotions surface; at other times, people simply want to rest. There is no need to interpret anything or feel something special to enjoy the moment.
Breathing is fundamental
Breathing is fundamental to the practice. You need to connect with it to share sound frequencies and energy more effectively.
Finish without rushing
Let the final sound fade before speaking. Invite people to move their hands and feet and slowly sit up. If someone wants to share how they felt, listen without telling them what they should have noticed.
04 / Chakras, notes and size
Chakras, notes and bowl size
You may have seen each chakra associated with a musical note. You can use that relationship as a symbolic guide. When choosing a bowl, also listen to its tone and resonance, and notice how you feel when you play it.
- 7. Crown · Sahasrara · B
- 6. Third eye · Ajna · A
- 5. Throat · Vishuddha · G
- 4. Heart · Anahata · F
- 3. Solar plexus · Manipura · E
- 2. Sacral · Svadhisthana · D
- 1. Root · Muladhara · C
In our energy work, we use these associations as a guide, not as a rule. We usually choose large bowls for rest and grounding, medium bowls for connecting with emotions, and small bowls for attention. Listen to each bowl and notice what it brings up for you.
Before playing, choose an intention and accompany it with a few mindful breaths. You can use the notes and chakras as a guide, but you do not need to feel anything specific. If you guide other people, let each person have their own experience.
05 / Choosing your bowls
Choose the bowls that suit you
Think about what you want your bowls for: time for yourself, your classes or sessions with other people. Listen to sound samples and pay attention to the tones you like. Size also matters when playing and transporting them.
Large · Rest and grounding
We like to start with these when we are looking for a moment of rest. In our energy practice, we associate them with grounding and the lower chakras. Try playing them gently and listen to how they fill the room.
Medium · Emotional connection
We choose these for practices in which we want to connect with what we feel. You can suggest an intention and then stop speaking. There is no need to name every emotion that arises.
Small · Attention and clarity
In our practice, we associate these with the upper chakras. Their tone is usually higher, so start at a low volume. Listen to them on your own first and try out how they combine with the others before using them with a group.
Choosing your set
Tell us what you want them for and how you will transport them. We will help you choose a set that makes sense for you. You can start with a few bowls and add more once you know which sounds you are missing.
06 / Guiding an experience
How to guide your first session
This suggestion gives you a starting point. Adapt the length to the group and the way you play. Prepare the bowls in advance and leave room for pauses.
01 · Welcome the group calmly
Invite everyone to get comfortable and close their eyes if they wish. Begin with a few mindful breaths. You can tell them they do not have to achieve anything: just listen and give themselves this time.
02 · Start with the large bowls
If you have large bowls, you can begin with one of them at a gentle volume. Listen until the sound fades and breathe calmly before playing again.
03 · Explore the sounds
Then try another bowl and listen to the change in tone. Introduce the smaller bowls gently and adjust the volume so that it feels pleasant for the whole group.
04 · Combine sounds and leave silences
Once you know each bowl well, try combining two. Listen to how they sound together and leave pauses. If you add meditation music, keep it very quiet so that the bowls can still be heard distinctly.
07 / Guiding an experience
Breathe, visualise and close calmly
As you approach the end, play less and leave longer pauses. This is a good time to return to the breath and notice how you feel.
05 · Breathe and visualise
Invite people to feel their breathing again. If it is part of the way you guide, you can suggest imagining a golden light with each inhale. Anyone who prefers simply to keep listening can do so.
06 · Close and return
Let the final sound finish and wait a few moments. Then invite people to move their hands and feet, open their eyes and sit up without rushing.
After the session
Make a note of which bowls you used, how they sounded and what you would change next time. If someone shares their experience, take it into account. This will help you find your own way of guiding.
Find your set
Think about where you will play, how many people will be there and which sounds you enjoy most. Listen to real sound samples and give yourself time to get to know each bowl.
If you need help, tell us what you do and what you would like to do with them. We will guide you towards the best set for you.
Write to us and tell us what you do. We will help you choose the best set for you.
Reference sources: Jessica Cross / Meinl Sonic Energy · Beginner’s Guide to Crystal Singing Bowls.
Evidence: NCCIH · Music and Health. Goldsby et al. (2017) · Observational study of singing bowl meditation.
Evidence about music does not, on its own, demonstrate specific effects of quartz crystal singing bowls. Energy associations are symbolic.
This practice is complementary and does not replace healthcare.
