Finding calm with TikTok’s singing bowl meditations

March Mindfulness is a Mashable series that explores the intersection of meditation practice and technology. Because even in 2022, March doesn’t have to be madness.

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Compared to the average frenetic 30-second TikTok video, this one is an oasis of calm.

Elizabeth Jasmine, who describes herself as a spiritual healer, sits calmly against a bamboo backdrop. Before her, mostly unseen, are several metal bowls. “How do you expect to keep going if you never allow yourself to rest?” the caption asks, as Jasmine uses a special mallet to gently bring the bowls to life. Their sound seems to reverberate long after the half-minute is up.

Jasmine, whose videos have garnered 32,000 followers and half a million likes, is part of a fast-growing “singing bowl” or “sound bowl” community on the app. The hashtag #singingbowl has 106 million views on TikTok, while #singingbowlmeditation has 5.3 million. Videos are often saturated in colors such as violet or midnight blue, which creators hope will evoke the calming sensation their sound is known for.

The history of the singing bowl is largely unknown. Some historians believe it originated in Mesopotamia around 5,000 years ago. Others say the bowls were created in China around the 16th century BC. Whatever the origin, however, this ancient musical instrument has long been incorporated into meditation practice.

Listening to their slowly fading sounds, and the silences that follow, can bring our endlessly diverted attentions back to the present moment. And that makes the bowl a perfect respite for an app that is constantly trying to distract you.

Singing bowls “are able to quiet the mental chatter that is often hard to silence,” Jasmine says. “As someone who grew up going to Buddhist Temple every week for meditations and service, sound healing instruments such as singing bowls and gongs have always been a part of my meditation practice in order to allow for a deeper centering, a deeper connection to the divine, and a deeper appreciation for the gift that is the present moment.”

Kehlsie Wright, a TikTok creator with 411,000 followers, also offers a range of meditation videos that make use of bowls and other instruments. Her videos carry captions such as “this is your break”, “focus on your breathe filling your stomach”, or “relax your shoulders” while Wright brings the bowls to a gentle reverberation. Commenters invariably respond thanking her for the practice. They report that the bowl sounds appear to improve their moods and instill a sense of calm.

That’s no surprise to Wright. “Healing and meditation through music has been around for centuries,” she says. “It is truly amazing how much certain sounds can impact us.”

Alissa Portillo, a TikTokker who practices “sound medicine” and ASMR sound baths, often on a live stream, also believes that singing bowl meditation “provides the individual a relaxing, meditative, yet transformative experience”. The goal of her videos is to provide a “physical and emotional release” via sound. Portillo says that sound meditation can lower stress and anxiety, ease depression, and even help insomnia — a far cry from other insomnia-inducing forms of late-night TikTok browsing.

Studies on the remedying effects of the singing bowl are sparse. A 2016 study by the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, using a sample size of 62 men and women, found that singing bowl meditation participants experienced a significant increase in “spiritual well-being”. The authors concluded that the bowls can be considered a suitable “intervention” when it comes to reducing “feelings of tension, anxiety, and depression”.

Another study from 2019, published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Mental Health, came to similar conclusions. While more comprehensive studies must be conducted for further evaluation, the authors said, the singing bowl can be used “for therapeutic intervention.” It can also achieve “faster and deeper relaxation” than more simple methods.

Still, the true impact of the singing bowl remains subjective. Multiple studies have confirmed the health benefits of meditation in general. It’s entirely possible that any benefits from the addition of the singing bowl could be a placebo effect – a phenomenon that has also been associated with healing crystals, a more well-known (and much-derided) facet of New Age spirituality.

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Nevertheless, TikTokkers like Jasmine, Wright and Portillo are steadfast believers in the power of the singing bowl. They also attest to the power of TikTok to foster he practice. It may seem strange that an app filled with millions of videos – memes, dances, music – can be a platform of choice for practicing mindfulness and creating calm. The singing bowl community believes otherwise.

“Although they may not be in front of me directly, social media allows individuals to still connect with my sound baths and experience them virtually,” Portillo says. “Whether virtually or in person, the individual still can receive the benefits.”

Portillo’s live videos have proved to be the most effective, she believes, in building this community. She remains silent during them, using only the instrument in front of her, while those observing participate via comments. Some write affirmations, others express gratitudes for her work. Negativity is not welcome.

“If there were people commenting inappropriate or irrelevant things, many would defend me and the space,” Portillo says. “They would want others to leave if they didn’t belong there with us. So I definitely witness a growth in the community that strives to self healing, those who believe in the qualities of sound medicine, and who trust me and my space.”

Wright also feels she has established a group of followers with whom she resonates — no pun intended. “It can be hard to find friends or a community that you feel you really fit in with, but TikTok makes it super easy to do so,” she says.

Jasmine says the app allowed her to reach a wider audience in a way that others don’t, in part due to TikTok’s algorithm. According to TikTok, their algorithm for their “For You Page” is based on factors including user interaction, captions, sounds, hashtags, and account settings. For Jasmine, that simply means she’s connecting on the app with other singing bowl users “every day”, she says. “For that reason, I do feel that it is effective for meditation.”