Episode 30: Sound Healing and Wisdom from Nepal with Pam and Andy
of The Indigo Sanctuary
Show Notes
Tune in to discover the magic of sound healing. Pam and Andy from the Indigo Sanctuary explain the ancient art of using singing bowls as vibrational medicine. They share the wisdom they have learned from traveling in Nepal, partnering with local artisans, and learning the culture and traditions. They also explain all the fundamentals of how to select a singing bowl and use it.
To contact Pam and Andy go to:
or find them on Social Media:
Facebook: TheIndigoSanctuary
Instagram: @theindigosanctuary
Youtube: https://youtu.be/29YAkVB1ddg
Their beautiful, responsibly sourced and love-filled creations can be found at:
Etsy store: www.etsy.com/shop/theindigosanctuary
Extended Show Notes
Highlights from the Episode:
How the bowl is made matters. Handmade seven metal singing bowls made in Nepal are what Pam and Andy recommend.
Singing Bowls have a variety of uses including: healing, helps us connect to the present moment, it can be used to teach mindfulness, relaxation and calming, room clearing, and crystal cleaning
How Singing Bowls Work
1. Sounds vary based on the design of the bowl: the material it’s made out of, size, thickness of the walls etc.
2. Vibrations of the singing bowls affect us in two ways:
A)The vibrations of the sounds we hear
B)The the vibrations of the sound we feel
3. The bowls create physical sound waves that cause the water molecules in our body to vibrate. It creates a calming feeling in the body and energizes it.
4. Sound waves go to the ear as physical sound waves and are converted into an electric current.
Studies of the Efficacy of Singing Bowls
1. Studies have shown that the DHEA level increases and the cortisol level decreases after listening to singing bowls which indicates a decreased stress response.
2. Research also shows that after 30 minutes of listening to a singing bowl people had better sleep which is critical for health.
3. Individuals have reported that it helps tremendously with symptoms of asthma.
How to Start with Sound Healing
1. Experience a sound bath/singing bowls in person possibly at a yoga studio.
2. Pick a bowl in person from a reliable source so you can experience it. Find someone who specializes in singing bowls and do a sound clip of the specific bowl that you are interested in. Make sure that bowl resonates with you because each bowl has a unique sound/vibration.
3. Take a lesson to learn how to play the bowl and learn how to play and hear the bowl.
4. Make sure that wherever you choose to buy the singing bowl from offers you support in picking and playing the bowl.
5. The mallet matters. You may need to wear in the leather of the mallet.
6. Breathing is the way to begin before you use the bowl. Then, have a dance/dialogue with the bowl. Slowing down, listening, and being mindful in the moment.
How to Use a Singing Bowl
1. Hold the bowl in the palm of your hand with your finger straight- palm flat. Do not put your fingers around the bowl they will absorb the vibration.
2. Keep your elbow against your body and your arm firm so the bowl is stationary. The hand with the stick goes around the bowl like you’re stirring a pot. You can also strike the bowl with the mallet.
3. Hold the stick or mallet like a pencil. If you hold it too tight you can stop the vibration.
Singing Bowls and Chakras
1. Singing bowls resonate with multiple chakras but have a primary note that resonates with a specific chakra.
2. Eastern and Western traditions use different notes for each chakra.
3. Singing bowls are used to remove blockages in the chakras.
4. You can use a playing stick that is adorned with chakra related crystals or gemstones to add synergistic effects.
Tradition of the Seven Metal Bowls
It has a universal connection in that each metal corresponds to a specific planet.
Gold- Sun
Silver -Moon,
Mercury -Mercury,
Lead-Saturn
Tin- Jupiter
Iron - Mars
Copper - Venus
Wisdom from living with people in Nepal and learning the Newari culture
1. Deep respect for making, caring, playing of the bowls.
2. Shamanic healers think of their musical instrument as allies to take them into another realm.
3. Spiritual craft is part of the making of the bowls. It is a very loving process
4. The energy of how an object is made, harvested or created goes into the product and can affect the energy of the item. The way bowls are created in Nepal adds to the energy of the balls and how you receive them.
5. The people in Nepal are very heart centered, rooted, and very intuitive.
6. Multi generational family living and caring for family is a priority.
7. Enjoyment of their culture, holidays and the spiritual underpinnings of those days is valued.
8. Mothers are revered. Women are seen as mothers potentially from past, present, or future lives.
Sparks of Wisdom from Pam and Andy
1. Everyone benefits from having a daily spiritual home practice. You can develop one yourself or get assistance.
2. The practice should be daily to facilitate grounding, focus, and prepare you for the day ahead.
3. Any spiritual home practice begins with the breath, calming yourself down and then moving onto your own specific practice.
4. Be persistent and stay with it for at least 30 days. Be patient with yourself.
Pam and Andy's Bios
Pam and Andy are Spiritual Artists, Rockhounds, Sound Healers and Entrepreneurs and are the creators of The Indigo Sanctuary, an online source of hand crafted, Reiki infused, yoga, home sanctuary, sound healing, gemstone healing and meditation products.
Pam is a Yoga Teacher, who focuses her practice on Yin Yoga. She has taught yoga in homeless shelters, nursing homes, senior centers, as well as in studios and gyms. Yin Yoga is a meditative practice that focuses on long holds of seated or reclined poses that work to unwind the body's deeper layers of fascia. Each pose is usually held for 3-5 minutes.
Andy is an environmental advocate, having worked for the EPA for 30 years. Before then, he represented organic food producers and was involved with the US Organic Food Production Law of 1990.
They are both certified Nepali Sound Healers trained by Grand Master Shree in Kathmandu, Nepal. Pam and Andy have conducted Yin Yoga and Yoga Niidra and singing bowl sound bath programs and conducted chakra balancing sessions throughout the Philadelphia area.
They are lovers of nature and collect gemstones in their travels across the US. They cut, shape and polish these gemstones in their home lapidary studio and incorporate them into spiritual artwork and malas.
Pam and Andy travel extensively through Nepal and continue to work collaboratively with their business partners Jaki and Tulsi in Nepal. Pam and Andy believe in giving back, and they have established a scholarship program, which pays the tuition for two young girls in Nepal.