Bells . . .

Timsha (a/k/a Tingsha) are meditation bells. They are often used on Buddhist home altars or in the garden during activities like meditation, yoga, and space clearing, or for whenever you need to focus your attention..  You can use Tibetan singing bowls for these things, too.  The tones that they produce are very soothing to the spirit, and can help raise the vibration in and around you.  The musical tones that they create often resonate deep within chest - for me it's kind of like the drones on my bagpipes.  That's what makes the pipes so compelling for many people - the underlying drone tones.

Timsha are often rung to bring our attention and focus to the present (helpful for meditation).  Their sound anchors the present in the mind and body.  Sort of a call to attention as it were  :-)

Because I have what's called relative pitch, it's important to me that my bells' and singing bowls' pitch and harmonics are pleasing to my ear.  It's been my experience that I have to actually ring all the timsha in a store to see how they are musically balanced.  The pair I have had for many years came from a great crystal shop in Sedona, Arizona.  They were the best ones for me in the shop.  They have ritual objects on them.

This video is pretty good in sharing the sound.



When I was in Connecticut visiting my friend, T, back in September, on our way to drop me at the airport we went to a great little shop that has crystals and card decks and all sorts of stuff like that, as well as a few singing bowls and an assortment of timsha.  Of course I was compelled to try all of the bowls and ring all of the timsha  :-D  There was one pair that was spectacular!  They were about the same size as my current pair (the small size), but unlike my current pair, these were plain.  The pitch was deep and very resonant for a small bell - the harmonics were pleasing to my ear - and the tone hung in the air seemingly forever.  They were awesome, but I put them back because I was working strongly with the beginning stages of my budget, and since I already have a pair, I felt I didn't need another.  In short, they were an unnecessary expense.

Fast forward to this past Sunday - the second Sunday in Advent.  For a number of years T and I did a sort of Advent swap of 24 small gifts to be opened one a day in December, and then a Christmas gift for Christmas day.  Last year we switched to just four - one for each Sunday in Advent - and a Christmas gift.

The box labeled "2" was heavy and it was a deep, perfectly square shape.  I had no idea what was inside - and in fact, once I opened it and picked up the tissue-wrapped item, I still didn't know.  I thought it was a sculpture of some sort, or a paperweight in two pieces - like a box with a lid.

As I removed the tissue, I saw them!  And when I rang them, I knew without a doubt that they were the timsha from the little shop.  They are just as amazing and beautiful as I remember them.  Because they are plain, they have a thicker surface.  In addition, they are slightly larger in circumference than my original pair, the center bell portion is larger, and they are about an ounce heavier.  Those things seem to have made all the difference.  I am absolutely thrilled to have them - what a wonderful and thoughtful gift!!  They are both pictured here with a beautiful piece of fluorite (a favorite stone/crystal) and a lovely beaded bag that I got at the same little store my new timsha came from  :-)



T actually went back to the store on her way home from dropping me off and trusted that no one else had moved the timsha since I had set them down.  The woman in the shop was like - "you were just here . . ."  :-D

And now - I'm in thought about what I should do with my original set - they have served me well for quite a few years.  I know that the right situation will appear for them - I just need to keep my eyes open  :-)

I really love this version way better than Maria Carey's . . .




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