I was super excited when my singing bowl finally arrived in the mail yesterday. I used to look a little sideways at people who would use these little bowls until I realized just how awesome they are and the role sound has played in the Christian tradition for over a thousand years.

The use of bells in worship, for example, goes back all the way to the book of Exodus when the high priest Aaron was instructed to wear bells on his robe so that their sound could be heard every time he entered the Holy Place before the LORD (Exodus 28:33-35). Then, bells began being used in the Christian church sometime in the 5^thcentury when Paulinus of Nola introduced them into the church.

Bells were introduced into the church as a method for calling people to worship. For the past 1600 years, the Church has used the sound of a bell to begin worship, call people to a time of prayer, and remind people to take a minute and return to God’s presence. In my graduate school, the sound of bells or chimes sounded every three hours throughout the day. When the bells sounded, everyone would stop what they were doing to take moment of prayer before God.

Sound, whether from a bell or another instrument or device, can be helpful for returning us to the present moment or calling us into an intentional time of worship. It gets our attention and reminds us to keep our hearts and minds open to the presence of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

When we pray, meditate, practice Lectio Divina, or participate in worship or spiritual discipline in any way, incorporating the sound from a bell, chime, or bowl can help us mark time and bring us back to the present and our connection with God, especially if we have become distracted. Similarly, by using a calming sound at the beginning of a practice, it can help mark that this is an intentional space of coming before God.

So while a singing bowl isn’t literally a bell, the idea is the same. It creates a soothing sound that reminds us to be present, that God is close, and to return to a posture of worship and listening in our practice. So when you hear the sound of the bowl in a practice with us, may it draw you back to the present and deeper into your relationship with God. May it help open your eyes, ears, and heart to the Holy Spirit within.

Grace and Peace.