Production of the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls

In the 1990s, Peter Hess collaborated with partners in India and Nepal to create the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls. These bowls were developed as a response to the scarcity of high-quality antique singing bowls that he had previously carefully selected for sound massage. These instruments are now considered a jewel among singing bowls and can be recognized by the “Peter Hess® Therapy” seal. In this article, we illustrate the numerous steps that are needed to create a singing bowl of the highest quality from various metals.

What materials are used in the production

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Overview of the traditional manufacturing process

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Types of singing bowls from the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl production

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Quality controls of the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl

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The classification of the quality levels Premium and Classic

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Singing bowls with permanent coating – what are the advantages?

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The most important points:

  • The Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls are made from pure metals in a complex process that involves many different steps.
  • Fair working conditions and ethical standards are important to Peter Hess.
  • Every single bowl is made by hand and undergoes intensive quality controls on its way from India to Germany and the USA.
  • Only the singing bowls that meet the high quality standards receive the Peter Hess® Therapy seal.
  • Production and quality control are the same for all types of Therapy Singing Bowls – whether it is the Head Bowl or the Pelvic Bowl.
  • The Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls are divided into Premium quality for professional sound work and Classic quality for private use.
  • The Therapy Singing Bowls can be coated with a protective permanent coating; this is recommended for certain areas of application.

What Materials are Used to Make a Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl?

Only high-quality and, above all, pure metals are used to produce Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls. The use of high-quality metals means higher production costs, but it ensures exceptional and optimal sound and vibration quality.

The main components of the bronze alloy used to make singing bowls are copper and tin. Small amounts of other pure metals are added. To honor the traditional blacksmithing of earlier times, a piece of an old singing bowl was added to each alloy melt.

Good to know

Incidentally, such alloys have been used since the Bronze Age, i.e. for thousands of years – for example for church bells. They are known for their strength, hardness and corrosion resistance.

Overview of the Traditional Manufacturing Process for Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls

The manufacturing process for the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls is a complex and time-consuming process that involves multiple steps to complete. With this highly simplified description of the production process, we would like to give you a little insight into these steps. 

Manufacturing the bronze alloy

The various metals are melted in the blast furnace to form a high-quality bronze alloy. A high tin content is essential for the high sound quality. At the same time, the tin makes the forging process more difficult. Accordingly, specialized knowledge and years of experience are required to determine the exact proportion of this expensive metal.

Casting the singing bowl blanks

Next, blanks are cast from the melt into a special, lens-shaped mold. Once the alloy has solidified, they are removed from the molds and tested for their suitability for further processing.

Forging the Singing Bowl

A singing bowl is forged, i.e. shaped, from the freshly cast blank using traditional blacksmithing tools. Depending on the type of singing bowl, at least 25 forging units with thousands of hammer blows are necessary to achieve the final shape. Four to six experienced blacksmiths work on one bowl at the same time. A blacksmith uses long tongs to ensure that the glowing metal is continuously rotated during the forging process so that the singing bowl can be hammered evenly. He also keeps an eye on the forge fire in order to heat the cooling alloy again and again until this stage is complete. This can be repeated up to 100 times during the entire process, especially for the larger singing bowls. Other blacksmiths hammer a uniformly shaped bowl out of the glowing metal disc with countless hammer blows in perfect rhythm. Once the singing bowl has reached its final shape, it is submerged into a cold liquid to solidify the shape. 

Fine Tuning the Singing Bowl

The singing bowl is then fine tuned using special hammers. Various forging techniques are used to precisely craft the shape, sound and vibration.

Cleaning the Singing Bowl

The melting and forging process can leave oxides or slag on the surface of the singing bowl. The bowl is first roughly cleaned using a simple mechanical means and then scraped out by hand. This process further contributes to perfecting the sound and vibration.

Polishing the Singing Bowl

For the final polishing of the singing bowl, we use a special ash mixture. Rice straw and mustard oil are burned and mixed to form a creamy paste. The singing bowl is carefully polished with this mixture for several minutes, removing any remaining impurities. In addition, this final step gives the singing bowl its typical shiny surface.

The manufacturing process is completed with the polishing of the singing bowl. Some Therapy Singing Bowls are also sealed in Germany with a permanent coating, which provides an additional protective barrier. This is recommended for certain work areas.

The different types of singing bowls from the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl production

The manufacturing process is the same for all types of singing bowls, whether universal, pelvic, head or heart bowls. The different types of singing bowls are characterized by a characteristic shape and size as well as a typical sound, frequency and vibration behavior.

The production of the different types of singing bowls always takes place in a family group. This allows us to ensure that the quality of our singing bowls remains at the highest level, but also to provide an income for an entire family.

Good to know

It was only this "standardization" of the types of singing bowls that made it possible to safely and uniformly convey the Peter Hess® Sound Massage and Sound Methods and to research their effects. Today we know pretty precisely which singing bowl works particularly well with different parts of the body. Nevertheless, every singing bowl is and remains unique, just as every sound experience is always unique. A certain range of sound and vibration within the types is therefore absolutely desirable in order to meet people's individual needs and preferences.

The Peter Hess® Singing Bowl types at a glance

  • Universal Bowl
  • Head Bowl
  • Throat Bowl
  • Heart Bowl
  • Solar Plexus Bowl
  • Pelvic Bowl
  • XL Bowl

Quality controls on the way to the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl

Before a singing bowl receives a quality seal, it is subjected to extremely intensive quality controls in India. It is only shipped to Germany after it passes these controls, where it is subjected to specific quality controls to determine its suitability for bodywork. Once it arrives in Germany, the bowl is classified into the quality levels “Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Premium” and “Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Classic”.

Quality controls in India

We subject all of our singing bowls to an initial inspection in India. This ensures that the sound, frequency and vibration behavior as well as the appearance meet the high quality standards of a Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl. An experienced metal engineer plays a key role in setting up production and is responsible for this task.

The singing bowls that pass this inspection are then brought from the small towns in India to Delhi. Once there, they undergo thorough tests again in specially equipped rooms. This is where electrical measuring devices are used for the first time. An electrical engineer and an experienced employee use various measuring techniques to check the quality of the bowls. Only the singing bowls that successfully pass this strict testing process are packaged for transport to Germany.

Good to know

If our team discovers defects when testing the high-quality singing bowls, this is immediately reported back to production. Sources of error will be quickly identified and improvements made immediately. For this reason, there may occasionally be waiting times for certain types of singing bowls.

In addition, the high quality of Peter Hess® Singing Bowls has led to greater demand worldwide. In order to meet this demand, new craftsmen must be trained. It takes a lot of time and experience before they are able to manufacture singing bowls according to our quality standards.

In the next step, the singing bowls are safely packaged and loaded into a container with other sound materials and onto the ship in Mumbai. Once they have arrived in Germany, a truck will transport the valuable cargo the last stretch of the way to the Hess Sound warehouse.

Listening to Each Bowl and and Classifying the Quality of the Singing Bowls in the Hess Sound Warehouse

It is always a special experience when new goods from India arrive at our warehouse. On these days, almost the entire warehouse team is busy unpacking the singing bowls, inspecting them and pre-sorting them for the upcoming quality inspection.

Our requirements for a therapy singing bowl are extremely high. Only the best singing bowls receive the “Peter Hess® Therapy” seal at the end of the intensive quality assurance process. Singing bowls with this seal are characterized not only by their special appearance but above all by their outstanding sound and vibration behavior. When the singing bowl meets the specified criteria down to the last detail, only then, it will receive the seal “Peter Hess® Therapy Premium” or “Peter Hess® Therapy Classic” in the quality classification.

Only employees who have been trained for many years are able to evaluate the singing bowls based on the numerous criteria and then carry out the classification.

The Classification Into the Quality Levels Premium and Classic

The two quality levels of the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls (Premium and Classic) are derived from the fact that the singing bowls exhibit certain tonal or optical differences during the quality control after the production process, which are inevitable in traditional handcrafted production. Both qualities come from the same production, have undergone the same forging process and are of exceptional quality. All singing bowl types are available in both quality levels.

Quality Levels of the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls

  • Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Premium
  • Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Classic

What Distinguishes a Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl as Premium?

The Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Premium is the jewel among singing bowls. Similar to a diamond, where an inconspicuous stone becomes a high-carat stone, it is also a long way until a singing bowl of this quality is made from different metals.

The Peter Hess® Premium Singing Bowl is characterized by an exceptional vibration behavior and sound pattern. Thanks to many years of research and close links to practice, we can now say exactly which properties a singing bowl must have in order to have a special effect on the body and mind. Only if a singing bowl meets all the sound and visual criteria of our quality process is it suitable for use in professional sound work, as taught at the Peter Hess® Institute and at the Peter Hess® Academies worldwide. Such a bowl is awarded our highest seal, “Peter Hess® Therapy Premium”. It is used primarily in professional sound work – be it sound massage, sound education or sound therapy. But it can, of course, also be used in private areas.

Qualities of the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Premium at a Glance

  • Excellent vibration and frequency behavior as well as sound effects
  • Particularly well-coordinated effect on body and mind
  • Numerous studies and scientific research have proven positive and health-boosting effects
  • Available in all types of singing bowl
  • Recommended areas of application for the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Premium

Professional sound work, for example:

  • Sound massages
  • Wellness applications
  • Sound education support and advice
  • Sound coaching
  • Sound therapeutic interventions
  • Sound and fantasy journeys
  • Sound baths

What makes a Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Classic Special?

With its excellent sound and equally good vibration quality, the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Classic is very suitable for personal use, use in kindergartens or schools, and for private use in sound massage. Our Classic singing bowls also have to meet high quality requirements and therefore have almost the same vibration and frequency behavior as a premium singing bowl, but not quite.

The dimensions and shape correspond to the Premium singing bowl, but the Classic singing bowls can also vary slightly in shape, color and weight, as each one is individually handcrafted. Like the Premium singing bowls, the Classic singing bowls are also available for different areas of the body, i.e. in the singing bowl types mentioned.

Qualities of the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Classic at a Glance

  • Very good vibration and frequency behavior as well as sound image
  • Particularly well-coordinated effect on body and mind
  • Available in all types of singing bowls
  • Recommended areas of application for the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl Classic

These are used primarily in the private sector, for example:

  • Self-application
  • Sound massages in the private sector
  • Sound meditations or rituals
  • Accompaniment, e.g., of yoga practice
  • Complementary application in education or therapy
  • Sound and fantasy journeys
  • Sound baths

Why are there some Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls with a Permanent Coating and What are the Advantages?

We know from experience that oxidation can occasionally occur on the surface of the singing bowl. This can be caused by high humidity, salt content in the air, salt or chlorine in the water or close contact with the skin, for example, sweat, water or disinfectants. The oxidation process is completely natural and can occur again and again. Therefore, we recommend cleaning the singing bowl regularly, especially if it is used frequently, so that the stains do not "burn in". Singing bowls that are used in hospitals, nursing homes or in the wellness and spa area can be particularly affected by this.

For this reason, we have found a way to have the singing bowls permanently coated in Germany. A wafer-thin, transparent protective film of about three thousandths of a millimeter thick is applied to the singing bowl. This protects the surface from reactions with the environment and the shine of the bowl is retained permanently and without any re-polishing. This makes the bowl particularly easy to care for. Simply wiping with a soft cloth is enough to clean the singing bowl. The transparent tarnish protection has no effect on the sound of the therapy singing bowl. The vibration properties of the singing bowl remain completely unaffected by this additional treatment.

Advantages of Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls With Permanent Coating at a Glance

  • Easy to use in conjunction with oils, water or disinfectants
  • Very easy to care for
  • Easy to clean
  • Can be easily disinfected
  • Odorless
  • No polishing necessary
  • Permanently shiny surface of the singing bowl

In these cases we recommend the permanent coating:

  1. When using the singing bowls directly on the skin
  2. If the singing bowl needs to be disinfected frequently
  3. If the bowl often comes into contact with water, especially salt or chlorinated water
  4. Basically when used in nursing homes, hospitals and in spa areas