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What are Tingshas?

Posted by Sedona NewAge on

What are Tingshas?
Traditionally, tingshas are used as part of specific Tibetan rituals.  They have been used as a summons to call “hungry ghosts,” those beings characterized by small mouths and huge bellies, and in a perpetual state of wanting.  By calling them with the tingsha, and making an offering of food, incense or prayer, their suffering  is diminished.  In the Boddhisattva tradition, only when all suffering is eliminated can Enlightenment be achieved.

The small cymbals used in prayer and rituals by Tibetan Buddhist practitioners are called tingsha.   Two cymbals are joined together by a leather strap or chain.  When struck together, a beautiful, clear, high note emanates from the tingsha to hang in the air and create an extraordinary stillness.

The tingsha creates a meditative vibration, but is more commonly used for calling one forth into the here and now.  It is a summons used as a prelude to ritual, meditation, or a teaching.  It can also mark the ending or transition of a ceremony or activity.

The striking sound of the tingshas has the ability to clear any disturbing energies in the moment.  It can be rung to fix a moment or place in one’s memory, to call us to awareness, to remember who we are, and to recognize our priorities in this sometimes-illusive world.

Tingshas are individually handcrafted by the ancient Tibetan method of sand casting, where an upper and lower mould is made from fine wet sand that is then baked several times over a charcoal fire.

When the moulds are ready, the molten bell metal is poured.  Bell metal is an amalgam of three to twelve metals that when combined, produce the enduring and harmonic resonance.   After casting, each individual tingsha is skillfully tuned by hammering around the thick outer rim to create a perfectly matching pitch for each pair.  It is the oscillating wave of sound that seems to pass between the cymbals as they reverberate at a high frequency that defines their use in meditation, cleansing, sound healing and alignment.

How are tingshas played?  To produce a clear, harmonic sound, grasp each cymbal by the cord, hold firmly and strike the edges together.  This is most easily accomplished by angling one cymbal about 90 degrees to the other, rather than parallel.  Allow the tingshas to ring until silent.

Tingshas are used for clearing negative energies and are used in Feng Shui to clear the energy present in a room and “open” it by sounding the tingshas in the four corners of a room.  This is a great way to clear energy when smudging is not appropriate.

There is a nursery school teacher here in Sedona who swears that even the littlest children in her charge straighten up and fall silent when she employs the tingsha to get their attention.  She is firmly convinced the two little cymbals have magical properties that influence her young charges in a most positive way.  Although none of the sources imply this to be the case, maybe tingshas are magic after all!

The Center for the New Age carries a large selection of tingshas as well as Tibetan bowls and  other ceremonial items.  Please call Susan toll free at 888-881-6651.  She will be happy to help you with prices and details.

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