Feedback from users around the world has been fantastic. More and more of them say they can no longer imagine doing music therapy without a Sounding Bowl now that they have experienced how their clients relate to music through this instrument. On this page I offer some of the comments that I have received in letters from previous customers. Here and there I have abbreviated comments [ ~ ] but I have not added anything to the words used. I have more letters from therapists in all fields. Autistic children in particular who often have not been able to form a relationship with the therapy before, once a Sounding Bowl is introduced start to relate in an amazingly engaged way.

“I regard the Sounding Bowl as essential to my work in palliative care. It's sensitivities as an instrument, the beauty of it's shape and texture of it's surface all add to it's personal qualities that are recognised and used to great effect by all people who play it. I use the Sounding Bowl at many levels from relaxation sessions through to delicately balanced work with people who are nearing death.~ Beautifully crafted and powerful instruments.”

(Dr Colin Lee RMTh in the book Lonely Waters)

“I am sure you will be pleased to hear that we have fallen passionately in love with the Sounding Bowl. I have started using it in clinical work with people with neuropsychiatric problems - it's wonderful to work with”.

(from a music therapist in Surrey)

The (multiply handicapped) children I work with can respond to the Sounding Bowl and even initiate musical sounds in a way that is impossible with nearly any other instrument.

(From a music therapist in Sussex)

I wanted to write to thank you for the recent bowl, it has made such a difference to my work here at the Hospice. ~ I also use it every day on the ward along side the smaller bowl we already have. ~ I feel that I cannot explain the Bowl’s importance through letter or over the phone.

(From a music therapist in Oxford)

“It was a major clinical issue~, what to offer musically to people who are physically unable to play any instrument, even one operated by a switch. This has been resolved by using the Sounding Bowl.. ~ The vibrations transmit well through the wood. ~ On one occasion a woman who had been crying continuously for seven hours was able to control her breathing, when the bowl was played held to her chest, and fall asleep.”

(From a music therapist working with locked-in syndrome in London)

It has come! And is without doubt the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The sound is exquisite. I am completely overwhelmed. Yes, it is a cathedral,~ astonishing. I have taken it round the hospital and people have marvelled, been strangely quiet, touched it's strings, welcomed it. I feel it become part of our dreaming fabric. ~

(From a music therapist in Scotland )

“For all its beautiful looks, the Sounding Bowl is acoustically a creature of the night, and comes in to its own when darkness and quiet descend. I do not know if you are familiar with Indian music, but it has rather the same soothing effect as the opening section of an evening raga~ I have tried playing it in 'reciprocal mode', tapping it gently and letting the strings vibrate sympathetically. Different tapping positions can excite different string combinations to resonance, so I can obtain a range of sounds. I have also tried tapping the strings very gently at differing positions along their length. If you hit the right spot, you can excite high overtones and produce rather aethereal sounds.”

(From a private user in Bath)

Just a brief note to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the “Soul Bowl” . It is really a magic bowl. I am finding that not only does it help to bring up into consciousness and reflect back to me what is deeply in me, but also it mediates to me in a wonderful way my creativity and inspiration. Through it a dialogue becomes possible with very deep levels.

(From a folk musician in Gloucestershire)

“On numerous occasions the instruments I have had have felt too intrusive. The Sounding Bowl is extremely flexible and can adjust to numerous situations providing a very safe, sensitive and intimate sound,~ soft and quiet and capable of musical inflection,~ capable of working spontaneously within the moment with all clients. In corridors and passageways where clients are often sitting a client may stop me to talk or reflect on music. The Sounding Bowl is perfect for these transitional areas because of it's portability, flexibility and unobtrusive sound.

(From a music therapist in London)

“I use mine 2-3 hours every day at least. I can't imagine (doing) music therapy in palliative care without one”

(Dr Colin Lee RMTh at the launch of the Towersey Foundation)

Back to Top

Mouse Click to return to the Front Index