The Encyclopedia of Crystals, Herbs, and New Age Elements: An A to Z Guide to New Age Elements and How to Use Them - Adams Media 2016

Bell
The Power of Sound

ORIGINS

A bell is a hollow musical instrument that produces a ringing tone when struck. It is usually made of metal, but it may also be ceramic, glass, or another material. A bell is typically cup-shaped with a flared opening, and the striking implement may be a “tongue” inside the bell or a separate mallet or hammer used on the outside of the bell. Tubular bells, or chimes, are a common variation. Bells are often associated with religion and spirituality, but they may also be used in healing and other practices.

HISTORY/LORE

The earliest evidence of bells dates back to the third millennium B.C.E. in Neolithic China. These pottery bells were replaced with metal bells about 1,000 years later. Bells have long played a prominent role in both eastern and western religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. Historically, they have been used as church bells that call worshipers to services, as instruments used in musical performances, and as tools in agricultural and domestic labor, either to help keep track of animals or to call workers in from the fields. The largest existing bell, the Tsar Bell, weighs 222 U.S. tons and is on display in Moscow’s Kremlin Museum. The most significant bell in American history, the Liberty Bell, which was rung in July 1776 to mark America’s independence from Britain, is located in Philadelphia.

USES

Bells have many musical and practical uses, but in the New Age realm, bells are often incorporated into spiritual practices. For example, in meditation, the sound of a bell may help keep your mind focused in the present instead of wandering off into the past or the future. This is often an option in group meditation, but if you are meditating alone, you can try listening to a recording of bells during your practice. In magical practices, bells may be used to summon spirits, or to mark the beginning or end of a ceremony or ritual.