When individuals enter a temple, they hardly do so in a state of mental emptiness. One may be there, but they are frequently preoccupied with thoughts of work, family commitments, concerns, and incomplete conversations. This mental clamour does not allow one to concentrate or be relaxed in real life. There is a particular reason why the ringing of the temple bell is important: it immediately makes a person focus on nothing else and aligns the mind to the current moment, setting them in a better state for a more meaningful spiritual experience.

The temple bell is not a common metal object. Conventionally, it is made out of an accurate combination of metals, including copper, zinc, iron, silver, and, in some instances, traces of gold. This contrast is deliberate. The metals used offer their own individual acoustic characteristics, which enable the bell to be able to give a deep, rich, and layered sound. The bell does not produce a sharp or boring sound, but vibrations, which extend all around and hang in the air. It is this sustained resonance that makes the sound so strong that it can influence both the mind and the body.

The length of the echo of a temple bell is one of the most significant aspects of the real temple bell. A properly made bell will resonate for at least seven seconds upon being hit. This is associated with the seven major centres of energy in the body, which are usually referred to as chakras in spiritual traditions. It is believed that the sound wave passes through the body and stimulates each of these centres softly, and assists in establishing internal harmony. Be it in a spiritual or symbolic way, the protruded echo makes sure that the hearer is thoroughly attentive until the sound is gone.

Scientifically, the seven-second resonance is a relaxation of the neurology. Long and smooth sounds are able to slow down the brain activity, changing it from a state of stress and active thoughts to one of relaxed awareness. With further continuation of the sound, the breathing process becomes deeper and slower, the muscles become relaxed, and the nervous system starts to calm down. That is why individuals usually feel less tense almost right after they hear the bell.

Another role that the sound of the bell contributes towards is balancing the two parts of the brain. The right side of the brain controls emotion, intuition and creativity, whereas logic, reasoning and analysis are controlled by the left side of the brain. The rational aspect is usually overexploited in everyday life, causing disproportion and psychological exhaustion. The first sound of the bell strikes right away, and the second sound of the resonance is smooth and appeals to the emotional and intuitive perception. There is a moment where the right and left sides of the brain are in a state of harmony, and this produces the feeling of mental balance and clearness.

The other impact of the temple bell is the psychological moment that it creates. When the bell is struck, a number of people realise that their minds are on a standstill. This state of silence, commonly referred to as a mental gap, is because the mind is totally occupied with listening to the sound as it gradually dies out. In this period, there are no thoughts of the past and fears of the future. The mind does not think or analyse; it is just aware.

It is not the emptiness of this mental gap. Instead, it is a state of being and awareness. It sweeps away erratic thoughts and emotional rubbish, making the mind fresh and open. That is why the bell is ringing before getting into the inner part of the temple. It is symbolic and psychologically the beginning of the shift between the exterior world and the interior, more cogitative one.

Ringing of the bell is also a preparation. A temple is supposed to be an object of concentration, piety, and self-examination. Rituals may become mechanical or distracted by entering such a space without calming the mind prior to it. The bell also makes sure that one starts worship or meditation at a point of awareness and not habit. It makes the person in sync with the feeling of the holy space.

This can be enhanced by a basic exercise. When next you approach a temple, be sure that you keep striking the bell once and then shut your eyes. Wait and then listen for a moment till the last vibration is heard. Do not give in to the temptation to hurry or move. Once the sound is completely gone, see what has happened to your body and mind. A majority of the individuals feel calm, light, and mentally clear.

The temple bell is not merely a religious ceremony or cultural practice after all. It is an ancient device that is meant to reset the mind through the use of sound. The bell does not cause chaos in a busy world where people can be stimulated all the time; it brings about silence. It is in that silence that awareness increases, and an individual is fully present, ready to take the temple not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally.

References

• Anselm Grün (2005). Sound and Silence: Music and Spiritual Practice. Crossroad Publishing Company.
• Joseph Campbell (1988). The Power of Myth. Doubleday.
• Swami Sivananda (1999). Kundalini Yoga. Divine Life Society.
• Daniel J. Levitin (2006). This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession. Dutton.
• Herbert Benson and Proctor Harvey (2010). Relaxation Revolution. Scribner.
• Fritjof Capra (1996). The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems. Anchor Books.
• Mircea Eliade (1959). The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion. Harcourt, Brace & World.
• Robert A. Monroe (2001). Journeys Out of the Body. Harmony Books.
• B.K.S. Iyengar (2002). Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. HarperCollins.
• Oliver Sacks (2007). Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. Alfred A. Kn

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