Provided photos — Naj Wikoff Thomas Baillargeon with his singing bowls.

On Sunday evenings at 7, a small cadre of people come to Keene Fitness to center themselves and relax to the sounds of Crystal Singing bowls. Some sit in meditative postures, others lie back on yoga mats provided by the venue, and some fall asleep during the session led by Thomas Baillargeon. The sessions grow out of one led by Baillargeon for the Keene Valley Congregational Church’s fall equinox event, requests that he hold another, then another, and now he offers weekly sessions at the Fitness Center where he works.

The healing properties of music have been well known for centuries, which has been backed up more rrecently by several decades of research. Music, for example, can reduce and, in some cases, block experiences of pain. A 2016 randomized trial of burn patients during dressing changes, which can be excruciating, demonstrated that listening to or participating in the making of music could make a significant reduction in the experience of pain, and that different music worked for different people.

I had an opportunity to test that theory three years ago in a Mount Sinai Hospital ER when a hand surgeon discovered that the pain treatment, novocaine, had been improperly administered to my severely cut thumb. Rather than going through it being readministered, I urged him to let me put on earbuds and listen to music I had on my computer. Much to his surprise, he could stitch up my thumb without me twitching. I selected the music by Stas Namin, a Russian rocker I met in 1989 in Moscow.

Studies have shown that the sound and vibrations produced by singing bowls, whether made from bronze or crystal, can produce physiological and psychological responses, reduce negative feelings and enhance positive ones. They can also improve blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates and promote healing.

Singing bowls date back over 1,000 years. A question is, where were they first developed? The Himalayas or Southeast Asia have long been the lead contenders. It’s possible they were developed simultaneously as living traditions were passed on from one maker to another. Initially, they were made from bronze, and the metallurgy and construction of ancient bowls from both regions are very similar. The greater yet subtle difference is in their decorations.

Mike Jones is a frequent participant at the events.

However, recent archaeology has discovered even older bowls created in Ancient Persia.

Ancient trade routes from the Persian Gulf to India and beyond underscore the possibility that their initial development may have been in the Middle East in the 10th century, but enhanced and continued as an ongoing practice in Tibet and Southeast Asia. Advances in 16th-century metallurgy resulted in a ten-fold expansion in their production.

The invention of crystal singing bowls is relatively recent, though the ancient Greeks knew and valued crystals’ healing power.

In the 1980s, musical innovators, knowing about crystals’ resonance and ability to hold and amplify energy, began experimenting to see if they could create resonating bowls, resulting in the shapes available today.

What has not changed since bronze or crystal bowls were first developed is the use of singing bowls for healing, meditation, and relaxation.

What matters with both is how they are cared for and used, as they can be damaged; thus, special instruction is advised. What is also true is that artisans are constantly tinkering with their construction, especially with crystal bowls; as a consequence, their nuances are evolving.

“For me, getting into using singing bowls came when a lot of things came to a tipping point in my life,” said Thomas Baillargeon. “I realized that the coping skills I had picked up along the way were insufficient. I felt that I needed something more. Music had always been a part of my life; my parents were constantly listening to music and using it to help them feel calmer and happier, so I had always done that as well. But I felt I needed something more that would combine it with mindful spiritual practice, maintaining healthy psychological practices, and that would be good for my body.”

Baillargeon found that attending music bowl events made a difference and worked for him on mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. Baillargeon realized that participating in such sessions helped put life’s stressors on pause for a moment, a pause that allowed everything to reset, for him to feel more centered. The sessions provided him a path to healing, facing life as it is, and accepting what is physiologically in his body, pleasant and unpleasant. He found that sound healing carved out space and time to experience a flow of energy that helped him come back to center.

The sound and vibrations produced by crystal singing bowls worked exceptionally well for him, so he sought instruction about a dozen years ago.

“There are all sorts of bowls and frequencies,” said Baillargeon. “Most sets that people tend to have and use are based on a musical scale, such as a C scale. They also help people connect with an order in the universe, a universe filled with chaos and order, just as our lives contain a mix of both. They help us connect with patterns and order that make sense, just as music can do that for many people.”

Baillargeon credits two mentors in particular who let him use and experiment with their bowls as they provided guidance as he developed confidence and built his collection. He said it’s no less important to care for and maintain the bowls than it is for us to care for our bodies, homes, and musical instruments. In his sessions, he tends to use eight, especially when incorporating a focus on the Chakras, but may use one, three, or a dozen depending on the session’s intent and circumstances.

“The session was educational and relaxing,” said first-time participant Jon Plehan. “I liked it. I vibrated with the sound. It’s relaxing, and I can see how some fall asleep.”

“I have a hard time clearing my mind, so it’s a practice to help me address that, which can help me address what’s been troubling my mind,” said Mike Jones, a regular attendee. “I also just like the vibrations of the bowls. They are very good; I like that feeling. They take me to another place.”

Sessions are free to Keene Fitness members and $10 for everyone else. Reservations are encouraged but not necessary. The address is 1771 NYS Route 73, across from the Noonmark Diner in Keene Valley. Visions of Tibet in Lake Placid sells high-quality bronze Singing Bowls.