Chakra Yogi Singing Bowl - The Seven Chakra Figure Explained
The figure on a chakra yogi singing bowl is a yogi seated in meditation, with the seven chakras, the energy centres of yoga, aligned along his spine from the root to the crown. Many of these bowls also carry the seven chakra symbols: lotuses of 4 to 1,000 petals, each with its own seed sound. The yogi is a reminder to sit, breathe and settle; the sound comes from the bowl.
Key takeaways
- The figure: a meditating yogi, not a god, with seven chakras along his spine.
- The symbols: seven lotuses, from 4 petals at the root to 1,000 at the crown.
- The sounds: Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om, and silence at the crown.
- The notes: C at the root up to B at the crown, in our chakra sets.
What is the figure on a chakra yogi bowl?
The Chakra Yogi is a yogi in meditation: cross-legged, back straight, hands resting on his knees. Along his spine sit the seven chakras of the yoga traditions of India and Nepal, from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
Unlike the figures in our deities on singing bowls guide, he is not a god. He is a picture of what you are doing when you sit with the bowl: settling the body and letting attention rise.
What do the seven chakra symbols mean?
| Chakra | Petals | Shape at the centre | Seed sound | Element |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root, Muladhara | 4 | Square | Lam लं | Earth |
| Sacral, Svadhisthana | 6 | Crescent moon | Vam वं | Water |
| Solar plexus, Manipura | 10 | Downward triangle | Ram रं | Fire |
| Heart, Anahata | 12 | Six-pointed star | Yam यं | Air |
| Throat, Vishuddha | 16 | Circle in a triangle | Ham हं | Space |
| Third eye, Ajna | 2 | Circle | Om ॐ | Beyond the elements |
| Crown, Sahasrara | 1,000 | None | Silence | Pure awareness |
On an etched bowl you will not see the rainbow colours; they are a modern addition, first linked to the chakras in the twentieth century. Read the number of petals instead. Why each chakra has its petals is explained in chakra lotus petals, and the seed sounds in our lesson on chakra mantras.
Where do the yogi and the chakras appear on a bowl?
On our chakra yogi bowls, the yogi is etched at the centre inside. Around the outside you may find the seven chakra symbols, Om Mani Padme Hum, or a ring of other yogis in meditation, and on the base a symbol such as the Flower of Life, a vajra or an Om.
Looking for a chakra yogi bowl?
Our Chakra Yogi bowl is hand-hammered, then etched by thangka artists: the yogi inside, yogis in meditation around him and the Flower of Life on the back, in 7 to 12 inches.
Which chakra yogi bowl should you choose?
| If you want | Look at |
|---|---|
| The yogi with the Flower of Life | Chakra Yogi singing bowl, 7 to 12 inches |
| The yogi with Om Mani Padme Hum | Chakra Yogi mantra mandala bowl, 8 to 12 inches |
| The seven chakra symbols, extra large | Large Chakra Yogi bowl with 7 chakra symbols, 16 to 22 inches |
| A yogi in the forest | Jungle Yogi bowl: the eight lucky symbols around, 8 to 12 inches |
| A yogi for home | Home Yogi bowl: the eight lucky symbols around, 8 to 12 inches |
| The yogi on a gong | Chakra Yogi carved gong, 16 to 22 inches |
Bowls large enough to stand in are in large standing singing bowls, and every figure bowl is in carved and etched singing bowls.
How do you use a chakra yogi bowl?
- Sit like the yogi: cross-legged or on a chair, back straight, hands on your knees.
- Start at the root: strike once and rest your attention at the base of the spine.
- Rise one chakra at a time: strike again for each, chanting its seed sound softly, Lam to Om.
- End at the crown in silence, the one chakra without a sound.
Practice like this supports relaxation and focus, and does not treat any condition. How each chakra is linked with a note is explained in frequency, notes and chakras.
Can you work with all seven chakras in sound?
Yes, with a set: one bowl for each chakra, notes C to B. See our chakra singing bowl sets, or build your own with our set builder; the order you play them in depends on the tradition you follow.
For a single bowl, we can engrave the Chakra Yogi or the seven chakra symbols on a custom singing bowl, with a mantra of your choice around them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the figure on a chakra yogi singing bowl?
A yogi seated in meditation, with the seven chakras aligned along his spine from the root to the crown. He is not a god; he is a picture of a practitioner at rest.
What are the 7 chakra symbols on a singing bowl?
Seven lotuses, one for each chakra: Root with 4 petals, Sacral 6, Solar plexus 10, Heart 12, Throat 16, Third eye 2 and Crown a thousand. Each has its own shape at the centre and a seed sound.
What are the chakra seed sounds?
Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham and Om, from the root to the third eye, written लं वं रं यं हं ॐ in Devanagari. The crown is usually kept in silence.
Why are the chakras shown in rainbow colours?
The rainbow colours are a modern addition, first linked to the chakras in the twentieth century. The older texts describe the chakras by their lotus petals, shapes and seed sounds.
Which note goes with each chakra?
In our chakra sets, C for the root, then D, E, F, G and A, up to B for the crown.
Who are the Jungle Yogi and the Home Yogi?
Two other yogi figures we etch: the Jungle Yogi, with long flowing hair, meditating in the forest, and the Home Yogi, a figure for peaceful living at home.
Can I have a yogi or the chakra symbols on my own bowl?
Yes. We can engrave the Chakra Yogi or the seven chakra symbols on a custom singing bowl, and engraving is free.
Want the seven chakras on your bowl?
Choose the size and finish, and ask for the Chakra Yogi or the chakra symbols. Engraving is free, and Sunita chooses your bowl after your order arrives.
