How can the handpan be used in meditation and relaxation?

The handpan, a totally unknown musical instrument at the start of the 21st century, is nowadays used by professional musicians, amateur artists and practitioners of relaxation and meditation methods alike.

It’s this last element that we are going to look at today, by giving you a few ideas to help you meditate and help you to relax whilst playing the handpan. 

A little note about the handpan

The non-conventional aspect of the handpan, its mystical sounds, and its use in practices such as meditation make many people think of the handpan as an oriental instrument with ancient origins. Clearly, a number of sales “professionals” do everything to emphasise this idea, but it is totally false! 

The handpan traces its origins to… Switzerland. And is an instrument which dates back to… the 2000s.

If a “specialist” guarantees you that this is an ancient instrument used by Shaolin Monks for thousands of years, please know that they’re either knowingly lying to you, or they have no idea what they are talking about. 

The Hang, at the origin of all handpans, were created in 2000 by Félix Rohner and Sabrina Schärer, two percussion instrument makers, who wanted to create a new metallic percussion instrument, but that could be played directly with your hands. 

Effectively, they were inspired by ancient oriental instruments, such as the gong and the ghatam, but also by far less exotic accessories such as the bell (yes, the ones that hang around cows’ necks in the mountains) and the musical saw. 

As a point of interest, the Hang’s success was not to the taste of its creators who wanted it to remain an insider’s instrument. After requesting a cover letter from all potential buyers, they simply stopped manufacturing in 2014. Today, it is impossible to buy a new Hang, but a number of manufacturers offer quality handpans. If you are interested in purchasing a professional quality handpan, please click here.

The benefits of music in meditation

There is nothing particularly new here: music helps us relax, take us away, focus on yourself and meditate. 

It has been a well-known “secret” for thousands of years. Religious ceremonies have almost always been accompanied by music, whether it be a Christian mass, an Iroquois rain dance, a Maasai ritual, or a Hindu festival.

The search for relaxing music is something innate in human beings. Lullabies help little ones sleep, whilst their parents enjoy the sounds of waves, the sound of a breeze blowing through the trees, or birdsong… 

Music helps the brain drown out external influences and allows us go into a state of mind conducive to relaxation and meditation. Of course, not all music will have the same effects on the same people (some people won’t think of listening to Heavy Metal to relax), but it has been proven that some sounds are more beneficial than others.

And the handpan is among some of the most suitable instruments for music and sound therapies… 

Why handpan vibrations help us to relax

Our goal isn’t to get into the scientific details that “break” all the magic of music, but some details are necessary so that you can really understand why the handpan is an ideal musical instrument for meditating. 

What’s that sound?

The sound is a simple air vibration produced by an instrument that reaches your ears. Imagine a wave that spreads across a lake, and you have a good idea of what a sound coming towards you is like.

Why are there different sounds?

Because they don’t all have the same frequency nor the same range. Coming back to the image of the waves passing over the lake: you can have small ripples that are close together, huge waves far from each other, and a whole range of waves that exist in between.

All these waves have different effects on the shore, and the same goes for vibrations in the air: they produce a different sound when they hit our ears. 

Do all sounds have similar effects?

Of course not! Some are more pleasant, while others are annoying. Some are inaudible to the human ear (think ultrasonic sounds that dogs react to whilst we are unable to hear anything), but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have no effect. 

For example, this is the case of infrasound, a “bass” so weak that we do not pick them up, and which can produce a state of unease without knowing why. The mystery of many “haunted” houses has been debunked by an improperly fitted fan, or another source of infrasound. 

See also : How do you properly maintain a handpan ?

The benefits of handpan vibrations

Unlike the air conditioning responsible for the appearance of ghosts, the handpan’s musical frequencies are incredibly beneficial for human beings. 

History doesn’t tell us whether the Hang’s creators succeeded in this exploit thanks to scientific research, with the help of visitors from outer space, or simply by chance, but the handpan is one of these rare world instruments that has an ideal frequency ratio. 

Each handpan note is made up of three frequencies: a fundamental tone, a harmonic octave whose frequency is exactly half that of the fundamental tone, and a fifth whose frequency is exactly a third of the fundamental tone! 

That’s all well and good, but how do handpan notes help me relax?

There is still no scientific explanation to justify the fact that certain frequencies create negative sensations (fear, unease, etc…) whilst others bring a feeling of well-being and calm. 

On the other hand, if we don’t know how they work, we know perfectly well what these frequencies are! And, as we have just seen, the frequencies emitted by a handpan are exactly those that inspire positive sensations.

The advantage is that it isn’t necessary to know how to play the handpan well in order to enjoy it. Each note in itself is beneficial, and there is no need to compose a harmonious melody so that the music can help us relax. 

That is the beauty of the handpan (and probably explains its success): its simplicity.  

Whilst a violin requires a virtuoso to be able to produce pleasant sounds, each handpan note is beneficial for the spirit. And that is a scientific fact!

Meditating whilst listening to the handpan

There is nothing better, or more simple, than listening to someone playing the handpan to enter an advanced state of relaxation which is ideal for meditation. The harmonious sounds allow us to quickly find unsuspecting inner peace, and all of your everyday worries disappear as if by magic, at least for a moment.

Of course, the ideal situation is to be able to enjoy a live concert, and there are a number of centres that offer meditation sessions where someone is playing the handpan. But it is also possible to do it in complete calm at home, by listening to a video, or CD for those who still do that.

Playing the handpan : the best way to relax

To meditate, that is to say to clear your mind, playing the handpan is not the most simple way for novices. In actual fact, whilst it is extremely easy to use and is very intuitive, this instrument requires a certain amount of attention all the same.

Those who practice for years have automatic reflexes which allow them to play the right notes “without thinking about it”, but a beginner has to concentrate, and so isn’t able to “not think about it”. 

That does not mean however that you have to have played the handpan for years in order to reap the benefits! 

The fact that you have to concentrate to play it means that your mind isn’t focused on a specific task, and you cannot let it wander. Therefore, we avoid overloading it with useless, tiring and stressful thoughts, and gradually we feel the whole body relax.

This principle, used by other relaxation methods (such as colouring for example), sees its effect multiplied by the beneficial handpan sounds. This is why all those who start the handpan are immediately won over by this easy to use instrument, and by the almost immediate positive effects.

Conclusion

The “modern” side of the handpan deters some, who think that only ancestral instruments can be used to help with meditation and relaxation. The reality is very different, and the facts prove that the sounds produced by a handpan are incredibly beneficial for our bodies and minds.

Whether it is when we listen to it or when we play it, we immediately feel better when a handpan begins to resonate with us, and it would be a shame to deprive ourselves of it. So let’s put our prejudices aside, and let ourselves be lulled by these wonderful notes.