"The mellifluous ring of the small Tibetan hand cymbals known as ting-sha instantly strikes a resonance within the human heart. Their purpose is to summon. They call us to awareness, to mindfully remember who we are, and to recognize our priorities in this often turbulent and changeable world.
"The Tibetan term ting refers to the ringing sound of metal, to the cadence of a musical note or to the small, silver, bronze or bell metal offering bowls placed on a Buddhist altar. The term sha means 'hanging' or 'suspended.' The word ting-sha may thus be taken to mean either hanging bell metal or a sustained musical note."
This explanation of Ting-Sha comes from Robert Beer's hardcover book that is packaged with a set of cymbals. He discusses the three techniques for striking them to create a sustained ring, provides an overview of how they are made, and ponders the symbols on them. After looking at the traditional uses of the ting-sha in Tibetan Buddhist rituals, Beer suggests how they can be adapted to your own spiritual purposes in making offerings, space-cleansing, and loving-kindness rituals. Beer, a Buddhist artist and scholar, has done a fine job assembling this helpful spiritual resource.
