Windchimes; A Landscape Of Calming Tones
Travel around a small town and you will often find windchimes hanging on a front porch or tinkling from the garden. The sound they produce is beautiful and they tend to give the feeling of calmness. There are many different types of windchimes including those that just tinkle to those that are tuned to give off specific tones. Windchimes can be made of different types of materials and you are sure to find one that pleases your ear.
Windchimes have been in use since prehistoric times but no one is sure if they were used to warn of intrusion, to tell how the wind was blowing or if they were just there because they sounded nice. An archaeological dig in South East Asia produced some ancient windchimes that dated back to about 3000 BC. These early windchimes were frequently made out of bone, wood or stones and then later bamboo and shells. The first people to use metal to make a wind chime were the Egyptians and they made them out of bronze.
In Asia they were developed extensively because the Buddhist culture used them as religious paraphernalia. Windchimes were attached to the eaves of pagodas and temples and set off a cacophony of sound when the wind blew. Asian and Mediterranean cultures believed that the windchimes would allow benevolent spirits to be around them in order to protect them while it kept evil spirits away. Many families in China and Japan began putting them on their own homes to attract these spirits. Today it is thought that windchimes will bring good luck.
The Celtic people of ancient Britain made and used windchimes to keep away intruders. They placed windchimes in the woods near their villages so that when the intruders came near they would hear them and think the woods were haunted. They would be tricked and run quickly away from the village.
There is a belief that the sound of windchimes can have a calming affect on the mind. It is said that certain chimes have a specific resonance that can heal the body and mind of a person. It is said they can bring about awareness and connection with the spirit. They help one relax and reduce anger and bring balance to the whole person. Windchimes are used in Feng Shui because of the ability to bring that so sought after balance.
Farmers used to use windchimes not to gain balance but to tell what the weather was going to be like. When a wind blows from a certain direction in a certain area it can bring about good or bad weather conditions. Farmers could tell if there was going to be rain by hearing the windchimes ring in a particular manner because the wind was coming from that direction. They could tell how hard the wind was blowing as well. They also used windchimes in the corn field in order to frighten away the birds that would eat all the corn.
Windchimes are still a good seller even today. They are made from hanging the chimes from string. Some of the chimes are made of metal rods or tubes and some are made of glass or even seashells. Bamboo windchimes are very popular and give a clinking sound rather than a chime. Some of the metal chimes have a central string hanging down with a metal or wooden ball or disk at the bottom. The chimes hit that ball or disk when the wind blows and causes them to sound. There are other windchimes where the chimes are positioned in a row and they bump into each other and make sounds.
Many people adorn their homes and gardens with windchimes today. They are not there to frighten away pests or nasty spirits and they are not there to forecast the weather. They do make a pretty sound and make the environment more pleasant and tranquil. They were trendy in the past and they are now and can be found in any home or business. Today they are made of a multitude of materials and sold with carved wood, metals, stained glass, shells and other objects that make sound when hung by string and jostled together. They may not attract luck or protective spirits but everyone puts a smile on their face when they hear them.
Windchimes have been in use since prehistoric times but no one is sure if they were used to warn of intrusion, to tell how the wind was blowing or if they were just there because they sounded nice. An archaeological dig in South East Asia produced some ancient windchimes that dated back to about 3000 BC. These early windchimes were frequently made out of bone, wood or stones and then later bamboo and shells. The first people to use metal to make a wind chime were the Egyptians and they made them out of bronze.
In Asia they were developed extensively because the Buddhist culture used them as religious paraphernalia. Windchimes were attached to the eaves of pagodas and temples and set off a cacophony of sound when the wind blew. Asian and Mediterranean cultures believed that the windchimes would allow benevolent spirits to be around them in order to protect them while it kept evil spirits away. Many families in China and Japan began putting them on their own homes to attract these spirits. Today it is thought that windchimes will bring good luck.
The Celtic people of ancient Britain made and used windchimes to keep away intruders. They placed windchimes in the woods near their villages so that when the intruders came near they would hear them and think the woods were haunted. They would be tricked and run quickly away from the village.
There is a belief that the sound of windchimes can have a calming affect on the mind. It is said that certain chimes have a specific resonance that can heal the body and mind of a person. It is said they can bring about awareness and connection with the spirit. They help one relax and reduce anger and bring balance to the whole person. Windchimes are used in Feng Shui because of the ability to bring that so sought after balance.
Farmers used to use windchimes not to gain balance but to tell what the weather was going to be like. When a wind blows from a certain direction in a certain area it can bring about good or bad weather conditions. Farmers could tell if there was going to be rain by hearing the windchimes ring in a particular manner because the wind was coming from that direction. They could tell how hard the wind was blowing as well. They also used windchimes in the corn field in order to frighten away the birds that would eat all the corn.
Windchimes are still a good seller even today. They are made from hanging the chimes from string. Some of the chimes are made of metal rods or tubes and some are made of glass or even seashells. Bamboo windchimes are very popular and give a clinking sound rather than a chime. Some of the metal chimes have a central string hanging down with a metal or wooden ball or disk at the bottom. The chimes hit that ball or disk when the wind blows and causes them to sound. There are other windchimes where the chimes are positioned in a row and they bump into each other and make sounds.
Many people adorn their homes and gardens with windchimes today. They are not there to frighten away pests or nasty spirits and they are not there to forecast the weather. They do make a pretty sound and make the environment more pleasant and tranquil. They were trendy in the past and they are now and can be found in any home or business. Today they are made of a multitude of materials and sold with carved wood, metals, stained glass, shells and other objects that make sound when hung by string and jostled together. They may not attract luck or protective spirits but everyone puts a smile on their face when they hear them.
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