Tingshas (tingshaw, dingsha) are a meditation bell in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Tingsha can be rung anytime one wants to achieve a calm and meditative state of mind. They can be rung to fix a moment or place in one's memory. Tingsha can be part of a home altar or shrine, or easily transported to use in a garden, yoga center, or other setting. Our tingsha are made of eight metal by master Tibetan craftsmen working in accordance with fair trade principles in northern India. Tingsha are cymbals which are used by people of the Tibetan Buddhist faith as well as non-Buddhists. These cymbals may be rung as part of rituals and ceremonies, and they are also used during prayer and meditation. The distinctive sound of tingsha also appears, incidentally, on many new age meditation and relaxation tapes. These cymbals are always used in pairs. They are heavier than Western and Middle Eastern cymbals, and they are joined by a length of leather or chain. To play tingsha, someone strikes one cymbal against the other, generating a penetrating ringing noise.
