Chinese Meditation Balls

[Luke73]

OK, it might seem like a strange topic on a Bass Player's forum - but I recently got some of these:

 

http://ishka.com.au/Images/mb_04.jpg

 

I find them a great way to warm up before practising my bass. Use them in each hand for a few minutes and when I pick up the bass my fingers, wrists and forearms feel warm, limber and ready to play instead of the usual warm-up period.

 

Whilst the balls are said to have health promoting properties by stimulating accupressure points in the hand. I don't know enough to be able to either dispute or uphold those claims, but I do know they feel good

 

They're strangely relaxing to use, and if it makes my bass playing more comfortable, and lessens the potential for injury from playing cold then it might be a good thing.

 

....just wondered if anyone had tried them?

 

They're very cheap - maybe it's worth giving them a go?

 

[A Head with Wings]

I think that a lot of people don't now what you are talking about.

You have to take two balls in one hand, and turn them around and around, not touching one another.

It's a good muscle exercise, forget the accupressure.

[Luke73]

OK

 

for those not familiar with these balls, here's a short excerpt showing a brief history and their instructions for use:

 

Health balls were first introduced in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). A weaponry blacksmith guided by the gods fashioned these iron balls to produce the sounds of a roaring Dragon and the singing of the phoenix. He achieved this by sealing magnetic ball and sound boards inside spheres of iron.

 

Having received them as a tribute to his court, The Emperor of the time rejoiced at their beauty and installed them as one of the palace treasures. Although initially ownership of the health balls was reserved for the imperial family and government officials alone, they were soon manufactured and enjoyed all over the realm. They were used as articles in Buddhism Martial Arts, and as a preventative and cure in traditional Chinese medicines.

 

According the the "Jingluo" theory, the ten fingers are connected with the heart, the cranial nerves, the vital organs and the blood stream. The balls stimulate the various acupuncture points of the hands and aid the uninterrupted flow of blood and vital energy to promote harmony throughout thee organs and the nervous system. It makes the bones strong and the mind sober and prevents and cures hypertension and various chronic diseases.

 

Exercising everyday for months and years keeps your brain in good health with high intelligence and good memory. The balls strengthen the body's immune system and are used for the prevention and treatment of numbness of hands and fingers and especially arthritis in fingers and wrists. They relax your thoughts and drown your worries and release your stress. Health balls prolong peoples lives and are a necessary treasure to relieve fatigue in this modern world.

 

Besides aiding your physical and mental health, these spheres are also beautiful pieces of art and can be used as display, as entertainment with family and friends or as special gifts.

 

When taking exercise, put two balls on your palm and crook and stretch fingers in sequence to cause them to rotate either anti-clockwise or clockwise. In doing so all the joints of the hands are always in motion and the forearm muscles are contracted and relaxed harmonically. Practice with both hands alternatively, you may select balls of smaller size at first and then larger ones progressively. They always come as a pair with each ball producing a different sound, encased in a silk lined box. They are available in different sizes and finishes.

 

Obviously I'm not supporting all of the claims above But I think they're a great way to warm up before playing bass, and it's relaxing using them whilst sitting in front of my computer surfing the internet

 

It's not necessary at all to avoid them touching each other. It's absolutely fine for the balls to touch each other whilst rotating. In fact for beginners it's recommended that you try and rotate the balls and keep them touching each other at all times - ie no banging together or coming apart. Rotating the balls without them touching each other is more difficult, and is considered one of the more advanced techniques.

 

[Mighty Thumb]

These things are great. I starting using them years (and years) ago when I started studying martial arts. Never really thought about specifically using them as a warm up tool, but they would serve that function very well. Use these things for a couple of months and your hands and wrists should be noticeably more limber and stronger. You can make them sing if you do it right too - hence the "meditative" aspect. I've always kept them touching as they rotate, my hands are too small to keep them apart, and they make a better sound when they remain in constant contact.

 

Good find Luke-san!

[Dave Brown]

I had a set I picked up while playing bluegrass in Sacramento. Now they are gone; one of my kids, I'd bet.

 

My LH pinkie and pointer finger are showing some arthritus signs (almost kept me from playing URB last week, but this week it's better.)

 

I'm using Blue Stuff; not much more than snake oil, but it has helped.

[moot]

Ahhh. Such an open door here for crude humor . . .

 

I had a set on my coffee table for years but never thought of this use. I remember they made a soothing dingley sound though.

 

I usually will squeeze a racket ball on my way to a gig and do some stretches but, I'm gonna pick up another set of "dingle balls" next time I see 'em and see how it works out. Thanks Luke73

[Nicklab]

A drummer I know has been using these for years. He swears by them and has a number of sets.

[DONUT]

I've been using these before and during gigs. Takes the edge off.

 

http://www.toysforpassion.com/c7_benwa.jpg

[Fred TBP]

Luke, that's a really nice set of balls you got there. I have a few sets, and a big set, but none as nice as those. Maybe Santa will bring me a nice set of balls like those ones.

And as for me: click HERE, and HERE.

[Bassplayerjoe]

My dad got those as a gift a couple years ago. I guess I am going to have to use those before playing bass and see what they do for me.

[jeremy c]

Seems like a good idea to me. I think there might be a set around the house somewhere.

 

On the other hand, I once worked with a singer (female, of course) who did a show while using ben wa balls. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea, but those of us who knew (some of the band and a few of the loyal friends and fans) were quite amused.

 

If you are under 18, please don't look up what they are.

[A Head with Wings]

I had no clue. Till you said to the youngsters not to look it up. Now I remember having read about it.

[Luke73]

It's interesting that a few of you have used these (the meditation balls, not the Ben Wa balls!) before. I've known about them for years, but never owned a set. Some of my Chinese students gave me these as a gift to mark the end of their studies.

 

Hopefully they'll be helpful for some of you as a warm-up tool, or even provide some relief for those experiencing some pain.

 

 

Jeremy C: That's a very funny story

 

Fred: Thanks for the links. I actually did a search to see if they'd been mentioed before, but didn't see those posts

[The Geoff]

Originally posted by DONUT:

I've been using these before and during gigs. Takes the edge off.

 

http://www.toysforpassion.com/c7_benwa.jpg

Do you need a glass of water to knock them over?

 

G.

[DONUT]

No, but I have to sit out in the car to get them out.

[ATM]

"The Caine Mutiny" comes to mind.

http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/42/42_images/cainebogart.jpg

After that thought, I'll hold my tongue.

 

ATM