Saturday, October 4, 2008

Wind Chimes

Wind chimes have tones and vibrations that soothe and calm the mind, helping to release all your stress, bringing harmony to both mind and spirit. Listening to chimes tinkle (the noise, not the other kind!) in the breeze can help you connect with your inner spirit, help us withdraw from the world, and gain strength from our inner spirit. Chimes have been used for much more than decoration for centuries. Wind chimes have been around since prehistoric times, when strings of shells were strung from trees near dwellings. They were a crude form of home decorating that may very well have been man's earliest attempt at beautifying his environment!

Last night, I dug out some totes in storage, and found all of my wind chimes that have been boxed up since .... Feb 2007 (yes, I started packing early!) And today, there was a really nice breeze, and I felt I needed to get them hung up. Its so nice to hear them again!!!

How much do you know about wind chimes? True or False... :

1.) Although humans may like the sound made by wind chimes, birds for the most part are scared away.

2.) In China, wind chimes are reserved for sacred temple purposes.


3.) According to early folklore legends, a wind chime hung over the doorway to a home brought good luck to the first person of the day to pass under them.


4.) Wind chimes purported to be "precision tuned," are in fact, just regular chimes with tubular pipes instead of irregular shapes.


5.) Both the diameter and the length of the pipe affect the tone of a wind chime.


6.) The type metal that sounds best when the striker hits the pipe is copper.


7.) Certain tones produced by a wind chime are believed to have a healing effect.


8.) Wind chimes can usually be purchased in a department store for less money than anywhere else.


9.) One of the reasons why wind chimes make perfect gifts for Mother's Day and terrific anniversary gifts is because of their symbolic meaning.


10.) Although a popular enhancement for garden yard decor, the use of chimes is prohibited in the Bible.


11.) The secret to producing the sweetest sound possible has to do with the point of contact between striker and pipe.


12.) The "Feng Shui" is the chromatic scale used to enhance the rich tones made by precision tuned pipes.


1.) False: Birds and many other forms of wildlife enjoy listening to the soothing tones made by tuned chimes.


2.) False: Many people in the Orient use wind chimes as part of their unique home decor, whether strictly for feng shui purposes or simply decorative art.


3.) False: They were hung over the door way to keep out wicked spirits, and to ward off evil omens.


4.) False: Precision tuned chimes are exactly what they say. Offering a soothing, relaxing medley of notes instead of the sometimes irritating bang and clang of ordinary kinds of chimes.


5.) True: Smaller diameter pipes produce a higher tone than pipes longer and/or larger in diameter.


6.) False: High grade aluminum produces a better sound in wind chimes; some aluminum pipes are treated to look like copper. But this is for decorative purposes only.


7.) True: Some tones do have a healing effect; calming our minds, relieving stress, awakening our spirits, and improving our concentration level.


8.) False: Many times you can purchase wind chimes online, where ease of shopping and selection is better. Some of the best buys for quality, precision tuned chimes can also be found online.


9.) True: They are symbolic of harmony and peace.


10.) False: The Bible does not address the matter, and there is no reason to avoid their use. Chimes are a lovely enhancement of nature, and their "song" a celebration of the creation that surrounds us.


11.) True: The "anti-nodes," or points of contact that vibrate the most to produce the sweetest sounds, are located in the middle and at both ends of the pipe.


12.) False: Chime pipes sound best (in my opinion) when tuned to the pentatonic scale, the same scale used to tune a piano's black keys. Feng shui has to do with harmony and

(Courtesy of Stephen Betzen, found at http://www.enchantedspirit.org/Spotlight/4707.php )

There's something to be said for being able to sit out on the balcony, reading a book, a cool drink by your side, while the world slowly spins around, and your chimes tinkling in the breeze! Its moments like this that make one believe "it doesn't get much better than this". :)
HUGS to everyone!

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