Windchimes; A Landscape Of Pretty Tones

By Wendy Criswell

Windchimes are often found in gardens or hanging from the eaves of houses. They impart a lovely sound to the atmosphere that can be calming. Some windchimes are tuned to play music while others have random tinkling tones. They are made of many materials and you can find one that will please your senses without any trouble at all.

The use of windchimes goes back to prehistoric times but whether they were used for pleasure or warning of intruders or conveying the strength of the wind is uncertain. Windchimes were found in South East Asia in an archaeological site and date to around 3000 BC. Ancient windchimes were made of bone, bamboo or other woods, stones, and shells. The Egyptians were the first people to make windchimes out of metal as they cast them in bronze.

The Buddhists in Asia were the ones who developed windchimes to the fullest mostly because they used them in ceremonies. They hung windchimes to the rooftops of pagodas and temples that would ring deliriously whenever the wind came through. In Asia and the Mediterranean people believed that the windchimes would call to good spirits and they would come to protect the people who put them up. It was also believed that windchimes would keep evil spirits at bay. You can find windchimes on many residences in China and Japan the owners hoping the good spirits will protect them. In other cultures it is believed that windchimes will make you have good luck.

The ancient Celts used windchimes for a totally different reason. They would set them up in strategic areas in order to fool their enemies. These people were very superstitious and this would cause the enemy to become alarmed and think the area was haunted when they heard that strange clacking or ringing sound.

It seems that windchimes will calm the mind and spirit. Each chime has a tone and resonance that has the ability to heal both the mind and the body of a human being. The chimes bring great awareness and will connect you with your own spirit. The are relaxing and can quell anger bringing a balance to the soul. Feng Shui employs the use of windchimes in order to bring that balance into the home.

Windchimes have a more practical use as farmers of old used them to indicate the weather patterns that would either help or harm their crops. If the chimes were ringing in a certain manner it meant the wind was coming from a specific direction and it would rain that day. They would put several sets of chimes around the farm so they could detect the wind direction. This also gave them the ability to know how strong the wind was blowing. They were also used for another goal. The ringing would frighten away any bird that threatened the crop.

Today windchimes are still popular and are made from suspending tubes or other materials from string. Some are made of rods or tubes and are often made of metal or wood although there are still some being made with glass prisms and shells. Some metal windchimes have a ball like clapper or a horizontal disk that is suspended from the center with the chimes all around it. When the wind blows the chimes bump against the clapper or disk causing them to ring or make another sound. Other windchimes may suspend the materials in a row and when they hit each other they make a pleasant tinkling sound.

Windchimes can be found everywhere these days and the reason usually does not include intruders or scaring away crows. It usually is not to forecast the weather either or to beacon to good spirits. Windchimes do give off sounds that can be calming and relaxing and come in a variety of materials including glass, wood or bamboo, seashells, and all types of metals. They may or may not bring luck but everyone who hears them enjoys the tinkling melodies.

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