Bells

The Sacred Resonance

A Spiritual Reflection on Bells

During the early morning hours, I walk along the greenways surrounding my home. In that clear air I can hear the bells ring from a nearby Methodist Church. The bells play a soft, melodic sound in the sequence of a hymn. When I hear the sweet sound of the bells it automatically softens my steps. I am inspired to pray. My prayers of gratitude accompany me as I walk along the path sheltered by tall trees while the birds chirp and sing and the sun begins to kiss the day awake.

Bells have been a part of human spiritual practices for millennia, their clear tones resonating through temples, churches, and monasteries across the world. The sound of a bell is more than just a call to attention; it is a reminder of the Divine, a symbol of the connection between the earthly and the heavenly, the temporal and the eternal.

Bells, in their essence, are instruments of awakening. In many religious traditions, the ringing of a bell is used to signal the beginning of a spiritual practice, be it prayer, meditation, or a sacred ritual. This sound, often described as pure and penetrating, serves to awaken the soul, drawing it away from the distractions of the mundane world and directing it towards the Divine. The bell’s sound cuts through the noise of everyday life, offering a moment of stillness and reflection. In this way, it becomes a call to the soul to return to its true nature, to remember its purpose and its connection to the Divine Source.

Through research I discovered that the physical form of a bell also holds spiritual symbolism. The hollow, empty space within the bell represents the void, the unknown, the vastness of the divine mystery. When struck, the bell vibrates, producing a sound that emerges from this emptiness and spreads outwards, much like how spiritual insight emerges from the silence of contemplation and touches all aspects of life. The clapper of the bell, striking its inner walls, symbolizes the dynamic interaction between the human and the Divine, between action and stillness, between the known and the unknown.

In Buddhism, the sound of a bell is believed to purifying the space and making it conducive to spiritual practice. This belief is mirrored in other traditions where they are used to sanctify and bless a space. The sound of a bell, with its penetrating clarity, is thought to cut through the veil between the material and the spiritual realms, bringing Divine energy into the physical world.

Bells are one of my favorite parts of sitting meditation in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition. An outdoor bell is struck in rapid succession as students enter the meditation hall. A small hand bell called an Inkin produces a clear, high-pitched tone and is rung three times to mark the beginning of the meditation period and rings once marking the end of the meditation period. With the beginning bells, I set my intention to witness my mind as it traverses thoughts, feelings, and sensations. As time passes my thoughts gradually slow as I settle into stillness.

The sound of a bell is also deeply connected to the concept of impermanence. As soon as the bell is struck, the sound begins to fade, reminding us that all things in the material world are transient. This realization is at the heart of many spiritual teachings, which encourage us to detach from the ephemeral and seek the eternal. The fading sound of the bell calls us to live in the present moment, to embrace the now, knowing that it, too, will pass. It invites us to find peace in the midst of change, to recognize that the true essence of life lies not in clinging to the past or worrying about the future, but in fully experiencing the present.

In the Christian tradition, the ringing of church bells marks the passing of time, calling the faithful to prayer at specific hours of the day. This practice serves as a reminder of the Incarnation, the moment when the Divine entered into human history. The regular tolling of the bells encourages believers to pause, reflect, and offer their day to God, sanctifying the ordinary rhythm of life with the sacred. In this way, the bell brings the Divine into everyday.

I attended a Catholic grade school where bells would ring to mark the beginning and end of the day. A bell would also ring at the end of recess when all the children would drag their little bodies back to the classrooms. When the bell rang to mark the end of the day it was like a holiday as the children would line up for the buses with promises of milk and cookies upon arriving home. 

At St. Mary’s of Notre Dame, bells rang to mark the beginning of mass on Sundays. And from every corner of campus, one could hear the church bells tolling the hours of the day. I felt comforted by the sound of the bells. They served as a subtle, regular reminder of my faith and the presence of God in my life. The bells encouraged me to take moments for reflection and prayer throughout my day.

My husband and I requested our relatives and friends bring bells to our wedding ceremony instead of gifts. Our guests brought cowbells, brass and bronze hand bells, sleigh bells, an altar bell, and antique bells. The chorus of the various bells rang at various times during the ceremony and at the conclusion of the ceremony everyone rang their bells with vigor. The crush of bells ringing made for an unforgettable wedding.

Years later, my husband and I traveled to a picturesque village nestled among the towering snow-capped peaks in the Swiss Alps. There was a convent in the valley and their bells tolled every hour. It was a muffled sound as the snow fell and blanked the village. Each note carried a sense of serenity and timelessness, as if the sound itself were a part of the mountains, resonating with the centuries-old traditions of the region.    

Our town holds a Christmas Festival every year. One of our favorite holiday traditions is to hear a bell choir in a small chapel. Hearing the bell choir is an enchanting experience, as the air is filled with a harmonious blend of tones that weave together to create a rich, melodic tapestry. As the bell choir begins, the first notes ring out clear and pure. The music builds as more bells join in, creating layers of sound that rise and fall. The higher-pitched bells add a delicate, twinkling quality, while the lower tones provide a warm, resonant foundation. Together, they form chords that are both soothing and uplifting, evoking a sense of peace and joy. Finally, as the last notes are played, the bells are dampened, and the music gently fades into silence, leaving a lingering sense of awe and tranquility.

The spiritual significance of bells transcends their simple function as instruments of sound. They are symbols of awakening, reminders of impermanence, and bridges between the human and the Divine. The next time you hear the clear, resonant sound of a bell, pause for a moment, and listen not just with your ears, but with your heart. Allow its sound to draw you inward, to remind you of the sacred amid the ordinary, and to awaken within you a deeper awareness of the Divine presence that pervades all of life.