Chartres Cathedral, France

Zen Monks

The use of metal alloy bowls for devotional purposes can be traced back to the beginnings of metallurgy in China prior to 1,000 B.C.  The bowl that comes with our Zen Timepiece is modeled after a Japanese “rin gong,” or Keisu, that is periodically struck with a stick to punctuate sutra-reading in Buddhist temples.

Bowl-gong Clock has a long-resonating chime sound

The bowl that comes with the Zen Timepiece is made from the following five metals: copper, zinc, lead, iron, and tin.  It has been formed using the same forging techniques that have been used in Asia for two thousand years.  Unlike hand-hammered Himalayan-style bowls, our Zen Timepiece’s rin gong bowl is made using methods which first appeared in Japan in the first century.  Following these traditions, our bowl’s long-resonating tone has been carefully selected to bring beauty and harmony to your environment.

Now & Zen – The Gradual Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

unique brass singing bowl alarm clock

The Zen Timepiece

As a result of ten years of product evolution at Now & Zen, we have created the world’s most exquisite alarm clock and multi-use lifestyle timepiece.  Our new Zen Timepiece’s acoustic brass bowl-gong fills your environment with beautifully complex tones whenever it strikes.  In the morning, its exquisite sounds summon your consciousness into awakening with a series of rich, subtle gongs that provide an elegant beginning to your day.  When the alarm is triggered, the bowl-gong strikes just once … then automatically, it strikes again in 3-1/2 minutes … then in 2 minutes … then in 1 minute …  As shown in the chart on the facing page, the gong strikes gradually increase in frequency over 10 minutes, eventually striking every 5 seconds until turned off. Once you experience the Zen Timepiece’s progressive awakening, you’ll never want to wake up any other way.  This aesthetically sophisticated product also serves as the perfect timer for yoga, meditation, bodywork, or any practice activity.  It can also be set to strike its bowl-gong on the hour as a ‘mindfulness bell.’  As beautiful to see as it is to hear, the Zen Timepiece makes an elegant addition to your home.

singing bowl alarm clocks

In addition to the beauty of its sound, the Zen Timepiece is also visually beautiful, serving as a decorative accessory that can be positioned with the digital clock display facing out, or with the bowl-gong to the front, as shown on the right. It is available in either a clear maple wood finish or a reddish-brown cherry wood finish.  The volume of the Zen Timepiece’s gong strikes can be adjusted over a wide range, from soft, subtle ring tones to loud, bold gongs that can be heard throughout the house.  But regardless of how you use it, we are sure that the Zen Timepiece will improve your life with the natural resonant tones of its rich acoustic gong.

The Zen Timepiece runs on 2 “C” batteries (not included), it measures 4.5 inches high, 9.5 inches wide and 7 inches deep, and comes with a 40 page booklet detailing its many uses and its harmonic design.

unique soothing gong alarm clocks with singing bowl

Now & Zen

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Nautilus Shell has Inspired Maker's of Zen Alarm Clocks

The Zen Alarm Clock wakes you with a “Golden Ratio” progression of chime sounds

The Zen Clock’s progressive chiming takes place over about 10 minutes.  This progression is measured from the first strike of the chime until the clock reaches its final cycle of continuous chiming, about every 5 seconds, until shut off.  The sequence of chime strikes within this 10 minute cycle is designed to approximate the “Golden Ratio.”  The Golden Ratio, also known as the “Golden Mean”, the “Divine Proportion,” or simply “Phi,” is a special relationship between any given whole and a specific part thereof.  Nature uses the Golden Ratio as its formula for creation.

The simplest expression of the Golden Ratio is in the division of a line:  A line with a given length is divided into a small part and a large part.  The relationship of the small segment of the line to the large segment of the line is in the same proportion as the relationship of the large segment to the line as a whole.

Golden Ratio

The Golden Ratio has been used since ancient times by artists, architects and designers to express harmony and balance.  The beauty of the Golden Ratio is that all three parts––the small part, the large part, and the whole––are in perfect proportion with each other.  Nature uses this divine proportion to grow from within itself.  Golden Ratio relationships are everywhere in nature––from the human body to the solar system.  The progressive sequence of the Zen Alarm Clock’s chime expresses the Golden Ratio by dividing the 10 minute time “line” into smaller and smaller Golden ratios.  The first chime divides the line at 3 minutes and 27 seconds.  The next chime divides the large part of the original division (the remaining 6 and a half minutes of the 10 minute cycle) by the same ratio.  The process continues as illustrated below.  The interval between chime strikes thus diminishes from within itself according to the Golden Ratio.

Progression Chart

The self-accumulating growth which is the essence of the Golden Ratio finds its most elegant natural expression in a “golden spiral.”  A golden spiral is one which grows narrower as it turns inward.   Nautilus shells, galaxies, whirlpools, and even your fist are examples of golden spirals.  The progression of the Zen Alarm Clock’s chime forms an audible golden spiral.  The clock thus echoes nature’s expression of divine harmony as it provides for a progressive awakening.

Nautilus Shell

To see the whole line of golden ratio inspired Zen Clocks, call for a catalog or see our website.

www.now-zen.com

Now & Zen – The Gradual Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Gradual Progression Alarm Clocks

Zen Garden

Calligraphy and the art of ink painting has inspired the design of our Zen Clocks.

One of our most popular dial faces features the calligraphy character for “dream” set against a rice paper or bamboo background.  Japanese characters are called “kanjis” and so this dial is called the “Dream Kanji.”

Although our “Bamboo motif” dial face has no calligraphy per se, it is inspired by the tradition of ink painting, which is a close relative of calligraphy.

Dream Kanji Dial

Bamboo Kanji Dial

Zen Garden Dial

Bamboo Motif Dial

Japanese Interior Living Space

Below is a description of this ancient art.

The flowing, brush-drawn Japanese language lends itself to complicated calligraphy. Calligraphic art is often too esoteric for Western audiences and therefore general exposure is very limited. However in East Asian countries, the rendering of text itself is seen as a traditional artform as well as a means of conveying written information. The written work can consist of phrases, poems, stories, or even single characters. The style and format of the writing can mimic the subject matter, even to the point of texture and stroke speed. In some cases it can take over one hundred attempts to produce the desired effect of a single character but the process of creating the work is considered as much an art as the end product itself.

Calligraphy and the Art of Ink Painting used in Zen Alarm Clocks

This art form is known as ‘Shodo’ which literally means ‘the way of writing or calligraphy’ or more commonly known as ‘Shuji’‘learning how to write characters’.

Commonly confused with Calligraphy is the art form known as ‘Sumi-e’  literally means ‘ink painting’ which is the art of painting a scene or object.

Japanese Ink Painting

Visit Now & Zen’s Showroom

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

zen and the art of waking up, gentle chime clocks by Now & Zen

Rise and Relax – a new concept for Alarm Clock

Incessant mechanical bleating breaks your sweet sleep, and the morning is spoiled before it has even begun! Anyone who has relied on an alarm clock to get them out of bed can relate.

Thank Buddha, for this nerve-jangling sunrise ritual can be transcended.  Now & Zen, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado offers a soothing alternative with the gentle Zen Alarm Clock.

alternative alarm clocks with chimes

This line of solid maple and walnut clocks uses chimes that emulate Tibetan-bells to gently and gradually awaken users over a period of ten minutes.  The tones can also be used for meditation and yoga.

To practice zen and the art of waking up, go to www.Now-Zen.com.

by Kelly Cunningham

Now & Zen – The Gradual Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

zen and the art of waking up, chime alarm clocks by Now & Zen, Inc.

Natural Tuning- Bamboo Zen Clock by Now & Zen

Depending on which model you have, The Digital Zen Alarm Clock’s chime sounds either a “B” note or an “E” note, both of which have been naturally tuned according to the method developed by the ancient Greek master Pythagoras.  The Clock’s B or E notes, however, vibrate at different frequencies than their equivalent notes on a modern piano.

Modern natural tuning methods facilitate musical composition, but they compromise the enchanting and therapeutic quality—the purity—of the naturally occurring tones discovered by Pythagoras.  As a result of its natural tuning, the Digital Zen Alarm Clock’s tone reflects the vibrations of nature—the motion of the planets and the frequencies of life.

Natural Tuning- The Greek philosopher, sage and mathematician Pythagoras who flourished in the 6th century BC, circa 530 BC.

Gregorian chants

Studies indicate that certain sounds can actually stimulate our nervous systems and charge our brains. Gregorian chants, for example, have been shown to energize the brains of both the chanting monks as well as those who listen to the chants.  Because of its Pythagorean tuning, the Digital Zen Alarm Clock’s chime may produce a subtle charging effect on your mind.

Now & Zen - The Gradual Alarm Clock Store

Now & Zen – The Gradual Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Zen Koans

A monk saw a turtle in the garden of Daizui’s monastery and asked the teacher, “All beings cover their bones with flesh and skin. Why does this being cover its flesh and skin with bones?” Master Daizui took off one of his sandals and covered the turtle with it.

–from “Zen Koans” by Venerable Gyomay Kubose

zen meditation timers, gongs, and alarm clocks with chimes

Inner Listening Practice

Discover your Heartfelt Desire.
By Kelly McGonigal

To Discover your Heartfelt Desire, reflect on or write about the following four questions. Before you dive into self-inquiry, spend a few minutes in quiet meditation. Let the mind settle and become spacious. Cultivate an attitude of listening, and welcome whatever feelings, images, and thoughts might arise in response to these questions.

• What is something I really want in my life?
  How do you think having it will make you feel? Looking back over the course of your life, has some form of this desire always been present?
• What is the most important goal in my life right now?
  What have you been working toward? What desire is behind that goal?
• What should I be devoting my energy and resources to?
  At this stage of your life, what direction do you find yourself being pulled toward? What stands out as the biggest opportunity or responsibility in your life?
• What is my biggest dream for myself and my life?
  Is there a dream so big, a vision so bold for your life that you wonder if it is possible? Is there a deeper longing that feels a bit risky to the conditioned mind, and makes you feel vulnerable, open, and tender?

To translate this desire into a specific intention, ask yourself the following questions:

• What actions can I commit to that are consistent with this heartfelt desire?
  What needs to happen in the next 6 to 18 months to move me forward on my path? What is the first step in this direction?

Kelly McGonigal, PhD, teaches yoga, meditation, and psychology at Stanford University and is the author of Yoga for Pain Relief (New Harbinger, 2009).

Zen Alarm Clocks for a Gentle Awakening

Now & Zen

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

meaning and joy

Exhaustion Cause: Lack of Meaning and Joy

Exhaustion Cure: Keep a Journal
Start by recording your sources of disconnection and stress. At the end of each day, write down all the things that created stress in your life, how you reacted to them, and the result of your actions. “After a while, you’ll start to notice patterns,” says Merrell. Then record all the things that bring you joy and pleasure.

Now plot your own route to a more meaningful life. Do less of the things that bring you unhappiness and anxiety, and more of those that make you feel good. You might find, for instance, that a nightly chat with your spouse keeps you grounded, whereas watching TV drains you. You could discover that making time for that dance class is worthwhile even when you’re tired, because you always leave energized. Or that you feel renewed after attending religious services or sitting down to meditate using your Zen Meditation Timer. Follow the trail of the positive, and you’re guaranteed to feel a charge. And if you don’t already, consider practicing random acts of kindness. “Giving to others without expecting anything in return is the highest form of connectivity,” says Merrell.

adapted from Body + Soul, September 2009

Singing Bowl Meditation Timer and Clock

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

Now & Zen – The Singing Bowl Meditation Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Tea House Meditation

In addition to personal and contemplative uses, the Zen Timers can also be used as a progressively persistent, yet gentle way to bring people together for meetings or sessions, and to disperse them when their meeting time is over.

Having a timer set to signal the end of a meeting can be very useful, especially in intense situations where it is socially difficult to play the role of “meeting police” by cutting people off at the allotted end time.  Yet the buzzing of an ordinary alarm clock or beeper watch is also an inappropriately abrupt end.  If you shut off the alarm, the meeting often continues unabated; but if you let the alarm keep ringing, the meeting does not have a chance to conclude gracefully. However, when you use your Zen Timepiece as a meeting timer, the first bowl strike of the clock’s automatic, progressive strike sequence provides a gentle warning of the meeting’s agreed-to conclusion, with the following strikes acting to bring the meeting to a timely end. Because the more frequent, ‘alarming’ bowl strikes only occur at the end of the clock’s ten minute strike sequence, these more frequent, disruptive strikes will only be heard if the meeting runs late.

Use Zen Timers to Begin Meetings On Time

Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen

When the clock’s time reaches the alarm time and activates the alarm, its signature “progressive awakening” strike sequence begins with a single bowl strike.  Then automatically, three and a half minutes later, the clock strikes again … then in two minutes … then in one minute … so that the chime gradually continues over ten minutes.

Now & Zen Headquarter Store, 1638 Pearl St., Boulder, CO  80302  (800) 779-6383