The Buddhist bells and dorjes are more than just old ritual accessories used in Tibetan Buddhist meditation. They hold a very symbolic value and all have a specific purpose in order to help you reach enlightenment. There are some essentials you need to know when using them that will enhance your meditation experience right away. That’s what you will find out in here; their power independently as well as together.

Let’s first talk about the basics a little bit. The bell is typically held in the left hand and the dorje in the right. On the symbolic side of things, the Buddhist bells characterize the feminine facet of wisdom and emptiness. The dorje, on its side, corresponds to the masculine facet of compassion. They correspond to the static and dynamic aspects of Nature; which is consequent with the fact that meditation is a static state of the body alongside a very dynamic state of mind to accomplish a oneness with the universe. When put together, these two tools stand for the inseparability of wisdom and compassion in enlightenment. When looked at distinctively, they are each of a great emblematic significance that is worth thinking about.

The Buddhist bells, held in the left hand, relate to wisdom, the attainment of emptiness. By its sound, the bell asks the divinities to contribute to the meditation session while driving away the impeding forces. The ringing of the bell also represents the emptiness because the sound is present and gradually vanishes into the air leaving no trace. Furthermore, as a musical instrument, the Buddhist bells with their sound can serve as an present to the deities.

The appearance of the bell is additionally very symbolic. If you look closely, you will notice lots of markings on it which all have a specific function. One of the circles serves as the unbreakable fence of fortification and is bordered, on each side by a ring of pearls. The upper ring of pearls is also protective circle, but it also symbolizes the expansion of the higher state of consciousness that allow achieving enlightenment. The bottom ring, on its part, is the wisdom of flames, representing the five fundamental wisdoms. To get the Buddhist bells to reverberate to its optimal sound, the dorje has to be whirled through the inner surface of the bell using just the right angle.

The dorje, held in the right hand, means "Lord of Stones" in Tibetan and relates to compassion. It represents the aptitude to convert any experience, as ordinary as it can look like, into one that brings you nearer to enlightenment. The dorje holds five amazing attributes: it’s is impenetrable, immovable, immutable, indivisible, and everlasting. It’s the representation of the spiritual superiority of the peaceful deities over the obscure forces.