Science and Spirituality-Awaken the Hidden Powers of Hearing by Nada Yoga

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Source : www.awgp.org www.awgpsouth.org

Author : Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Dear ALL,

 

There are several methods of conditioning the mind for the Nada

Yoga Sadhanas (of the Shabda tanmatra). One such method, experimented at

Shantikunj, Hardwar is so simple that anybody can easily adopt it. In the

regular training programmes of spiritual refinement organized at Shantikunj,

Hardwar, the trainees are given exposure to the Nada Yoga every evening from

6 p.m to 6:15 p.m. During this practice, the students are supposed to sit in

sukhasana in a calm and and cheerful mood. A special kind of music

(resembling a superb combination of KrishÌña's flute, Shiva's damaru and

Saraswati's Viña or Sitara) is played in this time-period. The divine music

flows across the serene atmosphere of the ashram. The sadhakas (students)

are given instructions to let their minds get immersed in the divine music

through deep mental and emotional absorption. As the snakes are attracted by

the typical sound of a lyre (bina) and begin to dance in the tune of its

music, similarly, during the above practice, the sadhakas' thoughts and

emotions begin to flow with the melodious currents of the special musical

manifestation of Nada.

 

Those endowed with the piety of character and are emotionally soft or have

strong control over the mental power of imagination, usually get rapid

success in linking their consciousness with the subtle form of Nada. Others,

who do not have such qualities, should not feel depressed because the

above-mentioned practice is based on the principle of the inherent

relationship between divine music and the human consciousness and therefore

brings fruits in every case. If they were honestly trying in their

day-to-day life to inculcate purity and strength of character, they would

also be able to illuminate their mental and emotional levels and train

themselves for Nada Yoga by this simple 'exercise' of listening to the

special composition of spiritually sonorous music. The sadhanas of Bindu

Yoga also help increase mental concentration.

 

The simplest kind of Bindu Yoga Sadhanas begins with trataka - concentration

on the tip of the flame of a lamp or a candle for a few seconds then to

'visualize' its illumination in the central part of the forehead (little

above the middle of the eyebrows) with closed eyes; again open the eyes to

focus at the flame's tip and repeat the same cycle several times. In a

similar manner, the ears and the mind together could also be trained to

listen to the divine music. The elementary steps of Nada Yoga consist of -

meditating upon the internal sounds of the body by closing the ears and

keeping the other sense organs in a relaxed condition under properly

controlled, silent surroundings. One gradually begins to perceive clearly

the sound of gaseous flows, heartbeats, the flute-like sound of the breath,

subtle sound of fluidic flows inside the body, etc. With deeper

concentration, the lab-Aab sound of heartbeats begins to sound louder like a

Aamaru. Successively one hears the sounds that resemble that of tinkling of

bells, blow of a conch shell at a long distance, etc.

Those who find it difficult to concentrate upon the internal sounds of the

body should take support of external sound of soothing music. After playing

musical instruments like sitara or ikatara or flute etc, or, after listening

to their soft, soothing music with the help of a tape recorder for about 10

to 15 minutes in a quiet room, the sadhaka should close his ears and attempt

mental perception of the echo of the same musical sound. He should repeat

this cycle several times every day for gradually longer durations (not more

than an hour). He should keep the mind stress-free. Slowly and steadily, the

mind would get trained to naturally 'play or listen' this music internally

without the help of any external devices.

 

The Pacific Ocean remains calm because of lighter pressure of air and more

concentration of salt as compared to the Atlantic Ocean, where the currents

of water usually rise very high and are prone to storms. The hard-hearted

people are like the Pacific Ocean; their emotions remain dull in spite of

mental inspirations. The soft and compassionate ones are just the opposite.

Like the waves in the Atlantic Ocean, their emotional currents are easily

activated and rise high by the force of divine inspirations. The emotional

piety and mental determination together lend extraordinary support in the

sadhanas of different tanmatras.

 

The sadhakas who have aggressive mentality or who are emotionally rude,

often find it difficult to perform the sadhanas of mastery over the

tanmatras. The training with the help of music that is specifically designed

for the Nada Yoga Sadhanas (of the shabdatanmatra), however, works

wonderfully on such sadhakas too. It is said that the poisonous 'snake' of

the vicious, agile mind also begins to 'dance' in the tune of the bina of

holy Nada and comes under proper control by musical practices of Nada Yoga.

This is because sonorous, soft music generates a soothing impact on the

sentimental core of the listener. The simple exercises associated with the

practice of Nada Yoga indeed offer peace and stability to the sadhaka's mind

and help in enlightening his intrinsic emotional and mental qualities

necessary for higher-level sadhanas.

 

During the initial stages of success in this practice, one hears varieties

of sounds ranging from the physiological tremors to those of the types of

thunderbolts to the divine music of a viña or a sitara inside the body. By

further training and meditation, the mind begins to identify and remember

these sounds. It is at this stage that one can analyze the types and

durations of the physiological tremors to 'know' the condition of the body

exactly like the doctors do by analyzing the sonic patterns heard with the

help of a stethoscope or an echocardiogram.

 

At the higher stages of the sadhanas of Nada Yoga, the specific sounds

experienced during meditation could be correlated with the state of mind and

sentiments. At further advanced stages, the subliminal sounds of the etheric

vibrations are heard from within and recognized. A spiritually elevated mind

can grasp the divine messages (if any) hidden in such occult sounds. An

accomplished yogi of the Nada Yoga can activate the subliminal communication

links of his inner self with the divine energies. Eventually, comes the

ultimate realization of the omnipresent, eternal sound of Om.