The most ancient and primitive human societies across the world had recognized the power of sound vibrations as they affect our minds and moods. The great system of Nada Yoga, once popular in India, works on the premise that the entire universe around us and we are made of nada, sound vibrations. In other words, it is the movement of sound energy that forms a building block of the universe and not matter or particle or quark as had been thought of by physicists till recently. This realization in India ushered in the concept of nada being worshipped as Brahman.
The Inner and Outer Music
Nada Yoga divides music into two categories: the inner music or anahata and the outer music or ahata. While the outer music is heard through the sense organs viz., ears, ear-drums etc where mechanical energy is converted to electro-chemical energy to be perceived by the brain, the inner music owes its reception to the subtle heart-chakra, also known as anahata chakra, which is not a sensory organ.
As its name implies, anahata refers to one’s own sound vibration, which is so close to one’s own self that no one can share it. Like the mythical cross that one has to bear, anahata is totally personal and private – exclusive to its ‘possessor’. As I can’t know yours, you can’t know mine! One can, however, listen to one’s anahata and make use of it, provided one develops certain basic interest, commitment, will and patience. The system of Nada Yoga not only assures the practitioner of inner music and the resultant harmony, relaxation and joie de vivre, but also promises self-realization, which is often the singular goal for those who undertake meditation.
How can one search out one’s own music within his or her constitution? While there are elaborate techniques prescribed for listening to one’s own inner music, for a debutante, it should suffice if he could just select a place where he is least disturbed and sit comfortably with his spine erect and start breathing in and out slowly. To start with, slow and deep breathing is essential, as he has to focus his mind on the way his system gets oxygenated. After a few breathing rounds, he should focus his awareness on the sound that naturally emanates when he breathes out. He should avoid making any guttural noise on his own and give his total attention to the natural vibrations that emanate when he exhales. Initially, he can hold his concentration for 2 or 3 minutes and over a period-say one month- he should be able to focus his concentration for at least 5 to 10 minutes at a stretch. Those who have tried this would endorse that observing anahata and concentrating on it relieves all tension from the mind and it is often recommended as a good remedy especially for trauma victims. Such practices can also help in mind-control, which results in expansion of one’s consciousness resulting in self-realization.
The Outer Music
Unlike anahata, the outer music is not esoteric or hidden. Unless one’s hearing is impaired, anybody can listen to or appreciate the outer music. A workshop conducted by the author in March 2001 at India Habitat Centre at New Delhi has proved beyond doubt that the first reaction to a musical form – irrespective of its origin or region, viz, Western Classical, Carnatic or Hindustani – is one and the same on mixed audience belonging to different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A powerful melody that stirs emotions such as Tchaikovsky’s Slawischer Marsch (Op. 31) has a similar impact on listeners, irrespective of their ethnicity or region. The author is of the view that while the initial or the first reaction is similar, the subsequent reaction of the audience to a melody is influenced by his cultural upbringing, his tastes and preferences, his likes and dislikes. Regional bias for a particular ‘rule’ of music (for example, ’raga purity ‘and ‘tala clarity’ in Indian classical music) comes by an inveterate Indian classical upbringing.
This illustration goes to show that the outer music is manifold, unlike the inner music, which is unique and absolute. Realizing the tremendous possibilities for musical achievement offered by myriad rhythmic variation (a conservative count of 108 talas has been attempted in carnatic system) parent or janaka ragas (that in turn produce innumerable janya ragas), Igor Stravinsky once remarked: “I know that 12 notes in each octave and the varieties of rhythms offer me opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust.
Archaic Instruments of Primordial Sounds
The Indian musical tradition is age-old. It has derived its base from the pre-Aryan or pre-Vedic sources consisting of nature worshippers. The pre- Aryan deity, Rudra (who is also referred to in the Vedas) is a phenomenon of destruction that came to be equated with Siva. Siva, the destroyer is associated with the powerful nada of damru, a hand- held, hourglass shaped instrument with both sides containing membranes on which a hanging cotton thread is made to strike. The noise produced by this insignificant instrument is considered inauspicious. The tantrists and those associated with the cult of Siva, however, consider this instrument auspicious.
Similar primordial sound also emanates from the conch-shell which is associated with Vishnu, the Preserver. The vibrations that emanate from this instrument are considered quite healthy and positive and auspicious and hence used as an accompaniment to puja (worship). The tremendous vibrations that emanate from this instrument are said to keep those who practice meditation from falling asleep.
Among the Hindu trinity, Brahma is the creator. His consort, Saraswati, is associated with the veena, the powerful chordophone whose vibrations are said to affect the subtle chakras in the human body. In fact, the shape of the veena is designed after the vertebral column, which is considered a musical octave. Seven swaras or notes represent seven chakras situated here. By playing these notes simultaneously visualizing their impact on the chakras, the sahaka is believed to effortlessly wander through seven levels of consciousness as represented by each chakra. As the ascendance and descendance in chakras is equated with aroha and avaroha in the musical octave, one practices not only music but also yoga with the help of the veena.
Characteristics of Meditative Music
Meditative music does not require elaborate orchestration or voice-culture as practiced in the west, simple sounds, which are nearer to nature and its elements(e.g., wind, fire, water, earth and ether), are found to be the most efficacious in uplifting one’s level of consciousness to greater heights.
The ‘Sticky’ Tunes
The ‘sticky’ tunes as found in bhajans and kirtans (devotional songs), thank to their almost endless repetitions of melodies as in Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Govind Bolo Gopal Bolo, Buddham Sharanam Gachchami etc have been a welcome asset for enhancing meditation. Prof James Callaris of University of Cincinnati, after questioning 1,000 people about tunes that they cannot get out of their heads, has observed that a combination of simplicity, repetition and adrenaline-including jaggedness can turn an otherwise ordinary sequence of notes into something unforgettable. According to him, these elements produce a sort of ‘mental mosquito bites’ creating a cognitive ‘itch’ that can be scratched only by replaying a tune again and again. Melodically and lyrically simple and repetitive and with a slow gait, these tunes over a period of time cab bring down changes in the brain wave pattern converting beta waves (which govern our alert mental status) to alpha and theta levels. This change is believed to be an ideal state for meditation and relaxation and it is in this state that our creative and intuitive potentials come to their peak levels. For John Durant, a clinical psychologist, there was a medical distinction between sticky tunes and more complex compositions. Brain mapping has shown that fewer synaptic links are required for a nursery rhyme such as Three Blind Mice than a dense Strauss opera, which is why when, requiring musical feed, the brain will often take a shortcut.
Although monophonous voices or tunes are enough for mediation, it cannot be construed that we are undermining the great strides made in the Western classical system. Bach, for instance, had made wonderful attempts in counterpoints, which is a unique contribution of the west to the world of music. By overlapping melodies as in his fugues, Bach had mastered the art of arresting the minds of his listeners. In fact, all the great symphonies address the mind and thus can be used as a tool in mind-control programs along with Eastern bhakti music. About the natural phenomena in meditative music, a few examples of western classical systems can be mentioned here. The engulfing flames as one witness in Vivaldi’s Four seasons (the passage titled presto) leads one to a new understanding of these effects made in chordophones, which leads to newer and subtle heights. So also, is the majesty one encounters in the famous Blue Danube Waltz of Strauss, which practically wafts one’s consciousness to new levels.
East or West, Music is the Best! Best for transporting one to greater heights! For better understanding of one’s own self.
This article was published in U, June, 2003 – Pages 23-25
Edited by Geeta Shreedar, Feb 23, 2021