Nada Yoga-III = Pujya Gurudev

Awaken the hidden powers of hearing by Nada Yoga-III

=Pt. ShriRam Sharma Acharya

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 Krishnna’s flute, Shiva’s damaru and Saraswati’s Vina 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 vi�a 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.

Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma