An introduction to
Yoga, Sound, and Consciousness
Voxmundiproject.com®©, 2004

By Silvia Nakkach, M.A.,MMT

The Poetics;

I caught the echoes of a word supreme
And metered the rhythm-beats of infinity
And listened through music
For the eternal voice
by Sri Aurobindo
Music is a form of Yoga, an essentially spiritual art.

The integration of Sound, Music and Consciousness can be considered and practiced as Yoga. One of the definitions of Yoga defines Yoga as a curriculum of practices, a corpus of means that have as the ultimate goal the conquest of absolute freedom. Freeing the Self from the constrictions of the self, beyond time and space, Yoga offers the means of attaining Pure Being, the state of liberation of conditions, a rebirth to a non-conditional mode of being.

Yoga, means “union”, “to bind” but detached from the worldly bonds first, detachment from matter, and through self-discipline obtaining: CONCENTRATION.

Transcending the dispersion and the automatism of the profane consciousness, we obtain the Consciousness of Divinity, and the true union of the human spirit with God.

In Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga, one movement is to go inward and open fully to the connection between the psychic being and the outer nature, the other movement is to open upward to the Divine Peace, Force, Light, Bliss above, to rise up into it, and to bring it down into the nature and the body. This ascent to the Divine Life is the human journey. This alone is man’s real business in the world.

Music involves a vital power of expression with the inspiration coming from the above. It is a relations with sound which is not necessary melodic. Music can induce ecstatic trance as a form of spiritual intoxication, and through the practice of music, bhakti (devotion) and aspiration can grow and prepare one’s nature for realization.

Yoga consists of a system of philosophical, physiological, spiritual and mystical practices (angas), technical formulas (bhandas), and gestures of control (yamas)
for obtaining:

Concentration
Meditation
Ecstasy towards liberation of all conditions 1
The yogic knowledge and practice offer an itinerary to gain will that ends in final liberation. The point of departure of a Yoga meditation is always concentration on a single object.

Sound is the original source of all existence, and Sound is the continuous object of concentration in NADA Yoga and SHABDA Yoga. Leading consciousness into the dimension of sound through the function of breath, we align our auditory perception to the SOUND of:

a sacred syllable
a mystic word: mantra
the space in between the notes: vocal meditation
a simple melody pattern that repeats

Each of these SOUNDS become the single point of concentration and awareness, by the continuous practice, we experience SOUND arising through modulations of LIGHT
(sense of openness), and then LIGHT differentiates into RAYS of various colors from which the material elements that make up the universe originate. RAYS that we embodies as the shine of the Divine Source (sense of radiance).

Consciousness is that by which a person observes his or her own processes and conceives a sense of self. We can distinguish a primary consciousness – a perceptual awareness, from a higher-order consciousness – a conceptual notion of one’s Self.

SONOROUS YOGAS

Sonorous Yogas are ancient forms of devotional chanting that liberate a sense of boundless freedom and happiness, nurturing the intense yearning of the heart to unite with the divine. In this course students learn about spiritual traditions of enlightenment that use sound as a sacred key for self-exploration and transcendence. Specifically, you experience sonorous and melodious yogas, including the traditions of Nada Yoga, Shabda Yoga, and Bhava Yoga, as well as Kirtan, Bhakti, and indigenous world chants. These practices all involve universal seed-syllables, mantras, and mudras (body gestures) that deliver explicit spiritual information

The Yoga of Sound, and the practice of Sonorous Yogas implements, alters and transform consciousness by particular uses of sound. By vocally induces alter states of consciousness, and through the sound of the voice, we reenergize prana (life-force). When the mind focuses and follows breath and sound, and functions together, one can release, reveal and abide in the nature of mind (the infinite mirror of clarity and emptiness). The inner healing that we obtained by the practice of Sonorous Yogas is related to the effect of repetition of sacred sound with an spiritual intent, that becomes a practice that purifies and clears the mental, emotional and intellectual weight, as well as karmatic ancenstral traces.

Sonorous Yogas have a “yogic” purpose:

The PURIFICATION and CLEANLINESS of mental impurities expands consciousness, and heighten awareness, towards the attainment of inner serenity. This intention involves a cause of transformation, and in many cases of deep and ancestral healing. This is the reason why all these sacred uses of sound can be considered Shamanic in nature.

Through Sonorous Yogas we embody the CONTEMPLATIVE quality of the VOICE, assisting the development of concentration, meditation, and the right intonation, while facilitating the state of conscious being in sound.

This state involves DEEP LISTENING as described by Pauline Oliveros (refer to deeplistening.org).

By pacing our musical expression and aligning our auditory awareness to specific frequencies, we can tune into higher states of consciousness, connecting with dimensions of the divinity within, and what we refer as sacred resonance, a higher level of appreciation of reality, while stimulating the healing energies in breath, sound, voice, and the mind. (*)

(*) RECOMMENDED READING:
Into the Core of Music Healing, Introducing the Theory of Rasa-article by Silvia Nakkach

All the Sonorous Yoga practices are accompanied by sensitive gestures of the arms and hands, referred as SONIC MUDRAS. By holding a mudra, we hold our mind, sealing our experience of a single seed-sound as the only sense of the mind we have. Breath, Sound, Movement and Mind are experienced as ONE indivisible texture of experience.

THE PRACTICE:
EXAMPLE of the SONOROUS YOGA
involving the primordial seed-sounds: “UHM” & “AH”

Become aware of the POINTS of POSTURE or The Body of the Voice

a. Arms moving like a bird – mindfulness on breath
Close eyes to help concentration. We don’t need to see when we sound.

b. Hands as clouds
Mind listens only to breath – Movement is slow and continuous.

Eyes are in soft seeing mode, not too open, not too close.
Chin parallel to the floor.
Arms loose, down and then up.
Hands are empty and relaxed
Shoulders down.
Lips dancing slow- shaping the lips opening to control the quality of TONE

Connecting sound with the center of the pelvic cavity, the Hara, the point of
connection between the gross and the psychic source of energy in the body.

1. First emit an “UHM”, with small lips opening, a continuous relaxed deep sound.
Connect vocal sound vibration with the vibration at the pelvic cavity, relaxed facial muscles and your chest. MUDRA;the hands are lightly close, no tension, thumbs and index fingers touching slightly, hands are at the level of the hips with shoulders and elbows pointing down.

Make soft tones, sounds massages the spine up and down, integrating all the centers of energy along the spine, and all the dimension of the body.

2. Make a AH seed-sound opening the lips like a soft smile. MUDRA; the palms of hands well open (no tension) facing forward and outwards from the body line. Chin is parallel to the floor. This sound has the power to affect the heart chakra directly, opening it to the energy that is available in the body.

The Ah sound is conceived as the Mother Sound, the beginning of the Inspired Speech, is the sound of the primordial energy of our unborn nature. It feels like closer to the spirit dimension of being, and when chanted for a long time it generates a continuous current of illuminated and purifying energy bursting from and returning to the heart center, while facilitating the opening of the voice (esonance, phonation, articulation, breath quality)

Repeat this sound with a long sense of breath, like a long drone or a deep tone, at least for 5 min. Be aware of the continuous current of energy that is released.

The motion is Slow, Relax, Smooth. The mind follows this protective mantra:
MIND FOLLOWS BREATH
BREATH FOLLOWS SOUND
HANDS FOLLOWS SOUND

SEED SILLABLES

In all the traditions that use sound for enlightenment, Sonorous Yogas are the primordial and most ancient forms of sacred sonar architecture. They offer a direct way to experience the power of sound in consciousness, while one becomes more open and receptive to spiritual information and insight.

Seed syllables are the moment of conception of divine energy and power.
While they protect and support concentration, these seed-sounds connect the mind with energy, and sound with a quality.

sound- energy + intention + meaning = transformation

Each syllable is pregnant with the energy and the power of a Deity. Each Deity is connected with a Seed Syllable from which it manifests and into which it dissolves (by the embodiment of its energetic qualities). The mind focuses on the sound production of a particular syllable in order to evoke a particular quality, such as compassion, healing, clarity.

The Seed Syllable is like the Deity in the Body and the Mind through Sound.

By sounding the syllable we bring the quality into felt experience,
supporting the process of opening and the free flow of energy throughout the three bodies, the focus on the syllable keeps ourselves in the open.

As the process of sphota (bursting forth) occurs, an inspired word comes from and goes through different concentrations of energy at different levels, these centers are known as CHAKRAS, from where the syllables burst forth into the mind. At the same time, in the reverse process of meditation on a syllable, learning to go deeper, the mental concentration in a mantra leads to a reawakening of relevant energies that recharge the brain (gross body) and the charkas (subtle body). The conscious energy within a sound-seed moves the “prana” through the central channel, and through the right (solar) and left (lunar) channels. The result is a sense of increased balance, concentration, and relaxation.

The seed syllable can be treated also as a MANTRA.
The Seed Syllable leads Sound into the space of Consciousness and Consciousness melts into Sound.
From the Rig Veda:

“The master of revelation (Brahman) recites the mantra in which all the deities have made their home”.

“May the mantras taught by the wise protect us”.

EXAMPLE & PRACTICE

SEED SYLLABLE: BRAHM, the Creator

(with mudra, both thumbs making a circle with the index finger at the level of the forehead). Repeat the syllable with long tones, feeling the vibration of the ending sound on the forehead. Do it as long and continuous as you can for 5 min.

This Seed-Sound, by repetition and familiarity, connects with the power of the source of all creation, an inner sense of creativity and inspiration.

Practice slow, energy flows with a gentle movement of breath up and down the spine. The mind follows the repeated sound and memorizes the experience.

BRAHM emanates from Shabda-Brahma, the word that is God, the beginning less and endless God, from which the process of the Universe commences.

Other SONOROUS YOGAS practices include:

INVOCATION – prepare the mind for the transmission of power, calling for a divine quality to be manifested
PRAYER – communicates a request
MANTRA – mystic words of power that by conscious repetition transform energy.
VOCAL MEDITATION – makes sound aware of tone, tunes the voice with the body and tone, calms the mind, journeys and creates the path from tone to melody (melodious yogas *)

(*) More information on Sonorous and Melodious Yogas will be posted weekly specially designed as text and practice materials of the CIIS students.

The benefits of DAILY PRACTICE:

Enhances concentration (DHYANA)
Supports the experience of the nature of mind and how to abide in it (RIGPA)
Keeps the flow of energy open in the body and the mind (SHAKTI)
Cultivates devotional energy (BHAKTI)
Generates familiarity with good habits
Promotes well-being and enhances life quality
Balances what is out of balance, and increases what is deficient

Daily Practice
CHANTING SEED SYLLABLES at least 21 min per day

First Stage:
Cultivate the single mind in sound, continuous consciousness of
breath-sound-lips-tone-voice-spine-movement-mudra

THIS ARTICLE IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF VOXMUNDIPROJECT.COM ®2004©
REPRODUCTION IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT AUTHOR’s PERMISSION