Nada Yoga is the ancient Yoga of Sound - both the inaudible and the audible.
Nada Yoga consists of two words. The Word Yoga means Union with the Divine Source of All Life. As the Divine is living within All things, so it is that there are many Pathways to the Divine. The major ones are named Siva Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Mantra Yoga, whilst we also find many, many others including both Agni Yoga and Nada Yoga. In a sense Nada Yoga could be seen as a branch of Mantra Yoga as both are concerned with Sound. From the views of both the Hindu metaphysics of sound (which teaches that sound has a fourfold process) and the inclusive Tantric perspective, Nada Yoga could be said to incorporate and include all forms of Sound or Music. However, in practice the Nada Yogi places his or her focus upon what is termed the anahata nada or the inaudible (or a more literal translation: 'unstruck') sound. That is to say a sound that is not made as a result of two or more objects striking one another. It is, in fact, a sound not coming to the human ear from outside of the body but, rather, from within. Like many other kinds of yoga, one does not need to be a devotee of this path in order to have the experience. Just as one needn't be a Bhakti before experiencing union heart-to-heart with the Supreme Being. Because such experiences are rooted in Absolute reality, they are ever-present aspects of That Reality that can appear at any instant to any individual found to be providing the correct conditions suitable for receiving the experience.
There are three traditional forms of chanting in Nada Yoga: mantras, kirtans, and bhajans. These divisions are not to be confused - as they often are in workshops. Because these have generally been composed by yogis or saints, they are considered to carry a pure energy and to have a harmonising effect upon the physical body, astral body and mind. Mantra derives from two Hindu words Manas and Tra - manas meaning mind and tra meaning protection. How do we protect our minds? This refers to assisting our mind to stop its aimless wandering whilst trying to meditate. Via mantra - the repetition of certain sacred sounds - the mind attempting to meditate is prevented from its aimless wanderings and is given a focus to aid its concentration. Once we can find the quiet mind, it becomes possible to hear this inner sound that lies beneath, behind, and within all sounds. Mantra is, therefore, concerned with the power of sound to transform our consciousness/being. Likewise, Nada Yoga too concerns itself with Self-Realisation through the transforming power of sound; only of inaudible sound - which is not to be confused with supersonics (which is still a vibration that can be measured with scientific instruments); the sounding of the Inner Being - Divine Sound. Mantra or the making of sacred music are thus considered as outer expressions of Nada Yoga and if scientists can demonstrate that machines can utilise mechanically-produced sound vibrations for healing, then imagine what using our own Voice can do!
Therefore, Nada Yoga is the Path of Union with the Divine through Sound or Music. "In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God." So begins St. John's Gospel. Many other great religions also state that the origin of Life is Sound or Vibration. Once we are able to reach that place of great stillness and silence deep within our hearts, we are able to hear this 'Music of the Spheres'; we are able to approach the Source of our being through this gateway of Vibration - via this Path of Sound. The yogi mystics of India speak of outer sound, then of hearing ten inner sounds and finally hearing the One Sound - Divine Sound. This is a path of spiritual practice - attuning to this inaudible sound and thereby hearing the Voice of the inner Teacher - the Word of the Supreme Transcendent Oneness. Samadhi, or union with the Atman, or totality, can be entered into through Nada Yoga. At one and the same time incorporating the Transcendent and the Divine Imminent. After attuning to this quiet inner 'voice' deep within, it eventually becomes possible for us to find that inner stillness and silence at any time in our lives and most especially during times of crisis, stress, or misfortune and so enable ourselves to face such difficulties (and also to transform and evolve the inner elements of our being) with the supreme strength of the Transcendent Sound of Absolute Oneness and so receive the Great Love of the Divine Comforter. Becoming at-one with this Divine Sound-current opens us up to resonating with that Stream of Universal Love consciousness that flows throughout the entire body of Nature throughout all the galaxies and entire universe. I reach this conclusion also because the term Anahata is given to the Heart Chakra and it is likewise stated that one cannot hear this inner sound until one has progressed along the spiritual pathway to the level of the Heart Chakra and has, therefore, been born again within the Heart of the Divine Being.
It was during the late 60's and early 70's that I began having my own mystical experiences of the world of sound. I later discovered that these were a form of Nada Yoga. Then in the late 80's and early 90's I would be quite regularly invited to attend certain weekends at Hourne Farm where the Sound Research Group met. It was at one such weekend in the late 80's that we all settled down to try traditional Nada Yoga practices and I immediately heard the Anahata Nada at it's highest level. I can't recall whether or not anybody else said that they had experienced it. Apparently, it is not impossible for people to try the exercises, sometimes for many years or decades, and not have a single experience. I naturally incorporated the sound experience (not the traditional exercises) into my daily routines - as I can tune-in at will. Again, it was whilst attending a Sound Research weekend at Hourne Farm that we were introduced to Siva Yoga and each of us was leant a Siva Linga to meditate with. Afterwards, we were each asked what we experienced. After I related my own experiences the leader responded by giving me a Siva Linga to keep (he was given it by Siva Yoga Master Kumaraswami). It was also during another such weekend that Muz Murray was given one or two sessions to lead us in mantra. He also asked concerning our experiences. I had experienced specific shapes and colours in a certain chakra whilst chanting and this was confirmed to be what the yogis predicted for that chant. Whilst at Emerson College at Forest Row I was part of the teaching group and after one of the eurhythmy sessions in the morning the teacher asked me if I'd been reading an extremely rare writing by Rudolph Steiner concerning the correct body position for one of the intervals because apparently I had assumed this absolutely correct position whilst doing the exercise. Being as I had never studied Eurythmy, let alone rare lecture notes, I had never read any such articles but rather had responded intuitively.
In my opinion, it is inappropriate for anyone to teach Nada Yoga who hasn't experienced the Inner Sound. As with all Yogas really, the only teachers are those who have attained the goal and are therefore truly able to act as a reliable and trustworthy guide who can demonstrate to us the highest example of the object of our aims. We live in a culture rather dominated by the organ of the eye. Some ancient cultural traditions were of an oral nature and of these Nada Yoga must rank as one of the highest. Simply reading or studying the subject alone from written sources is foreign to the practise of real Nada Yoga.
The following books upon this little-known, but increasingly ever more popular, subject are helpful:
NADA YOGA by SHRI BRAHMANANDA SARASVATI
Tantra Yoga, Nada Yoga and Kriya Yoga by Swami Sivananda
Song of the Soul by ACHARYA SUSHIL KUMAR
NAAM OR WORD by Kirpal Singh
Sharing the Quest by Muz Murray
The Way of Inner Vigilance by Salim Michael
From Light to SOUND. by Dennis Holtje
THE YOGA OF SOUND. by Russill Paul
SONIC THEOLOGY. by Guy L. Beck
"High above in the Lord's mansion
ringeth the transcendental music.
But, alas, the unlucky hear Him not;
They are in deep slumber."
Guru Nanak 16th century Sikh guru.
"Sound, stars, and light are all inside."
Maharaj Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh
"Seek the true Master with faith, love, and patience.
He will give the Light to find the hidden entrance.
If with constant effort you attune the Inner Ear,
The way to God opens and the Path will be clear."
Tulsi Sahib 19th century Master of Sound & Light
Nada-Bindu
Upanishad
Translated by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar
Om ! May my speech be based on (i.e.
accord with) the mind; May my mind be based on speech. O Self-effulgent One,
reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda
to me. May not all that I have heard depart from me. I shall join together (i.e.
obliterate the difference of) day And night through this study. I shall utter
what is verbally true; I shall utter what is mentally true. May that (Brahman)
protect me; May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect
me; May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my
environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
1. The syllable ‘A’ is considered
to be its (the bird Om’s) right wing, ‘Upanishad’, its left; ‘M’, its
tail; and the Ardha-Matra (half-metre) is said to be its head.
2. The (Rajasic and Tamasic) qualities, its feet upwards (to
the loins); Sattva, its (main) body; Dharma is considered to be its right eye,
and Adharma, its left.
3. The Bhur-Loka is situated in its feet; the Bhuvar-Loka, in
its knees; the Suvar-Loka, in its loins; and the Mahar-Loka, in its navel.
4. In its heart is situate the Janoloka; Tapoloka in its
throat and the Satya-Loka in the centre of the forehead between the eyebrows.
5(a). Then the Matra (or Mantra) beyond the Sahasrara
(thousand-rayed) is explained (viz.,) should be explained.
5(b)-6(a). An adept in Yoga who bestrides the Hamsa (bird)
thus (viz., contemplates on Om) is not affected by Karmic influences or by tens
of Crores of sins.
6(b)-7. The first Matra has Agni as its Devata (presiding
deity); the second, Vayu as its Devata; the next Matra is resplendent like the
sphere of the sun and the last, Ardha-Matra the wise know as belonging to Varuna
(the presiding deity of water).
8. Each of these Matras has indeed three
Kalas (parts). This is called Omkara. Know it by means of the Dharanas, viz.,
concentration on each of the twelve Kalas (or the variations of the Matras
produced by the difference of Svaras or intonation).
9-11. The first Matra is called Ghoshini; the second,
Vidyunmali (or Vidyunmatra); the third, Patangini; the fourth, Vayuvegini; the
fifth, Namadheya; the sixth, Aindri; the seventh, Vaishnavi; the eighth, Sankari;
the ninth, Mahati; the tenth, Dhriti (Dhruva); the eleventh, Nari (Mauni); and
the twelfth, Brahmi.
12. If a person happens to die in the first Matra (while
contemplating on it), he is born again as a great emperor in Bharatavarsha.
13. If in the second Matra, he becomes an illustrious Yaksha;
if in the third Matra, a Vidyadhara; if in the fourth, a Gandharva (these three
being the celestial hosts).
14. If he happens to die in the fifth, viz., Ardha-Matra, he
lives in the world of the moon, with the rank of a Deva greatly glorified there.
15. If in the sixth, he merges, into Indra; if in the seventh,
he reaches the seat of Vishnu; if in the eighth, Rudra, the Lord of all
creatures.
16. If in the ninth, in Mahar-Loka; if in the tenth, in
Janoloka (Dhruva-Loka -- ?); if in the eleventh, Tapoloka, and if in the
twelfth, he attains the eternal state of Brahma.
17. That which is beyond these, (viz.,) Para-Brahman which is
beyond (the above Matras), the pure, the all-pervading, beyond Kalas, the ever
resplendent and the source of all Jyotis (light) should be known.
18. When the mind goes beyond the organs and the Gunas and is
absorbed, having no separate existence and no mental action, then (the Guru)
should instruct him (as to his further course of development).
19. That person always engaged in its contemplation and always
absorbed in it should gradually leave off his body (or family) following the
course of Yoga and avoiding all intercourse with society.
20. Then he, being freed from the bonds of karma and the
existence as a Jiva and being pure, enjoys the supreme bliss by his attaining of
the state of Brahma.
21. O intelligent man, spend your life always in the knowing
of the supreme bliss, enjoying the whole of your Prarabdha (that portion of past
Karma now being enjoyed) without making any complaint (of it).
22-23(a). Even after Atma-Jnana
(knowledge of Atman or Self) has awakened (in one), Prarabdha does not leave
(him); but he does not feel Prarabdha after the dawning of Tattva-Jnana
(knowledge of Tattva or truth) because the body and other things are Asat
(unreal), like the things seen in a dream to one on awaking from it.
23(b)-24. That (portion of the) Karma which is done in former
births and called Prarabdha does not at all affect the person (Tattva-Jnani), as
there is no rebirth to him. As the body that exists in the dreaming state is
untrue, so is this body.
25(a). Where then is rebirth to a thing that is illusory ? How
can a thing have any existence, when there is no birth (to it) ?
25(b)-26(a). As the clay is the material cause of the pot so
one learns from Vedanta that Ajnana is the material cause of the universe and
when Ajnana ceases to exist, where then is the cosmos ?
26(b)-27. As a person through illusion mistakes a rope for a
serpent, so the fool not knowing Satya (the eternal truth) sees the world (to be
true). When he knows it to be a piece of rope, the illusory idea of a serpent
vanishes.
28-29(a). So when he knows the eternal substratum of
everything and all the universe becomes (therefore) void (to him), where then is
Prarabdha to him, the body being a part of the world ? Therefore the word
Prarabdha is accepted to enlighten the ignorant (only).
29(b)-30. Then as Prarabdha has, in course of time, worn out,
he who is the sound resulting from the union of Pranava with Brahman who is the
absolute effulgence itself, and who is the bestower of all good, shines himself
like the sun at the dispersion of the clouds.
31. The Yogin being in the Siddhasana (posture) and practising
the Vaishnavi-Mudra, should always hear the internal sound through the right
ear.
32. The sound which he thus practises makes him deaf to all
external sounds. Having overcome all obstacles, he enters the Turya state within
fifteen days.
33. In the beginning of his practice, he hears many loud
sounds. They gradually increase in pitch and are heard more and more subtly.
34. At first, the sounds are like those proceeding from the
ocean, clouds, kettle-drum and cataracts; in the middle (stage) those proceeding
from Mardala (a musical instrument), bell and horn.
35. At the last stage, those proceeding from tinkling bells,
flute, Vina (a musical instrument) and bees. Thus he hears many such sounds more
and more subtle.
36. When he comes to that stage when the
sound of the great kettle-drum is being heard, he should try to distinguish only
sounds more and more subtle.
37. He may change his concentration from the gross sound to
the subtle, or from the subtle to the gross, but he should not allow his mind to
be diverted from them towards others.
38. The mind having at first concentrated itself on any one
sound fixes firmly to that and is absorbed in it.
39. It (the mind) becoming insensible to the external
impressions, becomes one with the sound as milk with water and then becomes
rapidly absorbed in Chidakasa (the Akasa where Chit prevails).
40. Being indifferent towards all objects, the Yogin having
controlled his passions, should by continual practice concentrate his attention
upon the sound which destroys the mind.
41. Having abandoned all thoughts and being freed from all
actions, he should always concentrate his attention on the sound and (then) his
Chitta becomes absorbed in it.
42-43(a). Just as the bee drinking the honey (alone) does not
care for the odour, so the Chitta which is always absorbed in sound, does not
long for sensual objects, as it is bound by the sweet smell of Nada and has
abandoned its flitting nature.
43(b)-44(a). The serpent Chitta through listening to the Nada
is entirely absorbed in it and becoming unconscious of everything concentrates
itself on the sound.
44(b)-45(a). The sound serves the purpose of a sharp goad to
control the maddened elephant – Chitta which roves in the pleasure-garden of
the sensual objects.
45(b)-46(a). It serves the purpose of a snare for binding the
deer – Chitta. It also serves the purpose of a shore to the ocean waves of
Chitta.
46(b)-47(a). The sound proceeding from Pranava which is
Brahman is of the nature of effulgence; the mind becomes absorbed in it; that is
the supreme seat of Vishnu.
47(b)-48(a). The sound exists till there is the Akasic
conception (Akasa-Sankalpa). Beyond this, is the (Asabda) soundless Para-Brahman
which is Paramatman.
48(b). The mind exists so long as there is sound, but with its
(sound’s cessation) there is the state called Unmani of Manas (viz., the state
of being above the mind).
49(a). This sound is absorbed in the Akshara (indestructible)
and the soundless state is the supreme seat.
49(b)-50(a). The mind which along with
Prana (Vayu) has (its) Karmic affinities destroyed by the constant concentration
upon Nada is absorbed in the unstained One. There is no doubt of it.
50(b)-51(a). Many myriads of Nadas and many more of Bindus –
(all) become absorbed in the Brahma-Pranava sound.
51(b)-52(a). Being freed from all states and all thoughts
whatever, the Yogin remains like one dead. He is a Mukta. There is no doubt
about this.
52(b). After that, he does not at any time hear the sounds of
conch or Dundubhi (large kettle drum).
53. The body in the state of Unmani is certainly like a log
and does not feel heat or cold, joy or sorrow.
54. The Yogin’s Chitta having given up fame or disgrace is
in Samadhi above the three states.
55. Being freed from the waking and the sleeping states, he
attains to his true state.
56. When the (spiritual) sight becomes fixed without any
object to be seen, when the Vayu (Prana) becomes still without any effort, and
when the Chitta becomes firm without any support, he becomes of the form of the
internal sound of Brahma-Pranava.
Such is the Upanishad.
Om ! May my speech be based on (i.e.
accord with) the mind; May my mind be based on speech. O Self-effulgent One,
reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda
to me. May not all that I have heard depart from me. I shall join together (i.e.
obliterate the difference of) day And night through this study. I shall utter
what is verbally true; I shall utter what is mentally true. May that (Brahman)
protect me; May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect
me; May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my
environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Here ends the Nadabindu Upanishad, as contained in the Rig-Veda.
© Copyright by Frank Perry 2002. All rights reserved. Inclusion of Nadabindu Upanishad 2004
© Frank Perry, 2002. All of these articles are copyright. They may individually be copied and shared with others in a spirit of knowledge-sharing and fair play, but they may not be sold, printed or reproduced in quantity or changed in form without the permission of the copyright holder. None of this material may be reproduced in workshops or lectures of any kind unless quotes are credited or properly attributed.
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