Awaken the hidden powers of hearing by Nada Yoga

May - Jun 2005

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The ear in a human body is said to be the most sensitive and powerful radar available in this world.  Apart from its unique capacities of sensing, filtering and identifying a large variety of sounds in the spectrum of audible frequencies – in its most general state, a healthy ear in the human body can as well sense smaller (low in pitch and loudness) sounds from long distances if the external disturbances are removed. For instance, we can hear the buzzing sound of a bee from about 6ft in an otherwise silent surrounding. Controlled experiments in advanced telecommunication centers (including AT & T Bell Labs, New Jersey, USA) have recorded several such extraordinary sensing capabilities of human ears. These include the successful ‘listening’ of the physiological tremors by different groups of human subjects under different soundproof experimental conditions.  

Modern technology is still far away from developing an electronic analogue of the natural device like the human ear. The fine sensor – the tympanum, inside our ears - is made up of an ultra-thin membrane of thickness of about 4 X10-10 inches only.  Even in the average normal conditions, i.e., without any practice of Nada Yoga, the sensing power of this unimaginably thin membrane is about ten thousand times more than that of the most powerful sensor developed by the state of art technology till date.

Theoretical analysis of the models of the structure and functioning of the human ear indicates that it can discriminate about four hundred thousand different kinds of sounds.  There have been noted musicians who could recognize the individual sound of each of the hundred odd instruments being played jointly in an orchestra. 

The tympanum of our ears focuses the receiving sound waves at a point and sends them through a connecting tube where these waves are transformed into electrical signals.  Three tiny bones, forming a triangle, serve the purpose of a piston at this juncture. As the signals reach the snail- shaped lymphous hole at the deeper end of the ear, the sounds ‘contained’ in them become clearer and are perceived as ‘heard’.  The membrane of this third part of our natural hearing device is directly connected with the brain. Each of the sonic vibrations received at the tympanum are propagated deep inside the connecting channel by about 3500 tiny particles working as electrical transmitters.  The corresponding signals are received by the brain in less than a thousandth fraction of a second.  The brain instantaneously sends the signals to the memory cells (layers in the neuronal network) where the associated sound is recognized.  This is how the long multi-phased process of ‘hearing’ takes place in a negligible amount of time, in our biological ‘telephone’. The distance within which the sonic vibrations can enter as valid inputs for processing in the ear depends on some neuro-physiological parameters. Hence the number of muscles at the entrance of the tympanum plays an important role here, too. For example, the number of such muscles in a human ear is nine whereas in a ear of a horse this number is seventeen; a horse can listen from proportionately longer distances than us.

Our memory has a direct link with the power of perception and recognition of the sounds received by our ears. Napoleon-I had amazingly sharp audio-memory. He could remember the names of each of the soldiers in his army who had not even come in contact with him and used to correctly recognize their voices.  Alexander the Great is also said to have been blessed with such extraordinary memory; he was able to recognize the voices heard after a long span of time. He could even locate the place of the source of a voice even if he had heard it from a very long distance.     

The fine sensors of our ears, eyes, nose, tongue and other sense organs have direct linkage with the brain.  Their functions are regulated by, and also contribute to the qualities of the brain and the mind.  If one of these sensors stops or reduces using the power of the brain then its share of power is given to the other faculties. For example, born-blinds are often found to possess tremendous memory or gifted voice and expertise in music.... etc.  One can, by determined efforts, direct the power of the mind so that it could be used by any one of the normal sense organs for the desired development of the specific faculties associated with it.  The example of Kalidasa fits well in this context. His internal desire awakened the willpower and the sincere efforts thereby turned a ‘dumb fellow’ into a great litterateur and poet of historical eminence. Many examples are also available in the field of physique and sports where extremely weak or physically sick persons transformed themselves into stout wrestlers simply by regularity and dedicated exercises of the mind and the body – proving thereby, the truth behind the quote ‘practice makes a man perfect’.

During the practice of Nada Yoga, one first tries training the ear(s) – to expand its hearing capacities – by fully concentrating the power of mind on this organ. By regular practice, the otherwise unused (sub)conscious power of the brain also awakens during this process and stimulates the subtle functional centers for extraordinary potentials of hearing.The ears can be trained to ‘hear’ the ultra, infra and even subtler and cosmic levels of sound during the advanced stages of these sadhanas.  The karña piïacini sadhana of the Tantra Science enables the masters of this sadhana to perceive the sounds from any desired place in this universe. Clairaudience is also a natural manifestation of spiritual sadhanas of Nada Yoga. 

The methods of awakening the subtle power of supernormal hearing are based on the above principle of fine perception of pure sound. This practice gradually leads to the perception and recognition of subtler levels of sound.  Through the immense power of their mental concentration such sadhakas can easily access the energy centers in the cosmos and ‘sense’ the signals of Nada emanating from there.

Simple Training for Nada Yoga

The perceptions of sound (ïabda), vision (r¿pa), taste (rasa), smell (gandha) and touch (sparïa) are manifested in the five sense organs via the five basic elements of Nature. Thus, every entity perceived by the sense organs basically arises from a subliminal, non-physical form (existing in cetan).  In the Nada Yoga, one gradually perceives the physical, non-physical, sublime, supernatural forms of sound.

All the sadhanas aimed at gaining control over different tanmatras (powers of perception) progress well in the sadhakas who possess strong will power, sound mental concentration and emotional depth and stability.  For instance, in the sadhanas of gandha, the sadhaka first practices to smell the odors that inspire sacred emotions. He does so by physically smelling (through the nose) the substances like camphor, sandalwood or some flowers... etc for a few seconds and then closes the nose and tries to feel the same odor through mental concentration. Similar experiments are done on tasting with and without tongue during the rasa sadhanas.  

Our ears hear the sound of the syllables pronounced by our tongue.  One may concentrate upon only the sound without attempting to recognize the syllable (or the word) and practice to differentiate between all variations in the type and tuning of such  ‘spoken’ sounds to analyze the association of their patterns with the meaning conveyed by the corresponding ‘speech’. After continuing this practice with increasing focus and efficacy, he could develop the power to sense the finest level of variations in all kinds of ‘sounds’ and to grasp the ‘message’ (meaning) contained therein. The Yogis can understand any language and even the voices of the animals and the birds through such sadhanas of  ‘hearing’ the sonic vibrations.

There are several methods of conditioning the mind for the Nada Yoga Sadhanas (of the ïabda 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, Ïiva's damar¿ and Saraswatº's Vºña 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 (bºna) 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-Ãab sound of heartbeats begins to sound louder like a Ãamaru. 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 ïabdatanmatra), 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 bºna 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 vºña 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 O®.
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