Sound, the Threshold of Spiritual Science
Dr. Ashis Chakraborty
“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration. The very foundations of our Universe, of matter and thought, appear to lie in sound vibration.”
- Nikola Telsa
World, inner, and the outer, two different outlooks with different profiles, are existing. The outer world, to a very negligible extent is reachable for us but the inner world we don’t even bother to focus normally, thus knowledge for the same is far away from us. But it is very wondering that, by nature we are seekers, all, even who is not attracted to inner self or ready to believe its existence. Seeking is an expedition towards the unknown. A group of seekers from Eastern and western culture started looking for the source of the Universal power- directly or indirectly, through sound. Amongst them some tend to focus only on the facts of sound to its ultimate as per their cognitive power, eventually got the glimpse of the supreme game of Cosmos and some focused to their inner self in order to taste the existence of super power through spiritual processes and for them sounds were the medium. Virtually as humans we tend to think or figure out each and every process of nature’s activity on the basis of the input data to our brain thus bring limitation and get confined from going beyond that. From this point spirituality adapts a new path by accepting the inexplicable phenomenon without putting any cognitive signatures but gives an utmost opening to the realm of unconditional acceptance. Spirituality itself is a scientific approach, utterly energy oriented perspective. Energy is the mother of all creation- as per Quantum theory.
“Spirituality goes further and says that even energy is a product of consciousness. Consciousness is able to alter the nature of matter and energy, as we see from quantum mechanics experiments”.
– Purnima Ramakrishnan
“ I Regard Consciousness as Fundamental. I Regard Matter as a Derivative of Consciousness”
– Max Plank
Therefore, it may be inferred, whether spiritual or non-spiritual both the ways are having the similarity of being scientific and seeking something, knowingly or unknowingly, which is supreme and sound is the most exclusive part of them.
Music is a brilliant tool of expressing emotion and from the womb of vibration, sound has given birth to it. Sound has a magical power of creation, maintenance and destruction. Many exponents of our civilization of different cultures in different times explored this perspective by plunging in to reveal the fact which we will be discussing here in the forthcomings. Sound we are going to explore, is derived from nowhere specifically or everywhere either, not necessarily to be heard all the time but could be felt with a higher grade of sensitivity in the inner world of oneself.
Music is the vibratory expression of our feeling. Although especially for musicians and music lovers, this definition is pretty parched and emotionless, not adorable. Factually some particular frequented notes, arranged in a particular manner with in a calculated mathematical format most of the time, can create music. With the kisses of emotion, either through words or without it, it takes the real form, but emotion is also nothing but the vibration with impulses, if taken in rather technical way.
Actually behind all aesthetical creatures there always exists a dry structure but we are always prone to relish with the beauty, sublimed by love, though we don’t see it that way but all kinds of love is scientifically explainable. As discussed earlier vibration leads to sound, either audible or non-audible. Long time ago Pythagoras ( 570 B.C – 495 B.C) started the work of explaining the ‘sound of Cosmos’ by numbers and factuality.
Music of Spheres
He found the relation between the pitch of the musical notes and the length of the string. He proposed that the planets and the stars moving according to mathematical equations which correspondents to musical notes and thus producing symphony. He thought that heavenly bodies are separated by the intervals corresponding to the harmonic length of the strings, they held that the movement of spheres gives birth to a musical sound called the ‘Harmony of Spheres’ (Harmony of Spheres). Pythagoras actually referred to the astral bodies of universe. It is also said that he used to hear the music of the spheres. His hearing and his mind was intent upon the celestial harmonies of the cosmos as if all astral bodies moving and creating harmony. He alone used to here the song of spheres as composed subtly varied sounds caused by various sizes, motion and speed of the astral creatures, which were by virtue perfectly arranged and thus create a perfect harmony). After Pythagorus, Plato and Johannes Kepler ( in his Harmonic Mundi [ The Harmony of the World], published in 1619) expanded and re explored the work and ideas through their own perceptions.
Plato
Johannes Kepler
Not only in Greece but some other countries also believe that there is a relation that exists between Music and Universe. For instance, according to Chinese belief Pitches, intervals & mode of music are set in relation with all conceivable elements of the cosmos. Maths, years, seasons, cardinal directions, colours, numbers, kind of elements, parts of house, bodies, virtues, trends of tests everything is influenced by music. According to them improper use of music can do harm to the cosmic harmony. Eventually, the Chinese emperor had to take care of the music of the country that can be practice or rendered with proper pitch. The emperor himself had to contribute to the correctness of the music and astronomical measurement. The height of his body used to serve as a standard measure for the fundamental pipe of pitch, from which the other pipes would be derived That means as per the belief, sound relates to the human body or its existence to the universe or that is relating to the existence of life to the cosmos through sound.
As per Vedic culture, this had been explored even earlier than Pythagoras, that the Universe had been created from a seed as sonic in origin, that is ‘OM’, the Pranaba Omkara, Comprises of three different syllables, A – U – M, signifies three deities of the Culture : Brahma – The creator, Vishnu – The maintainer and Maheshwar – The Demolisher or Destroyer. Thus chanting of this sound means connecting with the supreme power through the name of these three deities, because holistic activities of the universe can be categorized into these three segments: Creation – Maintenance – Destruction.
This particular sound is so exclusive and crucial and as per Vedic scriptures this is the fundamental sound of the world. If we think about the human body, as considered, by the concerned spiritual culture, the whole universe is inside this, thus ‘ OM’ is the exclusive sound only which can be created or uttered by not touching any portion of the mouth by the tongue, rests are merely the improvised or permutated or combined extensions of these letters or sounds.
These three different sounds are generated in three different power hubs or Chakras of our spiritual body. ‘A’ is the basic sound that vibrates in Swadhishthana Chakra or Sacral Center and activates it which is mainly responsible for reproduction thus connected with Brahma. ‘OO’ or ‘U’ is generated in Manipura chakra or Lumbar center and vibrates that portion which is just ¾ th of 1 inch down of our naval place where is the meeting points of 72000 ‘Naadis’. This point maintain balance of our whole energy body. According to our Yogic belief this energy body at maximum, exists inside our physical body. This sound is connecting with the maintainer Lord Vishnu. ‘M-M’ sound vibrates the Cervical or the Visuddha chakra, stays in the throat and it is said that it activates and connects the energy of Lord Shiva although it vibrates the upper portion of our energy body but the center is the Visuddha According to the Vedic mythology, lord Krishna used to play the flute which was 13 inches long and had nine holes on that which symbolize nine power hubs of spiritual body of the human being which are nothing but ‘ Chakras’. According to Yogic science these Chakras have their own sounds.
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1st Chakra : The Muladhara Root Chakra Sounds: Thunder, 396 Hz |
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2nd Chakra :The Swadhistana Sacral Chakra Sounds: Water, 417 Hz |
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3rd Chakra : The Manipura Solar Plexus Chakra Sounds: Fire, 528 Hz |
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4th Chakra : The Anahata Heart Chakra Sounds: Wind, 639 Hz |
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5th Chakra : The Vishuddha Throat Chakra Sounds: Singing Insects, 741 Hz |
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6th Chakra : The Ajna Third Eye Chakra Sounds: Outer Space, 852 Hz |
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7th Chakra : The Sahasrara Crown Chakra Sound: Silence, 963 Hz |
Amongst which seven Chakras – Muladhar, Swadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Visuddha, Ajna and Sahasrar ( Crown) are inside the human body and the other two- Shaktikalam and Shivakalam are outside. According to yogic science and philosophy, which is also easily available in any spiritual scripture in this regard, when a yogi’s biological energy (reproductive power) by some technique of dhyana or Kriya or due to some other exercises or spiritual practice, by crossing all chakrass till Ajna, hits the Sahasrar, converts to spiritual energy and even crossing further if it hits Shaktikalam or Shivakalam, The Yogi meets the knowledge ( Brahmagnan) of whole cosmos and even behind that, consequently gets submerged to the supreme energy of The Creator which is called Moksha or Salvation.
Thus according to this the Music that Lord Krishna produces, as per the philosophy, or tradition of this religion, is a sustainable musical link between Human body and cosmos. Therefore here the sound or tune of this flute is the fundamental tune. If we take few references of some more Indian spiritual treatises we can easily assume that what importance is given to the fundamental OM sound. It is a celestial fundamental tone of the assembly of three sounds as mentioned earlier.
It is not that this sound OM or AUM has only been mentioned or referred In the Vedic culture but in everyone of them existing in the world as religions use this sacred word, may be in different forms. His Holiness Kriya Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the classic text Autobiography of a Yogi: very nicely depicted about it. He says that the Vedic OM has become HUM for Tibetans, AMIN for Muslims and AMEN for Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Jews and Christans. He said that AUM is the voice of creation, testifying to the Divine Presense in every Atom. He also mentioned some quotations from The Holy Bible. Such as –
- “ This things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God”. [ Revelation 3:14]
- “ In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made by him ( the Word or Aum) and without him was not anything made that was made.” [ John 1:1,3]
- “ Faith cometh by hearing, and the hearing by the Word of God”.
[ Romans 10:17]
In Bhagawat Geeta, chapter 8, hymn no. 13, it is said by Lord Krishna to Arjuna –
ओमित्येकाक्षरं
ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् |
य: प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स
याति परमां गतिम् ||
Om Ityakaksharam Brahma Vyaaharan anusmaran
Yah Prayti Tyajan Deham Sa Yati Paramam Gati
Means- One who departs from the body remembering the supreme personality and Chanting ‘Om’ will achieve the supreme goal or Moksha.
In 17th chapter 24th Shloka Lord says ;-
तस्माद् ॐ इत्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतप:क्रिया:
प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ता: सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्
Tasmad Om Ityudahritya Yajnadanatapah Kriyah
Prabartante Vidhanoktah Satatam Brahmavadinam.
Means ; When performing acts of sacrifice, offering charity or daan or undertaking Tapah or penance, expounders always begin by ‘Om’ because this is the sound of God and a symbolic representation of God’s creation.
God’s creation is the whole and entire thing that we see or don’t, whether atheist or believer of God, should agree to one point that the highest powerful and disciplined management governs the system, seen and unseen, is true and constant. Every believer confronts always the baffling and so called modern trendy questions that denies the existence of God. Although here we are not with that job to prove the positive or negative side of it but tend to be connected with the truth of this creation in terms of the relation with sound and music. The Salvation or Moksh , although is not directly related with but lead to that perspective because The supreme power that drives and manipulates each and everything is the ultimate Goal to be submerged and the astronomical creatures such as Galaxy, Cosmos and so forth is amongst those creations where, someplace we are also living with our negligible but practical existence and whatever we consider as a goal or parameter is a part of it.
“God brought things into being in order that his [sic] goodness might be communicated to creatures, and be represented by them; and because his goodness could not be adequately represented by one creature alone, he produced many and diverse creatures, that what was wanting to one in the representation of the divine goodness might be supplied by another. For goodness, which in God is simple and uniform, in creatures is manifold and divided.”
–Thomas Aquinas
What Pythagorus was exploring about and our sages and their scriptures disclosed factually that is being revealed as the astral sounds have been recorded by NASA and surprisingly they would have created Harmony to our hearing organs if there would be air as medium.
Rabindranath Tagore also very surprisingly mentioned in one of his songs –
“ Aakash Jude Shhuninu Oi Baaje, Oi Baaje
Tomar I Naam, Shakol Taarar Majhe” –
( I can hear all over the sky, your name ( My Lord), between all the astral bodies). What does he mean to and what he indicated toward as referred to this hearing. He, then might have heard the music of spheres as Pythagorus did long back. He might have referred the fundamental sound as the name of Lord because as per Sanatan Phylosophy, Naad (sound) is Brahma ( The Supreme or The Lord or The Almighty).
The sound plays a very crucial role in Vedic mantras are like the power houses embedded with the energies of astral bodies. For energizing the utterer and the ambience they have the supreme efficiency. This fact is clearly mentioned in the book named ‘ Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound of David Frawley. He, there clearly mentioned “Om- Energy of sound: Aim- Solar energy: Hrim Lunar energy: Shrim -Electric energy: Krim- Magnetic energy: Klim- Power of fire: Hum- Power to stop: Hlim- Power to stabilize: Strim Power to transcend: Trim”.
In Buddhism also, according to the practitioners, sound has a very crucial role to connect with the supreme either in form of Music or the resonant or non-resonant sound that help devotees escape from the cycle of death and rebirth (samsara) and to attain liberation (nirvana). Through the practice of chanting the Mantras they try to liberal themselves to the extent of ecstasy or liberty of soul.
‘Music guides the practitioner toward the recognition that phenomenal existence is impermanent and transitory and ultimately toward the transcendence of desire and one’s sense of self.”
- Risha Lee
The Tibetian Buddhist monks meditate with singing bowls of different size and gazes, some are heat and some are rubbed with a special kind of cloth leads to create a unique ambience and meditators become engrossed and lost to a thoughtlessness state, also used to heal tension, anxiety, depression through it.
Tibetian Singing Bowls
Healing Treatment with Singing Bowls
The state of thoughtlessness is called Samadhi of being with the energy of the supreme, a state of super consciousness. In Yogic science also sound meditation is a process, sometimes with OM or with the Chanting of Mantras. Therefore through sound, reaching to the supreme is a universal way for them who practices with unbound acceptance. When Pythagorus used to practice he used to hear the sound of spheres which is inexplicable but only the feeler could appreciate and cannot depict in words. It is a unique faculty of inner world opens to a different dimension, very seldom for some people or may be called as sixth sense thus a spiritual process of course and sound fetched him there. Thus, sound is not just sound but moreover an inseparable threshold to reach the supreme and the connector between the creation and the creator. All we need the faculty to appreciate, once opened, the truth will become unleashed, and the boundless way will show the goal, whether inner or outer, the world is one.
REFERENCE
- https://www.gaia.com/article/what-meaning-om
- Quantum Theory, Modern Scientific Approach to Spirituality and #90DaysOfHeartfulness Meditation, May 31, 2019, https://thriveglobal.com/stories/quantum-theory-modern-scientific-approach-to-spirituality-and-90daysofheartfulness-meditation/
- Judith Moore & Barbara Lamb, Crop Circles Revealed Language of The Light Symbols,Light Technology Publishing,2001
- Cosmic Music, Barbara Rappen Glueck, 362
- http://www.aboutscotland.com/harmony/prop.html
- http://www.secretyoga.com/The_SEcret_YOga/Library/Entries/2009/5/31_Music_of_The_Universe__Our_Relationship_with_Sacred_Sound.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HMgaToaEac
- https://balance.chakrahealingsounds.com/the-7-chakras/
- http://yogananda.com.au/gita/gita1723om.html
- Every Creature Is a Word of God, Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, Thursday, January 22, 2015 ,https://cac.org/every-creature-word-god-2015-01-22/
- Spooky Space Sound, https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/features/halloween_sounds.html
- Summa Theologica, I, 47, 1.
- Swarabitan: 34
- https://www.gaia.com/article/what-meaning-om
- https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/listening-and-liberation-world-is-sound/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2156587216668109