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Bindu No. 10

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Yoga, tantra and meditation periodical of the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School.Bindu Magazine investigates science and art related to meditation, yoga and tantra. The numerous topics in Bindu are based on methods that concern human development. It is written, edited and designed by people with a first hand knowledge of these methods. A contemporary wisdom.In this issue:- Editorial (by Swami Jayatma Saraswati): How to find the experiencer in amongst the experiences.- About Sound and Form- Bhramari - the Bumble Bee (by Joachim Rodenbech): A breathing exercise, which is part of the education of Indian musicians, to train their sense of pitch and musicality. But it can also be used for other purposes ...- Vibrations create Forms (an article based on Dr. Hans Jenny's research on sound): Is there a connection between life’s forms, the universe’s forms - and vibrations? Is it sound which keeps things going?- Nada Yoga (collected and edited by Swami Janakananda): When you do yoga and breathing exercises your mind becomes relaxed. At a certain stage it becomes so finely tuned that you can hear the vibrational frequency on the planes of consciousness which you open yourself to.- On a Wavelength with Oneself: Different people’s diverse experiences with Nada Yoga ...- Evenings with Song and Dance (by Ma Sita Savitri): Song and dance can bring us together and break the ice, but it can also raise our consciousness and open our hearts.- Music CD Review (by Mikkel Nordsø): Chetna by Roop Verma- Håå International Course Center: A dynamic workshop where you can learn more about yourself, your creativity and your well-being. This year’s course programme.

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EditorialIn the Autumn of 1996,Swami Janakananda held aworkshop on pratyahara inBihar Yoga Bharati in India.

The students who took partin the workshop were askedto write a 200 word essay on:Pratyahara in relation tomeditation.

Instead of us writing theeditorial, this time we willlet one of these essaysbecome the editorial. It hasbeen written by a youngwoman from Australia;Swami Jayatma Saraswati:

How to find theexperiencer in amongst theexperiences.I live in an ashram, and have done sofor the past five years and for somestrange reason which is totally beyondme, this seems to make some peoplethink I'm qualified to talk about yoga.So every now and again some toughcookie comes up and asks me a realsticky question like: “What the bloodyhell is meditation all about anyway?”(They say words like bloody and hellin Australia). And suddenly I findmyself at a loss; they may as well askwhat is the meaning of life, theuniverse and everything, answer in200 words or less please.

It is only recently (just this afternoonactually) that I've begun to havesome understanding of the relationshipbetween pratyahara and meditation and

how these two relate to life, theuniverse and everything or at least tospiritual awakening. And even thoughmy teachers here have told me overand over about Patanjali and fancythings like that pratyahara is thewithdrawal of the mind from thesenses and dhyana is an unbrokenstream of consciousness like waterflowing in a river, it really didn't meanmuch to me.

Many years ago, I woke up onemorning and all of a sudden I wasaware that I existed; it was quite ashock to me and a bit scary. How did Iget by for such a long time withoutrealising I existed? My life took on atotally different dimension and I beganto search for some understanding ofwho and what was this thing that Icalled me and what on earth was Idoing in existence.

Well, pratyahara to me isvery much like thatexperience. I sit here and feelthe breeze and hear the soundsand smell the scents and all ofa sudden, somewhere withinthat, there dawns theexperience of experiencingand the realisation that I amseparate from that experienceand that I can sit back andwatch it and still exist. Andeach time it happens, thatrealisation that “I exist”somehow still shocks me. It'slike it gives my consciousnessa little jolt and I “wake up” -for a little while at least.

And it seems, for meanyway, that this experience isfundamental to meditation and anyfancy words further along the path likesamadhi, self realisation etc. - becausehow can any of this happen if I am noteven aware of my own existence.

It's very easy in everyday life andeven in so-called spiritual life to getcaught up in the experience so much soyou don't even realise you’reexperiencing it. You sit for meditation,hear the sounds, feel the sensations,watch the thoughts - and where are youreally? Just lost in the experiences evenif you're managing to stay in observermode - unless you, at the same time, inamongst those experiences, canmaintain the awareness of thatexperiencer. And that seems to me to bethe real purpose of pratyahara inmeditation or anywhere else for thatmatter. Om, Om, Om.

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ContentsBhramari - the Bumble Bee 4A breathing exercise, which is part of theeducation of Indian musicians, to traintheir sense of pitch and musicality. But itcan also be used for other purposes ...

Vibrations create Forms 6Is there a connection between life�sforms, the universe�s forms - andvibrations? Is it sound which keepsthings going?

Nada Yoga 8When you do yoga and breathingexercises your mind becomes relaxed.At a certain stage it becomes so finelytuned that you can hear the vibrationalfrequency on the planes of conscious-ness which you open yourself to.

Håå Course Center 23A dynamic workshop where you canlearn more about yourself, yourcreativity and your well-being. Thisyear�s course programme.

On a Wavelength with Oneself 24Different people�s diverse experienceswith Nada Yoga ...

Evenings with Song and Dance 26Song and dance can bring us togetherand break the ice, but it can also raiseour consciousness and open our hearts.

Music CD Review 28Yoga at Home 30From our shop we send all over the world:books, deep relaxation tapes/CDs, nosecleansing pots, ear candles, yogamattresses, the magazine Bindu...

About Sound and FormIn the Yoga tradition there are certain

mantras (sound syllables) and yantras (forms tomeditate on) which belong together. The form which belongs to the mantraOm is said to be Sri Yantra, and vice versa.

Is this relationship between form and sound a purely subjective experience -one that certain people claim to have seen within? Or can it be measured?

Dr. Hans Jenny spent his life investigating the connection between soundsand forms (see page 6). He was one of the world’s foremost researchers inthe field and the founder of the science of Cymatics. In his WavePhenomena Research Institutein Switzerland, around 1970,he constructed what iscalled a tonoscope - anapparatus whichconverts sounds intoforms. He wroteseveral books onCymatics anddocumentedthrough films andphotos theinfluence of soundson various materials.

According to oursources, a person whocould pronounce themantra “Om” correctly, wasasked to sing it into thetonoscope’s microphone. At first acircle was generated on the membrane of the tonoscope, then varioustriangles formed themselves inside the circle, and when the “m” faded out,Sri Yantra was completed. Another mantra created concentric circles. q

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Bhramari - the Bumble Bee

In this article we present Bhramari Pranayama. The name is derived fromthe word for the black Indian bumble bee, Bhramari; it describes thecharacteristic humming sound which is produced while exhaling in thisbreathing exercise.

The adjective bhramarin canalso mean “sweet as honey” inSanskrit or “that which producesecstasy”. Bhramari has animmediate relaxing effect on thebrain. If it is practised someminutes every day it can reducemental tension and lower highblood pressure.

“With regular practice of thispranayama (Bhramari) blissarises in the yogi’s heart”.

(Hatha Yoga Pradipika)

PracticeHere we will describe two variations ofBhramari. First the Indian, which is mostwell known: Sit in a meditation posewith a straight back. Place the hands onthe knees and close the eyes. Inhaledeeply through the nose and hold thebreath. Lean a little forward so you aresupported by straight arms, placing theweight on the knees (see the picture).Now bend the head so the chin touchesthe chest (chin lock). Pull up the pelvicfloor, that is the sexual organs, theperineum and the anal muscles together(root lock). Hold the breath a while in

the pose. Release the contractions, raisethe head, relax the shoulders and situpright. Close the ears by closing thesmall flaps of the ears with the index ormiddle finger. The elbows are held outto the side so that the chest is open.Then the exhalation takes place throughthe nose, while the mouth is closed (butthe jaw is held so relaxed that the teethdon’t touch each other). A smooth,deep and relatively strong hummingsound, like that of a bumble bee, isproduced during the exhalation.

Become one with the soundvibrations and let them fill your wholehead, maybe even the whole body.After the exhalation let the hands reston the knees and breathe normally.

Repeat this nine times.Afterwards, sit still with closed eyes.

The chin lock (Jalandhara Bhanda)and the root lock (Moola Bandha) arealso used with a number of otherbreathing exercises to strengthen thepractice. They stimulate the finerenergy flows (nadi) and influencesimultaneously the blood pressure, theheartbeat and the blood supply incertain parts of the brain as well asmaintaining a relaxed state in the brain.

Another variation of Bhramari comesfrom Tibet. Warm the palms of the handsby rubbing them briskly together. As youbreathe in let the warm palms glide upover the face, from the neck, over thecheeks and the forehead and up to thecrown. The elbows now point out to thesides. On the exhalation make the samedeep sound as has been describedabove while the hands move down to

by Joachim Rodenbeck

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nervous system and the hormonesystem in the human body. Or put inanother way, through this practice youcan find the door to the whole body’swellbeing.

Bhramari provided the basis for aclinical research project which wascarried out in '93 by Monghyr Hospital,India, in co-operation with Bihar Schoolof Yoga. Dr. Singh examined 448pregnant women over one year. All hadthe same treatment (medical check-ups,dietary advice, pre-birth instructionetc.) - with one exception: 112 of thewomen practised Bhramari 1- 2 times aday for 5 to 10 minutes during thewhole pregnancy and continued to doso for the first phase of the actual birth.The report produced the followingresults for “the bhramari group”.ü normal blood pressure for all,

compared to 25% with high bloodpressure in the control group (highblood pressure is a “normal”occurrence during pregnancy).

PranayamaYogic breathing exercises (pranayama) are often described as a key toconcentration and creativity. There is nothing surprising in that. Hardly any othertherapeutic system, if you can call pranayama that, has such an immediateinfluence on the nervous system and therefore also on the mind.

And the name indicates this; prana means energy in Sanskrit and yama tocontrol, to be conscious of. Through regular practice of breathing exercises thefiner psychic energy (prana) is awakened. In a harmonious way, blockages arereleased. When the energy flows unhindered, you can let go of the limiting statesof restlessness, lack of energy or confusion. Pranayama is a powerful tool to helpthe mind rest as well as being a good preparation for meditation.

Over the last few decades medical science has done a lot of research on theeffects of pranayama. The interest is world-wide and there are approximately 40studies published, research for which took place in Turkey, India, Germany andthe USA. Results to date: Improved ability to relax, a reduction in stress,normalising of blood pressure - both for high and low conditions, increasedvitality, a larger lung capacity, balancing of the relationship between the twobrain halves and good results as a form of asthma therapy.

cover the ears, which are first coveredby the root of the hands, then by thepalms and finally by the middle fingers- and on down over the neck until thepalms meet in front of the chest.

Do this nine times.Afterwards sit still with closed eyes.

(Generally take it easy for 20 minutesafter breathing exercises.)

A more HarmoniousPregnancy with BhramariOn the exhalation the brain is influencedby the vibrations of the humming sound.According to the Indian doctor, Dr.Singh, the vibrations influence differentparts of the brain (e.g. the reticularformation) which eliminates anxiety andpromotes a calm state of mind. In thesame way the hypothalamus and thepituitary gland are stimulated, accordingto Dr Singh. They are situated in themiddle of the brain and are responsiblefor the control of the autonomous

ü a lower number of spontaneousabortions (2 % compared to 8%).

ü fewer premature births (2.6%compared to 5%).

ü on average about a 25% shorterlabour.

ü generally little pain during labourü only one case (1%) of Caesarean

section compared to 4% in thecontrol group.

ü none of the new born suffered fromlack of oxygen (0 % against 12%).

ü clearly a greater average weight forthe new borns (3325 g compared to2850 g).

These results show that, duringpregnancy, there was less worry andstress as a result of the regular practiceof Bhramari. The women’s hormonebalance was better regulated, whichpromoted the birth of healthy children.

Musicality and Nada Yoga“If one works in a concentrated waywith music over a long period of timeand need to "relax the ears", thenBhramari is a good practice,” saysAdam Chr. Moltke, a saxophone player.

Through Bhramari, you becomesensitive to finer vibrations. It istherefore a valuable tool for musiciansto develop their ear for music andmusicality. Bhramari is part of theclassical teaching of music in India.

If you want to get into Nada Yogaand experience the inner sounds (seethe article on page 8), then a regularpractice of Bhramari is important.

After the practice, remain sitting stillwith closed eyes in one of the posesdescribed in the Nada Yoga text andlisten to the inner sounds.q

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Vibrations create FormsA World of VibrationsOur world is permeated throughoutby waves and vibrations. When wehear, it is waves which pass throughthe air and strike our ears. When wespeak, we produce vibrations in thethroat. When we turn on the radioand television we tune into variouswavelengths. We speak aboutelectromagnetic waves and we allknow about light waves. In thecase of an earthquake the wholeground vibrates and seismicvibrations are created. Even thestars pulse in a certain rhythm.

And our own bodies arepermeated by vibrations. Bloodcirculates through us in waves.We can hear the heart beat.When we tense the muscles inthe arms and legs, they actuallybegin to vibrate - complicatedchemical and bio-electricalprocesses in the muscle fibrestake place in series ofvibrations.

Cymatics - a ScienceBy using an accurate instrumentcalled a tonoscope vibrationscan be produced in fluids or insand, for example. This canreveal a whole world of activityand effects. The name“Cymatics” was chosen for thisarea of study (kyma, Greek forwave, kymatica, to do with waves)(see also page 3).

Form and Movement in theMicro- and MacrocosmIn the study of wave phenomena, weare not just concerned with the formsthat are created, Dr. Hans Jennyexplains, but also with the way theyare generated. By systematicallyproducing vibrations with series oftones and sending them throughdifferent materials, living patterns

appear which reveal the possibilityof movement, which is inherent in,for example, a heap of sand. Thevibration takes hold of the grains ofsand and moves them according tothe way in which the field ofvibration is arranged. We observeapparently free dynamics when thegrains of sand move.

Experiments show, however, thatwhen the movement of the forms orelements is kept going by thevibrational process, then it occurson the basis of a certain regularity.

We encounter three componentsin this connection: energy, form andmovement; vibrations or soundwaves which become visible asforms and movement.

It is therefore not just soundforms which are produced. Certainvibrations, which are called phases,cause the particles to form currents.These currents run side by side inopposite directions, as if following alaw. Or the vibrations change andcause a revolving movement. Thesand or the fluid turns around apoint.

These revolving processes arestable and continuous as long as thevibration is transmitted. The materialwhich the sound influences is notthrown out to the side. If colouredsand grains are used to highlight therotating piles then it shows that thepattern of the movement is constant.It begins and is kept going solely as aresult of a certain tone or vibration.

A soap bubble raised up in the air andformed by a sound vibration. To beginwith it was the hemisphere of a normalsoap bubble, placed on a membrane.

- an article based on Dr. HansJenny's research on sound.

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You are struck by WonderAlthough all the facts with which weare bombarded have a tendency to dullour minds, the reaction to this worldof sheer waves is one of surprise.The phenomena which appear in theexperiments have surprised both thescientist who discovered them,artists and the rest of us onlookers.

We look at photographer J.C.Stuten’s pictures of Hans Jenny’swork and we see the living processeson Hans Jenny’s films. Right in frontof our eyes we witness how thesounds create forms from differentmaterial, such as sand, in a mash ofliquid clay, of soap bubbles, inliquids, and so on. The tones producegeometric forms, globes, crystal-likefigures, landscapes and, not least,galaxy-like spirals, which constantlymove in the same way as thegalaxies in space, as we have learnedfrom people who look throughtelescopes. We remain both pensiveand strongly inspired. We begin towonder whether the claim byscholars, philosophers, scientists andyogis from antiquity to the presentday, is a fact - that the wholeuniverse, from the smallest cell tothe biggest nebulae, is formed andmaintained by only vibrations.q

Sources: The book Cymatics vol. 2 byDr. Hans Jenny, 1974 Basilius Presse.The films of the same name by HansJenny, published in the USA, in 1986and 1992, by Macromedia and finallythe article The sculpture of vibrationsby Hans Jenny in Unesco Courier, Dec.1969. The material is reproduced withthe permission of Mrs Maria Jenny.q

An interesting detail in Dr. Jenny’s investigations into sound formsin fluids and gas is that if you first produced disturbance in a fluid,gas or in a flame, then it becomes sensitive to the influence of sound.

“It is only when the gas flame is disturbed that it is susceptibleto the influence of sound; that is, it is at that time that it can formsound figures.”

Does this also apply to me? When I am disturbed, am I theninfluenced by emotional vibrations from other people? And does italso apply to sickness?

Isn't that just what I realise when I experience peace inmeditation or relaxation? I take a break from the influences andrecharge. q

Spores of moss (lycopodium) form a galaxy of small globelike piles. See the pictureabove. Each pile rotates on its own axis and also rotates as a single body in relation to

the other piles, like the elements of our solar system.In another experiment a cyclical sequence appears in a mixture of salt and water. The

salt collects itself in round formations - only to change and break up again. At anunchanged frequency and amplitude these regular cycles repeat themselves. They build

up, last for some time and then dissolve again at the same constant tone.The picture on the back of the cover is the result of two simultaneous tones whichcreate a compound of two basic, different forms. The same happens in completely

different fluids (ether, alcohol, water, petrol, glycerine, turpentine, paraffin, albumen,etc.) which flow over a membrane, but not in the membrane itself.

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two deep relaxations on the tape.Through his knowledge of the oldIndian music, he knows how outersounds influence us - a knowledge oftones and the composition of tones,which was about to be forgotten. Hehad learned this, partly with his firstteacher, Swami Shyam, and partlythrough studies of old scriptures aboutNada Yoga in Indian music.

In connection with the production ofExperience Yoga Nidra he recorded, asthe first musician of our generation,themes and harmonies which are intune with and touch our differentchakras or psychic centres.

In an earlier issue of Bindu we dealtwith the effect of music and RoopVerma contributed an article. In thisissue, our subject is the inner soundswhich are experienced and used in thedeeper steps of the Nada Yogameditation. We will, however, let himtell us a little about the developmentand the division of Indian music - awayfrom its original wholeness and power.

One of the years Roop Verma cameto play on our three months course Iasked him whether or not there weredifferent ways to perform Indian music.It had puzzled me that certaincelebrated musicians of India today, atleast to me, did not seem tocommunicate any feeling ofmeditation. I seem to experience adifference between those who

“put on a show” or “perform” theirmusic - and such people as the fluteplayer Panalal Gosh or the singerKumar Gandharva, who radiate such adegree of devotion in their music that itplaces the listener in a deeper state.Roop gave me the answer in anintroduction to the music that he wasgoing to play for us:

“Until about a thousand years agothere were no such thing as ‘concerts’in the Indian tradition. There was no‘performance’ of music or dance orsinging. Music was attached orconfined to the temples for sacredceremonies and rituals. They were notentertainment forms of music, but whatI call very potent sound formulas. Theyare like different elements; you putthem together and you get a certaineffect. So these sound formulas wereused in ancient times to bringtranquility and peace to agitated mindsand tired bodies, as well as to changeand transform the listener. On the onehand it had a therapeutic effect; to healdisease, to heal sickness. On the otherhand its aim was to focus the attentionof people who came to the temple -towards onepointedness. When we arecentred and onepointed our lives takeon a different meaning. When, on theother hand, our minds are scattered,the way we experience things is alsoinfluenced. So in order to achieve thatfocus, music was instrumental.

From the beginning of the eleventhcentury we see a turn in the history ofIndia. Many foreign invaders came andestablished their empires there. ThePersians, the Moguls, and so on. They

Collected and edited by Swami Janakananda

Nada Yoga is about sounds. It is the knowledge of the quality of sounds and theway they affect people. We have sounds that are coarse and sounds that are fine.The finest sounds we hear in the mind. In yoga we call them the inner sounds.

In 1969 Swami Satyananda and Ivisited an ashram at Bhagalpur inBihar, India. A yogi had settled therewho specialised in Nada Yoga. Iremember there were big paintingsthere of meditating figures with rain-bow auras painted around them. Thedifferent colours illustrated differentlevels of consciousness and theircorresponding inner Nada (sound).

The reason why this yogi (who hadthe same teacher as the founder of TM,Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) hadestablished an ashram exactly therewas because the area, which wassituated somewhat outside the city, hadearlier belonged to the military. Thesoldiers had dug deep undergroundcorridors and tunnels which reached allthe way to the town. There were cavesor day rooms connected to thesecorridors deep under the ground and itwas those caves which attracted theyogi. Here you could sit and meditatewithout hearing a sound from noisyIndia. In return, you could concentrateon the inner sounds.

In the total silence down there, Iexperienced how the sounds reallystood out.

Some years ago, when I made the tape(and now the CD) Experience YogaNidra, I asked the musician andcomposer, Roop Verma, to make thebackground music to the longer of the

Nada Yoga

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liked the music and art so much thatthey invited the musicians to theircourts, to appreciate and honour them.Now here at the beginning of the 11thcentury something very significanthappened. The musicians and themusic, which up to now was onlyplayed at the temple, was madeavailable to everyone from the king tothe common people. People who didnot belong to the temples could nowenjoy the music.

However, this had one disadvantage.

Previously the artist or the musiciandid not have to prove anything. In thetemple you play as part of a ceremony.There is a deity, there is a God sittingthere and you don’t have to proveanything, because supposedly Godknows everything - all the music, andall the variations, all the rhythms. Butthe king doesn’t know, so you have toprove it to the king. So the ego comesalong. Now egos began to build up asthe art was developing. They becamevery intellectual. A lot of music started

to come from the left brain, and as aresult the music took another shape.Because as the inner feelings changeso does the art. Expression changes.

From that point onwards there aretwo branches in music. One became theentertainment branch or what I calldeshi. It is mentioned in the scriptures.The other is called margi (margameans a path) when we use the musicas a path to evolve ourselves. I had thehonour of studying in both theschools...”

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One can say that Indian music today,with the exception of folk music, includesdevotional music (Kirtan and Bhajan),as well as esoteric music linked to NadaYoga which masters the aforemen-tioned knowledge of the influence ofsounds - and finally, ordinary concertmusic. These three may very easilyoverlap and there is no doubt that musicas such affects us and therefore is oftenseen as being part of Nada Yoga. Tothat may be added the fact that Indianmusicians, at least in earlier times, hadto learn yoga and certain breathing exer-cises to strengthen and develop theirear for music. We present one suchexercise in this issue of Bindu (see p. 4).

Music helps us relax and creates anatmosphere, but Nada Yoga reachesdeeper and more precisely into ourstates - and the actual Nada Yoga, themeditation on the inner sounds, has astrong liberating effect in dissolving thevery deepest blocks and inhibitions ofthe mind. Therefore Nada Yoga be-longs to Laya Yoga (Laya = dissolution).

“The deer is entrapped by sweet sound.The cobra is enchanted by sweet music.Raga Punnagavarrali charms the cobra.Nada entraps the mind.The mind gets Laya in sweet nada.Therefore you can easily control the mindThrough the practice of Nada Yoga” (Swami Sivananda)

“By one who is desirous of attainingperfection in Yoga, Nada alone has gotto be closely heard (meditated upon),having abandoned all thoughts andwith a calm mind.”

(Sankaracharya, Yoga-taravali)

The beginning of this article I wrote in1996. The following text has been

rewritten and edited from an articlewhich was printed in the Danish Binduin 1973. It is mainly based on things Ilearned during my time in India withSwami Satyananada, from his teachingand lectures, and from lectures andexpositions he gave when he visited theScandinavian Yoga and MeditationSchool. We are printing this materialupon the request of some of ourstudents.

The inner Nada Yoga is still a part ofthe education at the Scandinavian Yogaand Meditation School.

In 1974 I participated in a conferencein Denmark where doctors, psychologists,authors and others, as well as myselfrepresenting yoga, were invited by theMinistry of Education to exchange ideason psychosomatics (the relationshipbetween body and mind). I happened totell a young scientist there that there

are methods in yoga where you do nothave to suffer to liberate yourself fromold influences or tensions, where youdo not always have to confront yourtraumas but where you can dissolvethem using other methods. I was thinkingabout Laya Yoga and especially thediscipline within Laya Yoga which iscalled Nada Yoga where you concentrateon the inner sounds. Despite the imme-diate interest of the scientist, it musthave sounded rather shocking to his ears,because, despite the ostensible inde-pendence of science in relation to religion,the basic belief still prevails that thingsmust hurt before they do us good.

Laya YogaEvery meditation practice or techniquewhich breaks down the inhibitions ofthe mind and brings its activities to ahalt is called Laya Yoga. Under theheading of Laya Yoga you find manydifferent methods and Nada Yoga is oneof them. Even during the meditation,Antar Mauna (inner silence) you areable to bring your consciousness to alevel of complete rest.

The ancient great masters of HathaYoga, such as Gheranda Rishi and othersclaimed that Hatha Yoga could also be apart of Laya Yoga. For instance, breathingexercises can be used to achieve amental state totally free from tensions.

Nada Yoga is an important method inTantra.

Nada Yoga - a DefinitionThe word Nada comes from the Sanskritroot, Nad. Nad means to flow. Theetymological meaning of Nada is aprocess or a stream of consciousness.Normally, the word Nada means sound.

A yogi does not “retire” - but he doesn't neces-sarily have to be a guru or guide all his life.

Swami Satyananda is now continuing on hispath, in that period of life, where, after havinghelped others and shared his knowledge, he isnow devoting himself to meditation and to therealisation of his relationship with the cosmos.

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Different States of NadaIn Tantra it is thought that soundoccurs in four dimensions - four levelsof sound relating to frequency, finenessand strength.1. The coarse (ordinary audible,material) sound,2. the mental sound,3. the visualised sound and4. the transcendent sound.

This we can compare with other tantricmeditations where, in order to satisfythe mind, we begin in the senses andcreate a state of security as a basis forgoing deeper. (See also Bindu no 8.)

From the body we turn to the breathwhich is experienced without anyinterference. In this way, a deeperrelaxed state is triggered.

With a mantra - a sound syllablewhich we repeat mentally - wetranscend the mind and reach the innersounds and symbols, pictures which wesee within and which, depending ontheir nature, represent certain levels ofconsciousness.

Through the use of an inner symbol,we remain aware in normally uncon-scious states and get closer to the coreof our being and the state of pure being.

Ordinary sounds are the coarsestmanifestation of sound. We are awareof the coarse sounds and we hear themevery day - vibrations which hit our eardrums from the space around us, fromour surroundings.

From there we move on to other,finer sounds.

After having left the coarse andtangible sounds that we experiencethrough the senses, we can becomeconscious of the mental sounds. They

are sounds which we hear in themind. Their frequency and strength isdependent on both our mental andphysical state. In a relaxed state theyare easy to perceive. The sounds alsobecome clearer when we areexhausted, agitated or after strongphysical activity such as running orintense and prolonged dancing.

When we go deeper we reach thevisual or astral sound, the soundwhich is found in the inner space andwhich appears in visual forms.Certain forms answer to certainsounds and certain states. Sounds orforms which we, for instance,experience in our dreams, belong tothis plane as well as sounds which arelinked to certain meditation symbols(see also p. 3).

Behind the visual sounds thetranscendent or supra-conscioussound is found. The transcendentsound and the transcendentconsciousness are the same. In NadaYoga universal consciousness isperceived in the form of sound.

The tangible or coarse universe whichwe experience through our senses, themind and our normal experience ofpeople can in this way be led back tothe source, the sound, Nada.

For the Nada yogi it is important tomake contact with the sounds whichare found in the other dimensions; themental and psychic. In this way thecapability of the mind is expanded.

Let us look at each of the four states,starting with the highest. In Sanskritthey are called : Para, Pashyanti,Madhyama and Vaikhari.

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Para NadaThe transcendent sound, which has thehighest frequency, is called Para Nada.Para means highest or farthest, and inthis connection: transcendent, and ParaNada the transcendent sound - which isbeyond the reach of the sense organs.The sound is heard in other dimensionson other levels of consciousness.

In music each tone has a certain numberof vibrations per second, which we callfrequency. The character of the tonescan vary in length, strength, height andharmonics (overtone structure). Exactknowledge about this can be had byusing a frequency analyser, which cansplit a tone in vibrations per secondand show its overtone structure.

In Indian music the vibrations arecalled Andolana.

We are familiar with high frequencysounds from daily life, such as dogwhistles and the sounds which bats emit,as well as electronically produced tones.

The ear cannot grasp sounds whichvibrate beyond a certain speed. When acertain frequency is reached, the soundsbecome inaudible and can only be per-ceived subjectively - as an inner sound.

We are not conscious of all vibrationsin the cosmos. Also below a certain level,we are limited by our sense of hearing.

The waves, which the electroencepha-lograph (EEG) registers in order tomeasure the brain’s bioelectric impulses,are limited to a quite small number ofsinuswaves, between one and 60 Hz.These “waves” actually belong to themusical scale. But the human ear cannotperceive sounds below about 16 Hz -although the structure of such tones arein harmony with the rest of the scale.

The very low bass tones, for example,can be felt as vibrations directly on thebody even though they are not audible.

The Nada Yogis have defined that Paraor transcendent sound has the highestfrequency. Para’s intense vibration makesit inaudible. Various texts mention thatthe Para sound has no vibrations. It is asound without movement or frequency.It is a still sound. We cannot grasp asound which has no vibration. When asound reaches its maximum height, thenit reaches stillness - and that is ParaNada. It is completely uniform. A stateof consciousness corresponds with thisstillness. The Nada Yogi reaches thisstate by becoming one with Para Nada.

In the Upanishads, the mantra OM issaid to be the manifestation of Para. Theaudible Om, which we chant, is not Parabecause it is the object of our hearing, ourunderstanding and our logic. Therefore,the audible OM cannot be called trans-cendent. Para is at the same time silentand eternal. It has form and its nature isJyoti (light). It is different to the soundsone usually understands or hears. TheUpanishads state clearly about the ParaSound: “This is OM, this sound is OM.”

PashyantiThe second level of sound has fewervibrations and is coarser than Para. It iscalled Pashyanti.

Pashyanti in Sanskrit means: “thatwhich can be seen or visualised”. Theold scripts maintain that sound can alsobe seen. How can one see sound? Haveyou ever heard music in a dream? Thisparticular dimension of sound whichoccurs in dreams is called Pashyanti. Itcan be called a mental sound. It isneither a conscious sound nor a halfconscious sound. It is a subconscioussound which is linked to thecharacteristic of your mind and not toyour vocal organs; tongue, throat or

mouth. It is not heard with the physicalear, but with the inner ear.

When I loudly say “Ram, Ram, Ram,Ram”, it is called Vaikhari but when Iclose my eyes and mouth and go in andmentally repeat the sound, “Ram, Ram,Ram, Ram”, while visualizing itscolour and form, it is called Pashyanti.When the word or the sound is heard ina sphere where one is not conscious ofthe outer surroundings, it is calledPashyanti. When every outer sound hasdisappeared and you hear a completenew sound, unlike the way the ordinarysounds sound, then it is a special kindof sound or Pashyanti Nada.

MadhyamaA sound, which has fewer vibrationsthan Para and Pashyanti, but which isfiner than Vaikhari, is called Madhyama.

Madhyama is a sound that can hardlybe heard. Ordinarily when two objectshit each other they produce a sound. Butin the case of Madhyama no two thingsphysically hit each other to produce anaudible sound. For example, when aclapping sound is produced, it is calleda coarse sound. Madhyana producesvibrations such as when one whispers;it is an intermediate sound. The wordMadhyama means “in between” or “themiddle”. The middle sound can becalled whispering or is like the soundof whispering.

VaikhariThe fourth and coarsest plane of Nadais supposed to be Vaikhari. TheVaikhari sounds are audible and can bephysically produced. Vaikhari is thespoken sound. It is produced forexample by rubbing or hitting two things

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against each other. Its vibrations arelimited to a certain range.

Para has the quality of soul, Pashyantihas a mental quality. Madhyama hasthe finer quality of the vocal organsand Vaikhari has the coarse quality ofthe same physical organs.

The Universe and NadaAccording to Nada Yogis andscriptures dealing with Nada Yoga, theoriginal and transcendent sound is theseed from which the whole of creationhas grown.

The Nada Yogi experiences themacrocosmic universe as a projectionof sound vibrations - that the wholeworld has developed from sound alone.

In the bible there is a reference, “Inthe beginning was the word, and theword was with God”. This word iscalled Nada or Shabda in Sanskrit.

Sufis in India call it Surat. Surat-Shabda-Yoga is another name for NadaYoga practice. Certain Muslim mysticsare also of the opinion that the worldhas developed from sound and form.

Australia’s original inhabitants,who supposedly have the oldestcontinuous culture on earth, tell how“the ancestors” made the world comeinto being through song.

The Nada Yogis claim that the fiveelements, the five physical senses, thefive subtle senses, the fourfold mindand the three gunas have developedfrom an eternal sound. That means thatthe material, the mental, the psychicand the intellectual universe have alloriginated from Nada-Brahma, thesound universe. It is the way the NadaYogi experiences his/her reality. Itmanifests itself in the form of

vibrations, of which the highest eitherdoes not vibrate at all or vibrates atsuch a high frequency that it liesoutside the reach of human senses.

The eternal or original Nadavibration is the highest. When anyobject vibrates with an enormousand incredible speed, it then becomessilent. That means that the highestpoint of speed and vibration is silenceand that sound seems to be the creativeprinciple behind all matter (see also p.24).

The Upanishads (in this context withspecial reference to Nada-Bindu-Upanishad and the Hansa-Upanishad)and the Vedas describe that in thebeginning was nothing. There wasabsolutely nothing, there was non-existence in the universe - there wasonly sound. The sound was unending,the sound was the only existing reality.The universe evolved from sound, andtherefore the fundamental structure ofthe universe is based on Nada or soundvibrations.

Music is a result of Nada.Mantra in its purest form is amanifestation of Nada.The movement of Energy (Prana) in thebody is an expression of Nada.

Nada Yoga MeditationEvery real form of meditation sharescertain common effects with others.

Some forms are stronger, someweaker, some focus on one thing,others focus on another.

The method in Nada-Yoga-Sadhanais to reach the original, the finest innersound, Shabda or the inner word.

You could characterise Nada Yoga asa sort of vibrating vacuum cleaner

which dissolves tensions and blockseven at the finer levels of consciousness.

To reach the superconscious ortranscendent and non-empiric sound,the process must start with theexperience of the coarser sounds.

The Nada CentreIn which centre is the transcendentNada experienced? Bhaktis (those wholiberate themselves through devotion)place their Ishta, the personal centre, inAnahat Chakra by the heart. Yogis usethe centre of intuition in Ajna Chakrain the middle of the head. TheVedantics seek it in Hiranya Garbha,the golden egg in Sahasara Chakra inthe upper part of the head.

In the same way, the Nada Yogislocate the sound centre in Bindu, whichis located at the top of the back of thehead. Bindu is the centre in the brainwhere an on-going sound vibrationtakes place. To be able to experiencethe Nada sound, Bindu has first to belocated.

But rather than exploring the theoryof this science at the outset, it is betterinitially to investigate it in a practicalway and localise or discover themental, astral and psychic nature of theNada sound. Different techniques andaids within Nada Yoga can be used tohelp practitioners go through thedifferent psychic or non physicalsounds, so that consciousness can bebrought into harmony with the realNada.

Practising Nada Yoga inBhakti YogaWhen a Bhakti Yogi uses a Mantra, thefirst technique that he or she uses is to

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focus on the sound produced by theMantra. It is said aloud.

When he has warmed up withthis practice or when he hasattained a deeper and clearerawareness of the sound ofthe Mantra, then he stopsproducing audiblesound vibrations. Heintensifies hisexperience of theMantra bywhispering it orby saying it withhis lips withoutproducing anyaudible sound. Heaims to becomeone with thewhispered Mantra.

When it is achieved,he stops moving hismouth and begins toexperience the mentalmantra. Now he chants thesame mantra in his head. Itis as if he himself is notproducing the mantra, but ishearing the mental and fine tones.Although they are inaudible to theouter ear, they can be picked up by afinely tuned consciousness. The BhaktiYogi experiences the Mantra as if heactually sings it so that everyone canhear it, but it occurs only in his mind.

When the Mantra begins to work, itcauses the awareness to let go of allouter things and turn to the deeperlevels of consciousness. Then theMantra changes to Nada, a constantsound which occurs by itself. Theaspirant will on this level of conscious-ness think it audible, but it will not benoticed or heard by others. It isMantra-Nada-Yoga for Bhakti Yogis.

Music and Nada YogaMusic is also Nada Yoga. When itcomes to music, one speaks of Nadaon a scientific and classical level.In the past, musical developmenttook place in close harmony withNada Yoga Sadhana. Pranayama(breathing exercises) constituted animportant and preparatory part ofthis Sadhana.

In different conscious states themind is attracted to different vibrations

of Nada. It seems as if somecompositions of sounds (Nada) are

unpleasant at one time of the dayand pleasant at another.

These forms of Nada areknown as Ragas in music;

tones or combinations oftones. India’s morningmusic (Bhairawee orBhairawa Raga)appeals to some butnot to all.

SwamiSatyananda saysthat he isespecially fondof India’smidnight music,the Malkos, theDurga or JogiaRagas. Theevening raga, suchas Bhimpalasi, is

also popular withmany. For the most

part, girls and boys atthe sensitive age prefer

Bhairawee. This shows thatthe mind reacts differently at

different times to different soundwaves.

Music can be a pleasant, interestingand inspiring spiritual practice in itself- but it can also be a part of Nada Yoga.Through music, the mind can be tunedto the finest vibrations and therebyprepared for the transcendent Nada.

“Nada is found within. It is a musicwithout strings which plays in the body.It penetrates the inner and the outerand leads you away from illusion.”

(Kabir)

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Practical Introductionto Nada YogaPrecautionsThere are certain precautions one musttake as an intense Nada Yoga practicemay give rise to a disturbing presence ofcertain sounds. It can happen that aperson experiences the sound as if it’shumming in the ears the whole day. It canbe that they hear the ringing of bells orother sounds. Maybe they become dis-turbed in their daily tasks by these tones.

Through the practice of Nada Yoga,the inner sounds are gradually developed,but you do not have to listen to them atother times of the day. Let us presumethat Nada Yoga has been practiced inthe night and you have discovered dif-ferent sounds. Next morning you go tothe office or the classroom and begin tohear the sound of bells. You want to avoidit, you try, but you still hear the sound.You may also experience it as if bees arehumming in your ears. If these symptomsappear you have to consider what to do.Is your diet okay, otherwise you have tochange it? Do you want to continue, but

get irritated or disturbed by the sounds?Then you have either to change yourattitude or if you do not succeed andyou want the sounds to stop then youhave to give up the Nada Yoga path.

The Nada Yogi can hear a voice in awakeful state if he is at an advancedlevel. To him, it sounds as if someoneis whispering in his ears. This is a kindof “Siddhi”, an ability to hear thesound of an unknown voice.

This, however, should not be confusedwith a group of people in India calledKarnapischachee, which means “theghost in the ears”. The Karnapischacheesare often consulted by people in diffi-culties. Then they hold a kind of bell intheir hands and ring it close to their earsfor some time, until they hear a voice.They are used as oracles and whateveris heard or whispered in their ears is toldto the person who asks. A Yoga practi-tioner should not use such a method toachieve this result as it often leads todeafness. As a result the Karnapischa-chees in India have hearing problems.

These days many people have hearingimpairment, which can be compared to

the case of the Karnapischachee. Thisapplies to rock musicians, for example,or people who work in a noisy environ-ment. These injuries of course have no-thing to do with Nada Yoga. Also thereare people who spontaneously hearsounds like a ringing in their ears. Someof these sounds are probably caused byinjuries to the ears, while others can berelated to the sounds which are heardin Nada Yoga. The Yogi cannotmonopolize these phenomena; the yogihas only discovered them and knowshow to use them to benefit from them,but the sounds are there anyhow.

If a person seeks help from a doctorbecause he or she is suffering fromdisturbing sounds and does not knowthe positive sides of this phenomenon,and if the doctor cannot help maybe itcould be useful for the person tochange his attitude to the sound andstart to practice Nada Yoga under theguidance of an expert.

It often happens that things we wantto get rid of do not disappear when wefight them. It applies, for example, topain. If we, on the other hand, face thepain and allow ourselves to experience

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it then we can let go of it. In thetradition of tantric yoga this method iscalled Pratyahara and has already beendescribed in an earlier issue of Binduand in more detail in my book, “Yoga,Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life”(Rider Books, UK and Weiser, USA.In France, Editions Satyanandashram).

This way of applying pratyahara is inaccordance with a conclusion whichscience has reached concerning noisein the environment. If you view thesounds as harmful and become irritatedabout them, you are more likely to beharmed by them than if you, to acertain extent, can accept them.

With regard to Nada Yoga, it ispossible to turn what you onceconsidered disturbing sounds to yourown advantage (see also p. 24).

Teresa of Avila (Teresa de Jesus) did notfind guidance about the inner sounds inthe European culture in which she grewup. Therefore she didn’t realise how shecould use them in her spiritual life. Shedescribes them as clearly as any NadaYogi in her book, “The InteriorCastle”. “It roars like many big riverswith waterfalls, there are flutes, and ahost of little birds seem to be whistling,not in the ears, but in the upper part ofthe head, where the soul is said to haveits special seat.”

A Nada Yogi’s DietA Nada Yogi’s diet ought to be easilydigested. Food which brings a quickenergy rush to the brain is not suitable.Food and drink which cause hyper-tension or high blood pressure shouldbe avoided. You have to ensure you getthe necessary nutrients which the bodyneeds to maintain its normal functions.

Preliminary Practice ofNada SadhanaThe Nada Yogi must learn to use certainMudras (attitudes) and Bandhas (locks)and a few pranayamas (breathing exer-cises). Here follows a short descriptionof Mula Bandha, which is known bymost people who practice Hatha Yoga.And of a Mudra which is useful toawaken the Nada sound, Vajroli Mudra.This also is known by many HathaYoga practitioners. But here it may beexplained in another way.

In many books on Hatha Yoga we aretold that in Mula Bandha we shouldconcentrate on the anus, on the analsphincter muscle. That is in itself correct.But according to Tantra, and the moreadvanced yoga, Mula Bandha is never-theless a contraction of the perineum.This must be understood fully. The con-traction of the anus or the anal sphinctermuscle is Mula Bandha as understoodby Hatha Yoga novices. In Tantra Yoga,however, or in the academic yoga,Mula Bandha is the contraction of theperineum, the “seat” of kundalini, alsoknown as Muladhara Chakra. It is thearea between the anus and the sexualorgans which should be contracted.

In Nada Yoga, Mula Bandha there-fore means contraction of the perineumand not contraction of the anus.

Vajroli Mudra also comes under HathaYoga. Many different forms of Vajroliare found which we shall not go intodetail about here. The contraction of themuscles of the sexual organs and theurinary system is called Vajroli Mudra.It influences two important nerve flowsin such a way that the energy becomesfreed or transformed to heat (see also mybook for a more detailed description).

Muladhara Chakra is the actualstarting point for Nada. When thischakra is “heated”, the sound isexperienced by the aspirant. But thesound has different frequencies in thedifferent chakras, which are found inthe spine and in the head. Therefore thechakras are the places of the originalsounds. Different Bija Mantras orseed-syllables give them vocalexpression: Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam,Ham and Om.

The symbols for these chakra arelotus flowers - four-leafed, six-leafed,10 leafed, 12-leafed, 16-leafed, two-leafed and a thousand-leafed lotusflowers. These lotus flowers representcentral seats of consciousness and ofthe psychic energy in the spine and inthe body. The leaves symbolise thenumber of minor energy flows, Nadis,to and from each chakra and theircorresponding frequencies, indicatedby secondary Mantras (sound syllables)written on each leaf.

There are many breathing exerciseswhich can manifest or create a distinctNada. As already mentioned, for allyoga practitioners and musiciansBhramari (the Bumble Bee) isessential (see page 4).

Murcha pranayama can also be usedbut should not be used by a beginner.You must go step by step throughother breathing exercises before youcan begin to use Murcha. When youhave learnt Mula Bandha, VajroliMudra and Yoni Mudra (see the nextsection), then they are practiced whileyou hold the breath and turn yourawareness to Bindu, the psychic centreat the top of the back of the head. Thisis where the Nada Yoga concentrationreally begins.

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The Posesin Nada Yoga1. The Nada Yoga pose is themost suitable pose forbeginners. Take a fairly big andhard pillow, place it on the floorand sit astride it, so there ispressure on the perineum. Sitwith the soles of the feet flat onthe floor. The knees project uptowards the ceiling so that theelbows can rest on them. Theback is kept straight.

Put a thumb in each ear andat the same time rest the headin the hands.

2. Sit in Siddhasana (theperfect pose) with a stool infront of you to rest the elbows.Siddhasana can be used so thatyou can sit in this pose for along time without moving.Siddhasana is done by placingone heel up in the groin so thatit presses against the perineum(for men) or the vagina (forwomen). The rest of the footlies against the thigh. Thenput the other foot above thefirst, so that the heel touchesor presses the lower abdomenand the pubic bone above thesexual organs. The two heelsmust be placed right over eachother without touching eachother. Then the toes of theupper foot are placed betweenthe thigh and leg muscle. Inthis way the pose is locked. Somepeople are also able to put the toes ofthe lower foot between the leg muscleand the thigh from below.

3. For the little more advanced, YoniMudra is recommended (the experienceof the womb). Sit in Siddhasana. Inhaleand close the ears with the thumbs.

Place the index fingers over the eyelids,so they can stay closed without beingpressed too hard. Close the nostrils withthe middle fingers, one at each side and

close the mouth with the ring fingersand the little fingers by placing themabove and below the lips respectively.After that do Mula Bandha and Vajroli

Mudra while holding thebreath.

Variation: Do the above butwithout closing the mouthand nose. Stay sitting forlonger and breathe normally.

4. For the even more advancedNada Yoga practitioner whohas succeeded in followingthe sounds with closed ears:sit in Siddhasana with thehands resting on the kneesand the index finger in contactwith the thumb either at itsroot or at its top. The threeother fingers are stretched outand together. This is calledChinmudra. At this stage youneed no longer close the earsif there is reasonable silencearound you.

“Bathe in the center of sound,as in the continuous sound ofa waterfall. Or, by putting thefingers in the ears, hear thesound of sounds”

(Vigyan Bhairava Tantra)

When you sit in thePose in Nada YogaLock the ears gently withyour fingers. Listen inwardlyup to Bindu. Bindu is thecranium’s plexus. It lies

above the pineal gland, above AjnaChakra and diagonally behind andabove the pituitary gland, behindSahasrara Chakra.

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Bindu is found in the part of the brainwhich deals with our optic powers.

The Brahmins in India have a tuft ofhair where Bindu is situated.

It is this centre you shouldconcentrate on after having closed theears. And it is here in Bindu that thesound is manifested or where itdescends from the transcendental planeto the next plane and where youexperience it as an astral sound.

Now you will probably hear somesound or other. It can be the sound of abumble bee, of bell chimes or of birdsong. It can be the sound of a musicalinstrument, maybe the sound of a harpor a flute. It can also be a sound whichis kind of like the whistling tone of atelevision, but finer.

Continue listening for some time tothe sound which comes to you first.

Let the first sound be the startingpoint - the one end of a thread. Hold onto the first sound as closely as you can.When you are getting close to thesound then you will experience that

other sounds arise in the background.The sound which arises in the back-

ground maybe is of the same kind, butfiner, or of a totally different kind. Atthis point you let go of the first sound,you go onto the next and concentrateintensely on it.

During your listening the sound willbecome clearer. You get closer to thesound, both mentally and psychically.

You feel as if you become one withthe sound. When this has happened youdiscover that a third sound has arisen inthe background, which you thenconcentrate on.

In this way you can continue with afourth, a fifth, a sixth sound, a seventh,eight and ninth inner sound. Differentsounds can arise. It can be like a riverwhich flows through the landscape, thedistant sound of the sea, a bell whichrings or chimes. It can be the sound ofa flute, a guitar’s rhythm, the sound ofbirds chattering at sunset, crickets orgrasshoppers. It can even be the visionof a star-filled night sky, completely

devoid of sounds.If it is difficult to discover a sound at

Bindu then let the mind search atSahasrara or Ajna or at the left or rightear drum. Or experience a spacewithin, with the starting point in themiddle of the head or search at thecentre between the eyebrows until youare sure to hear a sound.

The method to discover the sound issimple. Instead of imagining a soundput all your attention on listening andthen you will soon hear the first sound.An inner Nada sound should befollowed until it becomes clear anddistinct. As soon as it is distinct,another sound (another tone) is heardor felt in the background.

When you discover the other soundthen let go of the first and follow thesecond. Sound after sound keepcoming up as if from the bottom of anocean.

This process continues until theconsciousness feels free of the mind’sinfluences.

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When to practiceYou can practice Nada Yoga wheneveryou have time. However, in order toget a tangible result, a beginnershould practice Nada Yoga betweenmidnight and two o’clock in themorning.

Midnight is the time which is freefrom other disturbing sounds, and theabsence of light in the atmosphere alsohelps. Doing it at this time helps to turnthe mind inwards.

Or get up at two or three o’clock inthe morning, take a shower and then sitproperly. You will find it quite differentat this time and you will surely hearsomething. And once you have had ahint of the sound, when you have founda trace of the sound, when you havecome into contact with a sound, thenit’s easy to go on.

Of course there are diversions whichare disturbing at the beginning. Ourmind is influenced by inhibitions,habits, tendencies and urges. But evenif there are many disturbances within,the practice of this Sadhana, thespiritual practice, is generally veryrewarding.

The Nada Yoga Sadhana unfolds andreaches the unbroken sound, which inyoga is known as Anahata Nada - thesound which continues. It has nobeginning and no end. At the highestpoint of your practice, your Sadhana’shighest state, you may feel that thewhole body and mind, the wholepersonality is nothing but rapidvibrations, a movement of fast soundvibrations and you experience yourselfas sound. This Nada Yoga is a greatSadhana, a great spiritual method. InIndia there are many people who haveperfected it.

Consciousness can, for example,linger in the physical body and whenthe ears are closed the sounds orvibrations that come from the heart, thelungs, the brain, the blood circulationand the different metabolic processescan be heard taking place in the body.

If the consciousness lingers inPrana Maya Kosha - the psychicenergy, and has penetrated it, thenNada will be heard as a flute alongwith many other sounds.

If the mind has reached deep intoAnanda Maya Kosha, then othersounds will disappear and the fruit ofNada Yoga will remain.

It is difficult to say which Nadabelongs to a certain area.

In India illustrations are given in theform of symbolic stories.

The individual consciousness, whichcontinues to rise upwards and todiscover the transcendental tones is,in Indian mythology, symbolised as“Rishi Narada”. Without denying RishiNarada’s historic existence, the esotericmeaning of the word “Narada “ mustbe understood. Narada is supposed tobe a Rishi who has a Veena (a musicalinstrument) in his hands. According tothe Nada Yoga’s traditional schools theinner sound from a Murli (a flute) or aVeena belongs to the conscious sphere,where Dwait Bhava or the duality ofconsciousness ceases to exist.

Nada Yoga in BhagavataNada Yoga is illustrated in the bigIndian book called “Bhagavata”(Bhagavata is not the same as theBhagavad Gita). Krishna’s lifestory isrelated in the form of a symbolic andallegorical story. Bhagavata says:

Traditional DescriptionsNada at different Levels ofConsciousnessThe sounds which are heard are real.They are symbols of the contents ofthe mind and of the consciousness. Themind rests in these symbols and, withtheir help, goes more quickly into afiner state. The sounds are experiencesfrom a deeper level of consciousness.They are not imaginary. They can beunderstood as vibrations of differentspheres of one’s existence. In thevarious dimensions of existence,different sounds are heard. First thereare the physical sounds, and when theconsciousness becomes fine andtranscends the physical plane, itthen comes into contact with the finesounds which arise with the movementof the prana or the vital energy in thebody.

The whole range of humanconsciousness can be divided into three,or subdivided into five, parts.

The conscious area is made up ofAnnamaya and Pranayama Kosha, two“bodies” which exist respectively asphysical matter, the “food” dimensionand as Prana, the energy dimension.

The personality’s other sphere ismade up of Manomaya and VigyanmayaKosha, mainly mental and astralmaterial, the conscious mind and thedream dimension.

The third area of consciousness isAnanda Maya Kosha, which is a“body”, a dimension, full of bliss.

When you practice Nada Yoga, thesounds appear in accordance with theexisting connection between the mindand the other areas of consciousness.

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“Krishna left his palace at midnightand went into the jungle. The light ofthe full moon shone in the first wintermonth. He began to play the flute. Theflute’s echo spread over the quiet andundisturbed atmosphere. The musictravelled from the jungle and washeard by the Gopis (village girls,cowherd girls). And when theyheard the sound of the flute,they left their homes and theirmen in an instant and forgoteverything that hadhappened there.

They ran straight away tothe place from where theflute’s Nada was flowing.They began to dance aroundthe flute player. After a littlewhile they each discoveredthat they danced withKrishna himself.”

The story seems fantastic,and what lies behind it is onlyproperly understood by yogis.Nada Yogis regard Krishna as ahigher conscious plane, wherethe higher plane’s Nada flows inthe deepest state of Nada-Sadhana.When the flute’s tones arise, the sensesleave their respective objects for pleasureand experience - they withdraw to theplace from where the flute’s sound orNada flows. There the senses dancearound Nada. On that stage the senseslet go completely of their links with theouter objects and the yogi will say,“Dharana (the ability to see andexperience within) has taken place andDhyana (meditation) is dawning”.

In Sanskrit the word “Krishna” means“that which draws” or “that whichattracts”. It is derived from the root“Karshan”. Therefore the word “Krishna”means “the one who draws”, “the one

who withdraws” or “the one whoattracts”. It also means “farmer”. And theword “Gopi” usually means “daughterof a cow herd family”. In Sanskrit “go”means “senses, cow, poor, the humbleand the whole visible universe.”Symbolically, Gopi means “senses”.

Who then are the men who are marriedto these senses - these Gopis? You couldsay that the men of the eyes are the formsand the men of the ears are the sounds.

When the music of the flute is heard,the sense of hearing withdraws fromthe outer audible sound and mergeswith the inner Nada.

This process is Pratyahara.

Nada Yoga and KabirA famous Nada Yogi, Kabir (seehim also cited earlier in the textand in the previous issue ofBindu) says in one of hispoems, “Who is there playingthe flute in the middle of thesky? The flute is played whereGanges and Jamuna floattogether and the confluence ofthe three rivers - Ganges,Jamuna and Sarawati - takesplace in Trikuti. Oh, this is themeeting place for Ganges andJamuna. The sound flows forth

from the North. Cowherd girlshear the sound of the flute and

lo, they are all hypnotised byNada.”The ultimate experience in Nada

Yoga is a sound which is higher thanthe sound of the flute. The music onthis highest plane of consciousness isnot a flute, Veena, a cloud, lightning,clapping or the sound of brass instru-ments being hit together, nor is it anyother instrument. It resembles neitherthe classical music of the East nor ofthe West. The music of the highestconscious plane is “Unahada Nada”.

Unahada Nada or Anahata NadaWhat is Unahada Nada? Up to now,people have not been able to agree onthis. Some say that it is the cosmicsound of OM. Others say that it is like

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Bhramari - a sound which is unending,unbroken like the sound of a bee. Somesay that it is the heartbeat, “throb, throb,throb” which is called “Unahada Nada”.

Some call it Anahada and others callit Anahat. These two words have twodifferent meanings. Anahat means “an”+ “aahat”. “An” means “no”or “un”,“aahat” means “that which strikes, beatsor hammers”. Therefore, Anahat means“unbeaten, or, no hitting of two thingsagainst each other”. When a sound isproduced, it happens through striking,but Anahat is a sound, which is notproduced through any striking. It isspontaneous and automatic. Certainscholars say that Nada is Anahada.“An” means “none” and “Hada” means“boundary” or “connection”. Anahadameans “infinite”, “without beginning orend” or “indescribable”. It is a soundon which no limitation can be placed. Itcan be any sound.

Nada Yoga andYogi GoraknathYogi Goraknath, disciple of YogiMatsyendranath, was more spirituallydeveloped and had greater insight intothe spiritual life than even his own Guru.He writes, “Oh Sadhu (aspirant), carryout Japa [the repetition of a mantra] of‘So Ham’. That Japa should not becarried out by the mind. It should beexperienced in the breath so that evenwhen you are engaged in your dailyactivities you should be conscious ofyour day’s 21.600 breaths. When yoursubconscious or your inner consciousnessunites with your breath throughout the24 hours of a day, 21.600 rhythms areexperienced with a speed of 15 to 19rounds per minute (which is at least900 breaths per hour). Then Anahata

Nada manifests itself.” He continues:“There will be light in the spine. The‘Sun’ energy [which is connected to theright half of the brain], Surya Nadi,will be awakened. You will feel anindescribable vibrating sound resonatefrom every pore of your body and itwill be like Om or Soham”.

This is a description of Nada Yogaaccording to Yogi Goraknath.

Nada Yoga in IndiaDifferent Nada Yoga schools exist inIndia - for example those which cameinto existence after Maharishi Mehidas,Radha Swami and Kabir.

The initiation into Nada Yoga in Indiais passed on personally as is the casewith the initiation into the use of Mantraand into the great Kriya Yoga. But theNada Yoga Sadhana remains incompleteboth in practice and in theory. HathaYoga, Dhyana Yoga, Raja Yoga andother branches of yoga are morecomplete and are described withaccuracy down to the smallest detail.

But this is not the way with NadaYoga, perhaps because it is taughtdirectly from teacher to student, andnot revealed in writing.

“The mind exists as long as there issound, but with the cessation of sounds,there is the state of being above themind.The sound is absorbed in the Akshara(indestructible), and the soundlessstate is the supreme seat.The mind, which along with Prana hasits Karmic affinities destroyed by theconstant concentration upon Nada, isabsorbed in the unstained One. Thereis no doubt about it.”

(Nada Bindu Upanishad) q

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Håå Course CenterCurrent Courses10 and 14 day courses15 - 25 May 4300/3300 Sw.Cr.Mira & Anandananda25 May - 7 June 4600/3500 Sw.Cr.Gunnar Petersen & Yoga Shakti8 - 21 June 4600/3500 Sw.Cr.Jørgen Hastrup & Joachim Rodenbeck22 June - 5 July 4900/4000 Sw.Cr.Ananda Murti & Robert Nilsson6 - 19 July 4900 Sw.Cr.Franz Jervidalo & Shanti31 Aug. - 13 Sept. 4600/3500 Sw.Cr.Robert Nilsson & Omkarananda9 - 19 October 4300/3300 Sw.Cr.Shanti & Adam Christian Moltke19 Dec. - 1 Jan. '98 4900 Sw.Cr.Swami Janakananda & Karuna2 - 12 Jan. '98 4300/3300 Sw.Cr.Jørgen Hastrup & Mette Kierkgaard

Kriya Yoga Course '9719 July - 17 August 7800 Sw.Cr.Swami Janakananda & others

Three Month Course '9821. jan. - 18. april 18.600 Sw.Cr.Swami Janakananda, Sita and others

For courses with two prices, the secondone is a reduced price for students,unemployed and pensioners.

Get the course brochure for HååCourse Center. It gives a thoroughdescription of the courses and generalconditions.

Will you go deeper? Will you learn more about yoga andmeditation?The courses at Håå Course Center in Southern Sweden are open to anyone whowants to discover the inherent power of tantric yoga and meditation.

On the 10 or 14 day Courses, which take place all summer, in the Autumn,at Christmas and at the New Year, you learn the little Kriya Yoga (Ajapa Japa),other tantric meditations like Antar Mauna (Inner Silence) and different yogamethods. Every autumn and in January, weekend courses are also held.Håå Course Center lies in the middle of the nature of Småland, surrounded bylakes, fields and forest. During the free time the school’s horses, boat, canoesand relaxation tank (“the pyramid”) are at your disposal.

The Three Months Course is a steady journey of discovery into yourpotential - outer and inner. Experience a genuine transformation during thehigh point of the course; a 33 day initiation into the advanced tantric Kriya Yogawith Swami Janakananda. The peace and energy you achieve, helps you to get aperspective of your life and gives you the strength to do what you really want to do.

The teaching is not based on romantic New Age notions but on a thoroughknowledge of the human being. Yoga and meditation, free time and nature providethe frame for your own experiences. q

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almost every day I went fishing down atthe brook in the twilight. At that timethere would be a breathless silence beforethe light disappeared. During thosemoments so close to nature, I heard hightones above me, like fine light voicesbut when I looked up into the eveningsky, there were no angels. For me thesound was just there when I was reallyhaving fun playing.” (Omkarananda)

“A female student on a longer course(in Austria) was very enthusiasticabout Nada Yoga for she had heard themost beautiful music during the NadaYoga meditation - it simply surpassedanything she had heard before. Shewould like to have written it down but,as a dream fades away after some time,so too did the music...

Another woman came to me after aclass on a weekend course ( for advancedstudents - November ‘96 in Hannover)and said that she had been disturbed bythe music that was played somewherein the house during the Nada Yogameditation. It was lovely music that shehad heard - Spanish guitar music - butit had been so intrusive that she had notbeen able to hear any other sounds. Iassured her that there hadn’t been anymusic playing in the vicinity during themeditation - and besides she had hadher fingers in her ears.” (Jørgen Hastrup)

“One morning I was lying on my backpractising Yoga Nidra after a shortprogramme of yoga and breathing

exercises. All of a sudden I experiencedvery pleasant classical music with strings,flutes and harps... The music was as realas in an actual concert. Maybe it wasthe relaxation that allowed me to enjoythe music without wondering where itcame from. But when I realised that themusic was part of my meditation Ibecame so surprised that the musicdisappeared.” (Omkarananda)

Tinnitus, Nada Yoga andHopi Candles“Lizzie has tinnitus (buzzing in the ears).She got it after an accident when she hither head hard. However, she hasalways been sensitive to sounds. Hertinnitus sounds, at best, like the rustlingof leaves in a forest, but it can alsosound like a diesel engine and otherhumming sounds. As the sounds are thereconstantly, they cause her to always haveheadaches. Now, with the use of Hopicandles she experiences a relief. Herheadache goes and although the soundsare there but fainter they don’t disturb.The effect lasts for a couple of days.

I taught Lizzie Nada Yoga. She saysthat she often listens to the tinnitussounds without putting her fingers inher ears. The sounds are transformedand become high frequency and, becauseof that, they don’t bother her. She saysthat when the sounds become higher shebecomes completely relaxed in her body.

For Lizzy, the Nada Yoga sound isquite different from the tinnitussounds.” (Ananda Murti)

“One morning, when I was in thirdgrade, I was very sleepy. The mathsteacher was too speedy and like theother children I didn’t have much interestin being attentive. I put my fingers inmy ears and, to my surprise, I couldhear sounds. It sounded like the chimingof bells, and I wondered where it camefrom. I removed my fingers but I didn’thear any bells in the classroom, onlythe monotonous voice of the teacher. Iplugged my ears again and started toconcentrate on the chiming. I noticedthat the sounds changed and that a highfrequency sound gradually becameclearer. The sound was not unpleasantand it became steadily clearer andlighter.

After a while I removed my fingersfrom my ears again and marvelled thatnow, completely without effort, I couldlisten to and follow what the teacher wasgoing over. I felt clear and alert quite un-like my classmates who sat and slouchedover their books.” (Ananda Murti)

“My mother comes from a Christianbackground in the south of Jutland,but even though as a grown up shewas no longer a Christian, shesometimes used expressions whichstem from the Christian faith.

She worked every day in her kitchengarden and when she came in late inthe afternoon with vegetables for theevening meal she would say, ‘Ah - it’sso lovely outside, it’s as if angels aresinging ...‘

I remember as a 10-year old that

On a Wavelength with OneselfReports on the sound in us - and how we can use it

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Musicians use NadaYoga as a CreativeTool - Conscious orUnconsciousIt is not something new toexperience music in the mind.Several classical composersand modern musicians havedescribed how they haveexperienced music in arelaxed state, after which theyhave been able to write itdown on a sheet of music.

“Previously I spent almost allmy time playing music. I hadan intense practice schedulewhere I was often going forhours on end - so I needed tofind an effective way of havingshort breaks, to ‘wipe the black-board clean’, rest my ears andrediscover spontaneity andconcentration.

I discovered that Nada Yogawas one of the best things Icould use. When I reached apoint in my practice where itfitted in, then I made a hardlittle ‘roll’ with whatever wasat hand - a sweatshirt, a jacket,a scarf or the like - and sat onit on the ground in the NadaYoga meditation pose. (Seethe picture on this page andNada Yoga on page 8.)

After having played music for a longtime, the Nada sound was always strongand easy to hear. A high clear tone,usually, which I listened intensely tountil a finer tone behind it becameaudible. Then I ‘jumped’ on to that andcontinued to listen.

I continued until I reached a point

where I was no longer interrupted bythoughts, states or feelings. That pointwhere I forgot everything else and justheard the sound. Then I stopped. Thewhole thing had only taken a fewminutes; and maybe I had just beenone with the Nada sound for a fractionof a second. But that was enough.

I felt myself to be clear headed,concentrated and relaxed at the sametime and my hearing was once againopen and sharp. And when I continuedto play, then it was music I was playingand not empty technique.

The music was no longer work butfun.” (Adam Christian Moltke) q

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Evenings with song and danceAnanda is a state of joy where youdon’t cling to ideas but just dareto be and experience theunexpected.

(Swami Janakananda)

Ritualistic or spiritual dance andsong are used in many culturesand traditions as a way to well-being and to an open state ofconsciousness.

We introduce kirtan (mantra singing)from India, dikhr from Sufism, songsfrom the North American Indians, fromthe rain forests of Africa and from theMaoris in New Zealand. The dances weuse come mainly from the Sufi tradition.It is a rich tradition of movements,sounds and songs which are used forbalance, communication, confrontationas well as for self-discovery.

Dance is an expression of devotion tothe inner consciousness.

(Swami Satyananda)

Something happens to people when asa group, they use these methods. Itbenefits the individual, the group - andeven the course process. Generally itlightens up the mood, it loosens up, it’sfun, it’s inspiring and everyone can enjoyit. We don’t sing or dance in order toperform or show off, but to be together.

Singing can touch your energy sothat you become conscious of yourfeelings and can channel them - youfeel that something falls into place inyour body and mind.

You can also dance while you singkirtan if you want to - free dance, as wecall it. In the Sufi dance, on the otherhand, you follow a prescribed patternof movements.

When I participated in kirtan and sufias a student on the courses, I opened upin a way I hadn’t experienced earlier.Here is one example:

One evening on the first 14 daycourse I had joined, we sang a Sufi

by Sita

Dancing Olmeks, the most ancient known culture in Mexico. Photo Swami Janakananda © 1980

At Håå Course Center we includesong and dance in our courses once ortwice a week. It is a small but importantpart of the course process.

Our students come from differentbackgrounds and circumstances.Religious, non-religious, musical, non-musical, dance-oriented, non-danceoriented, emotional, non-emotional,devoted, not devoted. Therefore weselect music, songs and dance fromdifferent traditions.

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Have you tried?Do you ever break into song in harmony with the vacuum cleaner, or with a rhythmic machine like a washing machine, afolding machine or a printing machine? I recommend you not to hold back if the urge takes you. It almost happens by itselfthat the tones or sounds from the body spill up and out in harmony with the machine. It is not a song you know beforehand.In these situations you can actually go on a journey of discovery that resembles the one you are on when you take part in akirtan or sufi. This is something indigenous people know about; they often use rhythmic songs when they work.

Or have you tried to do the yoga exercise the Lion 5-10 times in a row (see the book Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in DailyLife, page 60) and then sit upright and still with closed eyes for a little while afterwards.

But remember that it is important that the sound in the Lion is deep and completely relaxed and that you let it come fromthe bottom of the body. To be sure that the sound is right then it’s best to have personal instruction. We teach the Lion on allof our courses. It is effective in connection with Nada Yoga. It helps people who stammer and if you do it regularly youdevelop a full and beautiful voice.

dikhr while we moved in a special wayfor about 20 minutes.

In the middle of the process it was asthough a knot had been loosened in myheart. A feeling I couldn’t connect toanything in particular - an unendingflood of tears. It was like a cleansing.

The next time I was doing this samepractice was as a participant on a threemonths course in Håå. When we satstill afterwards, I experienced for thefirst time in my life, a state ofindescribable joy, ananda.

The yoga, the breathing exercises, thesinging, the dance and the meditationsmade this harmonious experiencepossible. The three months course gaveme more time than the shorter coursesto really get to know the methods andto achieve the balance that is the basisof the experience and the devotion inthe songs and dance.

You haven’t got a goal when you beginto sing; you let go, sing with heart andsoul and whatever happens, happensby itself. The result doesn’t depend onwhether you sing “well” or on themeaning of the words. The sound ofthe mantra or the dikhr has a certain

vibration, the music has a specialrhythm and melody - all of it togetherplays a role.

Afterwards, when the music has stop-ped and everyone sits still in meditation,the vibrations often continue as verydistinct and clear nada sounds (see p. 8).

There are those who put emphasis onthe song’s meaning when they sing -but when it comes to it you transcendthe mind and the meaning of the words.A mantra has actually no meaning butworks through its vibration.

A student on a three months coursesome years ago told me that after twointense days of movement and song inthe middle of the course she wasreleased from a chronic pain which shehad lived with for many years as aresult of a traffic accident.

After her body and mind had beencleansed of inhibitions and tensionsthrough yoga and meditation and thustrained to receive and transform anyexperience that might come, the songand the movement became the triggerthat allowed her to release the pain (orthe attitude that bound the pain).

The further you go back in history themore conscious the human raceappears to have been of the innatepower in vibrations, song, music andsounds. In the ancient cultures of Chinaand India, for example, knowledge ofmusic was an important science. They

Sculpture by Leif Madsen

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knew how sounds and music influencematter, the whole of a person’s beingand the entire society - and also that itis a help on the way to spiritualawakening.

Every blocking, every sickness,physical or mental was seen to be avibratory or musical problem. The sickhad lost their inner harmony and there-fore their contact with the universe.They produced different sounds orplayed music in order to heal and againcome into harmony with the “universalvibration”.

Indigenous people often place moreemphasis on the healing power of songand dance than, for example, on herbalmedicine.

When I began to lead kirtan classes Irealised that the same principle applied

as when you take part as a student.The more you let go, the moresatisfactory the result. But as a teacherone also has to be aware of the group’sgeneral state. First you follow the moodof the group as it is when you start,and then it changes through the music.

When the energy flows freely westop singing and dancing and sit downfor meditation. It sounds maybe as ifyou need to think, make plans or dosomething - but no, not at all. Ithappens by itself.

When we see ourselves in time andspace it is clear that we are separateindividuals. But when we transcendtime and space, then it might berevealed that we in our entirety form acommon stream of life energy.

(Sir James Jeans)

Roop Verma’s musical universe is interesting in many ways and iscertainly worth getting to know. The music on the CD, Chetna (Consciousness) isobviously based on the Indian music tradition (the raga) which he masters withauthority and great musical empathy. He plays on a Sitar, the Indian stringedinstrument which is a further development of the Veena, considered to be one of thefirst stringed instruments in the world. The Indian music tradition today containselements that can be traced back several thousands of years; this says a lot abouthow varied and profound this music is, both on a spiritual and a musical level.

The distinction between Roop Verma’s music and that of traditional Indian musicis heard most clearly on the album’s first track, “Raga Kiran Madhvi”, which lasts40 minutes. As a listener one is taken on an inner journey, guided and composed byRoop Verma. The Raga is made up of three parts: “Alap” which is slow andmeditative, “Jor” which is medium tempo and ends fast, and the last “Jhala” wherethe tabla (Indian drums) are introduced by Subrahash Sarkar. The Jhala starts with a

medium tempo and ends with a fast and intense finale.Roop Verma may not yet be counted as one of this century’s greatest sitar masters, on a level with with Ustad Vilayat

Khan or his master teachers Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, maybe because his goal hasn’t just been to become avirtuoso of his instrument, but mainly because his interest in being a high status performer so far has been superseded byhis interest in Nada yoga and on how music can influence the human psyche.

This gives his music an extra dimension and you a feeling of being in “safe hands”, especially if you seek themeditative in the music. (Mikkel Nordsø, musician and composer) q

Before we begin an evening of kirtanthe room is often full of expectation,shyness, tension, nervousness, and soon, especially if it is the first time forthe group. But little by little, the moodchanges. A feeling of relaxation, well-being and joy takes over. In the end,when we sit and meditate, the mind is atrest, there is unity and peace, the energyflows freely. There is nada sound, thereis clarity, awareness, there is being.

Taking part in kirtan and danceincreases awareness of who you areand, with meditation, it can open thedoor to your innermost identity.

This is fullthat is fullfullness from fullness proceedsfull taken from full, remains full

(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad) q

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Read BinduPrevious issues are still available,with articles on:No. 3: The ability to experience.Headstand. Nose Cleansing...No. 4: Kriya Yoga I. The effect ofyoga on the finer energy. The Sourceof Energy - a Tantric meditation...

No. 5: Kriya Yoga II. Psychic energy. Six years ofscientific research on the 3-Months Courses in Håå, Sweden.“The Pyramid” and Pratyahara.

No. 6: The twilight hour - did we have a living meditationtradition in the North? Invent tomorrow's education, aboutR.Y.E. (Research on Yoga in Education). Shoulderstand...No. 7: Silver Jubilee issue! Read about Kriya Yoga III. Yogafor pregnant women. Savasana.No. 8: Harmony between the experiencer and the experienced.On the Tantric meditation Antar Mauna (Inner Silence), itsancestors and cousins. The Lotus Pose. Intestinal cleansing.No. 9: Instructor or Guide? Yoga for the Back. Experienceand Knowledge - about the yoga teacher education at theScandinavian Yoga and Meditation School. Kabir - fourpoems by India's great poet.

This book offers an alternative to themisconception put forward by many yogabooks, that one must take on a new life-style in order to use yoga and meditation.

Swami Janakananda describes yogafrom within, based on his own experience- from a yogi’s point of view.

As you follow the exercises in thisbook, you will realise that yoga is basedon a profound knowledge of humannature. It is the fruit of a living tradition,

where knowledge is passed directly from teacher to student, from generation to generation. Step by step you are guided through thesubject and in a practical manner you can benefit from the different poses, breathing exercises, meditations and the Tantric sexualyoga. (Rider Books, UK and Weiser, USA). (Yoga, Tantra et Méditation dans la Vie Quotodienne, Editions Satyanandashram, France).

“For a long time I have had a yearning to take up yoga, but have been put off by the narrow scholarly and religious approaches thatoften seemed apparent. Your approach, and the convenient inclusion of tantra and kundalini was so refreshing, and just what I hadbeen looking for. I could thoroughly identify with everything you said; not only that, but I felt that the way in which youcommunicated your knowledge and beliefs was perfect.” (V. Williamsson, London, UK.)

Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily LifeSwami Janakananda’s book in a revised and extended edition

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Publisher: Bindu,Håa Course Center, 340 13 Hamneda, Sweden.Circulation: 4,000 in English (Also printed inGerman, Swedish and Danish)Printed: Håå Course Center, by ErlingChristiansen & Mark RichardsLayout: Robert Nilsson & Swami Janakananda.Translation: Dani Dreyer & Robyn Taylor.Pictures: Front page: Omkarananda; back page:J.C. Stuten; p.2 �Jagannath�, painting on the wallin a barbershop in Bhubaneswar, SwamiJanakananda; p.4, 22, 23, 25 Omkarananda; p.6,7J.C. Stuten; p.9 �Everglades, Florida� dr. ThomasSchmidt; p.12 Sarat Chandra, Calcutta; p.26Swami Janakananda; p.27 Leif Madsen.Copyright © 1997 Bindu and Scandinavian Yogaand Meditation School. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced inany form without written permission from thepublishers.

l SwedenVästmannagatan 62, 113 25 Stockholmtel. +46 8 321218, fax. +46 8 314406

l DenmarkKøbmagergade 65, 1150 Copenhagentel. +45 3314 1140, fax. +45 3314 1434email: [email protected] 45, 8000 Århustel. +45 8619 4033, fax. +45 8619 4013Kongensgade 12 B, 3000 Elsinoretel. +45 4921 2068

lllll FinlandSukula, 30100 Forssa, Helsinkitel. +358 16 4350499

lllll GermanyEgestorffstrasse 3, 30449 Hannovertel. +49 511 454163 fax. +49 511 447281email: [email protected]

l NorwayGeorgernes Verft 3, 5011 Bergentel. +47 5614 3310 fax. +47 5614 9738email: [email protected] 6, 1300 Sandvika, Oslotel. +47 6756 9555 fax. +47 6756 9535email: [email protected]

lllll Internetwww.scand-yoga.org

Håå Course Center, 340 13 Hamneda, Sweden. Tel. +46 372 55063.Fax. +46 372 55036. Email: [email protected]

SubscriptionYou are welcome to support us, sowe can continue to publish Bindu.Pay 45 Sw.Cr. for one issue or 80Sw.Cr. for 2 issues + 40 Sw.Cr. post-age (payment, see below). Furthercontributions are also welcome.

Yoga shopThe book: Yoga, Tantra andMeditation in Daily Life175 Sw.Cr. + 55 Sw.Cr. postage.Also available in other languages.New French translation of the book!See also page 29.The CD: Experience Yoga Nidra165 Sw.Cr. + 30 Sw.Cr. postage.The tape: Experience Yoga Nidra120 Sw.Cr. + 30 Sw.Cr. postage.Hopi Ear Candles: made of 100%beeswax and cotton; cleanses the ears.See also page 24 in the magazine.35 Sw.Cr. + 30 Sw.Cr. postage.

Nose cleansing potwith instruction brochure:Joghus, (short spout) blue, red, yellow,green or black.165 Sw.Cr.+ 55 Sw.Cr. postage.Krutis, (long spout) blue, sand, whiteor green, 195 Sw.Cr. + 105 Sw.Cr.postage.The periodical: Bindu, no. 3-9,25 Sw.Cr. each + 20 Sw.Cr.postage. See also page 29.The brochure (free):about the retreats at HååInternational Course Center. (Seepage 23).

We can only accept payment in Swedish Crowns by Eurocheque, international money order or to our postal giro account73 86 03 - 0 in Sweden. No personal cheques please, as they are too expensive to cash.Please send money and order to: Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School, Håå Course Center, 340 13 Hamneda, Sweden.

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ExperienceYoga Nidra

Inspiration for a richer life

withSWAMI JANAKANANDA

1. The Wholeness of Your Nature, therelaxation Yoga Nidra to the sounds ofMother Earth. Composed and guidedby Swami Janakananda. 20.41

2. Travel through the Space ofExperience, a piece of music,composed and played on a Swara-Mandala harp by Roop Verma. 7.44

3. Discover Your Self, the deep YogaNidra. The relaxation is guided bySwami Janakananda, to the music ofRoop Verma. 45.16

With the CD there is a 20-page bookletabout Yoga Nidra, and how to get thefull benefits from the two relaxations.

Now on CD!

“Relaxation is a state. It is best achieved through a technique that triggers it. The blood pressureis normalised, the immune system is strengthened and the brain relaxes and cooperates better. Allthe organs and senses of the body are rested in a way that sleep seldom provides. Thus the sensesare sharpened and you feel invigorated afterwards.

The more familiar you become with Yoga Nidra, the easier it is to glide into the relaxed state.And as you come to know harmony, you are soon able to recall it instantly - in the middle of theactivities of your day.

What makes Yoga Nidra so special is that it touches all parts of your being through thedifferent methods it contains. After having made the body and mind thoroughly aware andrelaxed, I use, among other things, the mantras (spoken sounds) and the visual symbols of thechakras - to awaken and harmonise these energy whirls or fields of consciousness.

On this CD Roop Verma, as the first musician, has been inspired to record the ancient musicsymbols of the chakras, which you experience with my text and guidance during the deep YogaNidra.” (Swami Janakananda)

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