AYP Lesson 377 - Inner Sound During Meditation

Advanced Yoga Practices
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Note: For the Original Internet Lessons with additions, see the AYP Easy Lessons Books. For the Expanded and Interactive Internet Lessons, AYP Online Books, Audiobooks and more, see AYP Plus.

Lesson 377 - Inner Sound During Meditation (Audio)

AYP Plus Additions:
377.1 - Deep Meditation as Cause of Nada (Divine Sound)  (Audio)
377.2 - Inner Hum - Is it OM or Tinnitus?  (Audio)
377.3 - Tinnitus and Self-Pacing of Practices  (Audio)

From: Yogani
Date: January 12, 2010

New Visitors: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"

Q: Just wondering, do you have any thoughts on nada yoga (yoga of sound)? I'm finding the sound current is appearing in meditation, particularly in the head and heart, and that focusing on this will make it louder or more intense. I feel its an important part of my path, as being an intense musician in my teenage years was what helped me open to a lot of the original ecstatic energy I first experienced. It's the vibration, but also because playing jazz and improvising, you have to continually draw the attention to the present moment. I would love to go deeper into the nada brahma (sound of God).

A: Many practitioners have experienced inner sounds during meditation and at other times. If you want to explore doing a practice with it, that is your choice. I'd suggest not doing it during your regular meditation with mantra, as you will be replacing the practice that is bringing the experience with the experience itself. It is purification and opening that brings such experiences, and as you know, we always easily favor the mantra over experiences that come up during meditation when we realize we have gone off. This is what produces the results.

Nada meditation is a common practice in some of the traditions, particularly for the OM vibration. This may be used in some traditions as the primary form of meditation instead of mantra meditation.

We do not use nada meditation as primary practice in AYP, mainly because it is not consistent, usually not in an individual practitioner, and never across a wide range of practitioners. Sometimes nada (sound/OM) is there, and sometimes it isn't. So much of a nada yoga practice can be spent waiting for something to occur. The results of this are well-evident in the traditions that rely on nada for primary meditation. On the other hand, with systematic mantra meditation, we know we will be going inward with every sitting, and, in time, inner silence will be with us all the time. And so will the wide range of experiences that come with that, including inner sounds.

This isn't to say you could not use nada as an add-on. If your heart is in it, and the vibration is there, enjoy it, preferably not at the expense of deep meditation or other AYP practices you are doing. A measured approach is suggested to avoid overdoing with nada, particularly if nada leads you toward the crown. If you begin to get over-done, make sure to self-pace. I am sure you know the procedure by now.

There is also the external aspect of nada yoga, which can be engaged in by listening to music of our choice, kirtans, chanting, etc. We may be inclined to participate directly in such activities. Wonderful! The main thing is to keep a balance between the advanced yoga practices we know bring about our inner awakening, and our engagement in the experiential benefits of inner and outer nada.

Practice wisely, and enjoy!

The guru is in you.