Music of the Spheres

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Music of the Spheres
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What is Music?

• The word Music derives from Greek mousike-
  art of the Muses (female dancing divinities).
  It is an art form whose medium is sound and
  silence. The music of the Greeks did not signify
  merely the harmony of sounds, but actually
  embodied the idea of inner harmony of the spirit,
  the becoming at one with the spirit of the Muses,
  so that the soul responded in harmonic rhythm to
  the beat of universal harmony.
• The Muses danced in a sacred grove in bright
  places adorned with works of art. The Muses and
  Graces, who are also goddesses, unite in dance
  under the direction of Apollo. The seeker climbed
  Mount Helicon from a dark valley towards the
  light where the Muses were dancing. He ascended
  from confusion in the valley and drew towards the
  light and clarity of divine "One." As the climber
  reached great heights he could see breathtaking
  vistas and hear the choral music of the Muses.
  Enchanted by the divine music, he joined the
  dance. The poet or the musician who danced with
  the Muses descended the mountain inspired by the
  laws of beauty, harmony and grace.
• Music is a striving for harmony in life combined
  with aesthetic, in contrast with intellectual and
  physical branches of study. While we have the
  power to be enraptured by harmony and melody, we
  can also learn how these are related to numbers,
  ratios, vibrations, and all the physical facts
  studied in acoustics and the laws of modern
  musical harmony . Harmony and rhythm underlie the
  cosmos, as is expressed in the phrase, the music
  of the spheres and number and proportion
  underlie the whole process of evolution.
• The border between music and noise can only be
  culturally determined.

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What is Music?

• Apollo, uniting the attributes of the sun,
  bears in his hand a heptachord or seven-stringed
  lyre (corresponding to septenates). From it, God
  evoked the harmony that governs the worlds in
  their motions. One of its correspondences is the
  seven sacred planets, Apollo being the sun.
• Music is represented as having been taught to
  man by Apollo, Isis-Osiris, Thoth, Edris (in the
  Koran), Confucius etc. Music was represented as
  one of four divisions of mathematics, the others
  being arithmetic, astronomy and geometry.
• Music is a striving for harmony in life combined
  with aesthetic, in contrast with intellectual and
  physical branches of study. While we have the
  power to be enraptured by harmony and melody, we
  can also learn how these are related to numbers,
  ratios, vibrations, and all the physical facts
  studied in acoustics and the laws of modern
  musical harmony . Harmony and rhythm underlie the
  cosmos, as is expressed in the phrase, Music of
  the Spheres and number and proportion underlie
  the whole process of evolution.

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Elements of Music

• The common elements of music are pitch (which
  governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its
  associated concepts- tempo, meter and
  articulation), dynamics and the sonic qualities
  (timbre and texture).
• A music genre is a conventional category that
  identifies pieces of music as belonging to a
  shared tradition or a set of conventions. Among
  the criteria often used to classify musical
  genres are the trichotomy of- art, popular and
  traditional, time period, regional and national
  origins, technique and instrumentation, fusional
  origins and social function.
• Music reflects the harmonies and the moral order
  of the universe and therefore, has a divine
  origin. It can embody objective realities and
  manifest intrinsic values and is not just about
  subjective personal taste or the passing fads of
  a culture. Music formulated according a higher
  order suggests to the listener that the heavens,
  the earth and nature embody orderly forms, and
  manifest a divine beauty and harmony which
  reflects the Creator.
• The border between music and noise can only be
  culturally determined.

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How Music affects us

• Music is said to have the ability to affect our
  emotions, intellect, and psychology it can
  assuage our loneliness or incite our passions.
  Plato suggests in the Republic  that music has
  a direct effect on the soul. Likewise, the great
  musicians are also known to have been mystics.
• Music arouses in us a power which needs to be
  controlled, as it can carry us to heights from
  which we may fall. If regarded as a sensual
  indulgence, its true import is not realized. If
  carried into our lives, so as to aid in
  harmonizing our relationships to others, then it
  is the unfolding influence of the real music of
  cosmic harmony, for music is "the most divine and
  spiritual of arts.
• Moderate noise levels increase processing
  difficulty, which promotes abstract processing,
  leading to higher creativity. Not only can we
  push thru pain to exercise longer and harder when
  we listen to music, but it can actually help us
  to use our energy more efficiently. Children with
  3 years or more musical instrument training,
  performed better in auditory discrimination
  abilities, fine motor skills, vocabulary and
  nonverbal reasoning skills.

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Music affects many different areas of the brain
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Music through the Ages

• The flutes of Krishna Rumi are well-known.
  Dante heard Music of the Spheres as he ascended
  thru 9 concentric crystalline spheres of heaven.
  
• Pythagoras discovered that exact ratios of
  vibrating string produce harmonies. He concluded
  that music is the ordering principle of the
  world. Aristotle theorized that the planets and
  stars are set upon concentric crystalline spheres
  which rotate around the earth. He said that the
  heavenly spheres are arranged in harmonic ratios.
  Each sphere produces a musical tone, and the
  revolution of the various spheres in concert
  produces harmonies and melodies. The Music of
  the Spheres vibrates through the world and we
  can participate in the harmony of the universe
  through it.
• After Copernicus discovered that earth revolved
  around sun, Music of the Spheres ended up
  becoming a metaphor. During Renaissance, artists,
  poets and musicians would climb mountains
  believing in the spheres and muses as higher
  metaphysical states of being, if not as real
  entities. One of Hesiod became God and Logos
  of Pythagoras became Christ.

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Music through the Ages

• The influence of intense rationalism in
  philosophy led to the development of the
  techniques of harmony, which were mastered in the
  era of Bach and Handel. Mozart struck a balance
  between melody and harmony. Beethovens melodies
  often soared with such sublimity or struck with
  lightning flashes of passion that melody
  dominated harmony.
• Haydn spanned from the late Baroque to the early
  Romantic eras of music composition. Beethoven
  wrote many purely classical pieces, but his
  melodies often soared with such sublimity or
  struck with lightning flashes of such passion
  that the melody dominated the harmony in a new
  way.
• For 2,500 years music in the west had a shared
  concept of reality. But by early 20th cent.,
  music had begun to collapse into nihilism and
  lose its tonality. It was re-conceptualized so
  completely that it could no longer be even called
  music, i.e. with melody, harmony and rhythm.
  Without a Music of the Spheres' to approximate,
  modern music, like the other arts, had begun to
  unravel.

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Part 1 Outer Music
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Outer Music

• Devotional music and poetry is an outpouring of
  the soul. Samaveda is the earliest known
  musical work. Psalms of the Bible are considered
  its counterpart. Use of intoned chants of
  mantras is also popular among several Hindu,
  Buddhist (e.g. Tibetian) Christian (e.g.
  Gregorian) orders.
• Instruments such as Ghunghru, Bell, Gong, horned
  Narsinga or Shofar, Conch, Flute, Algoza, Been,
  Kingri, Singi, Tabla, Mridang, Rabab, Daf, Nagara
  are all considered sacred sounds. Japanese
  Buddhist drums, Sufi Qawwalis and the music of
  the Dancing Darveshes are well-known.
• Music therapy is an interpersonal process in
  which the therapist uses music and all of its
  facets- physical, emotional, mental, social,
  aesthetic and spiritual- to help clients to
  improve or maintain their health.
• Music is today considered a common means of
  entertainment and relaxation. No human
  celebration is ever considered complete without
  music. Crafting musical instruments has been a
  specialized craft synthetic instruments
  equipment to record and deliver music are high
  technology.

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Devotional Music

• Every religious service is based on ritual
  practices that occur in a specific order. Music
  is often played as a marker indicating shifts in
  and between phases of a religious service.
• Most religious services are conducted in group
  settings. Group singing connects people within a
  congregation, establishing a sense of unity in
  their worship and invoking an emotional bond with
  the group and with God.
• In several religions such as Sikhism, Judaism
  and Islam, singing and chanting scriptural words
  in the original language aloud is considered the
  devotees highest prayer and offering.
• Intoning certain mantras and chants are integral
  to some of the Hindu and Buddhist rituals. These
  are aimed at invoking the presence of a specific
  deity, oftentimes for achieving a specific goal.
  Practitioners of Black Magic have their own
  mantras as well and use them for destructive
  purposes.
• Devotional music may be used prior to
  meditation, in order to turn ones mind away from
  outer world and a awaken spiritual longing.

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Types of Music

• Various elements in music include pitch, beat,
  rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, allocation of
  voices, timbre or color, expressive qualities,
  form and structure. It can be Vocal or purely
  Instrumental (string, percussion or wind).
• Classical music- Hindustani Carnatic in India
  and Western music such as Baroque, Classical,
  Romantic, symphonies, concertos and solo works is
  played in concert halls or as accompaniment to
  classical dance (e.g. Waltz) and theatre. The
  semi-classical music in India is largely
  devotional (Bhajans). Then, there is the highly
  popular music- Indian Bollywood music, and in
  the west, Rock music- such as jazz, blues, soul
  and country, performed in bars and nightclubs,
  where the audience may freely express themselves.
  
• Music can also be divided in accordance with the
  qualities or Gunas- Sato, Rajo Tamo. In
  general, largely Tamo-gunic music such as the
  beat-intensive Rock (derived from the Voodoo
  tradition, brought by the African slaves to
  America) and dance traditions such as the largely
  expressive Hip-hop appear to predominate todays
  audience preferences.

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• Blues fans have high self-esteem, are creative,
  outgoing, gentle and at ease.
• Jazz fans have high self-esteem, are creative,
  outgoing and at ease.
• Classical music fans have high self-esteem, are
  creative, introvert and at ease.
• Rap fans have high self-esteem and are outgoing.
• Opera fans have high self-esteem, are creative
  and gentle.
• Country and western fans are hardworking and
  outgoing.
• Reggae fans have high self-esteem, are creative,
  not hardworking, outgoing, gentle and at ease.
• Dance fans are creative and outgoing but not
  gentle.

Correspondence of Music Genres to Personality

• Indie fans have low self-esteem, are creative,
  not hard working, and not gentle.
• Bollywood fans are creative and outgoing.
• Rock/heavy metal fans have low self-esteem, are
  creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle,
  and at ease.
• Chart pop fans have high self-esteem, are
  hardworking, outgoing and gentle, but are not
  creative and not at ease.
• Soul fans have high self-esteem, are creative,
  outgoing, gentle, and at ease.

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Indian Music

• With origins in the Vedas (Sama-veda) Indian
  music forms one of worlds oldest unbroken
  musical traditions. Bharats Natya-shastra laid
  down principles of music, dance and drama.
• Raga (melody) Tala (rhythm), besides Shruti,
  Swara Alankar comprise its basic pillars. Sitar
  and Tabla are two of its best-known musical
  instruments.
• Besides the classical Hindustani Carnatic
  music, is Thumri Dadra, and also, Rabindra
  Sangeet of Bengal. Bhangra of Punjab is a lively
  dance-music form. Ghazal and Qawwali are of
  Sufi/Persian origin. A strong folk music
  tradition also exists. Recent Indipop, Indirock,
  Indojazz and the like are of western origin.

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Composition of Music

• A scale in Western music consists of l2 steps in
  an octave. These 12 steps are comprised of whole
  and half-steps. In Arabia, a scale has 17 steps
  in an octave, and the Indian scale consists of 22
  steps. The reason that the Arabic and Indian
  scale have so many notes is because their scales
  are made up of microtones or intervals smaller
  than a half step.
• Indian classical music is always set in a raga.
  Gurbani compositions are also set to ragas. A
  raga uses a series of five or more musical
  notes upon which a melody is constructed. Each
  raga is associated with different times of the
  day, with seasons or with mood. There are over
  250 ragas, of which 20 are the main ones.

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Music of the Spheres

• In ancient times, music was represented as one
  of four divisions of mathematics including
  arithmetic, astronomy and geometry. Musical
  harmony and melody can also be related to
  numbers, ratios and vibrations.
• Music reflects the harmonies and the moral order
  of the universe and therefore, is said to have a
  divine origin. It is a striving for harmony in
  life combined with aesthetics. Music formulated
  according a higher order suggests that the
  heavens, the earth and nature embody orderly
  forms, and manifest a divine beauty and harmony,
  which reflects the Creator.
• The music of the Greeks and ancients related to
  the inner harmony of the spirit so that the soul
  could respond in harmonic rhythm to the beat of
  universal harmony.
• Music of the Spheres refers to the harmony and
  rhythm underlying the Cosmos. The heavenly
  spheres arranged around earth in concentric
  spheres in harmonic ratios, produced a musical
  tone, and the revolution of the spheres in
  concert produced harmonies and melodies.

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The Septenates The Divine in Nature

• Pythagoras discovered that exact ratios of
  vibrating strings produce harmonies. Since music
  is based upon ratios of numbers, it must also be
  the ordering principle of the world. The Greek
  word for ratio is logos, which also means
  reason and word. Music is said to reflect the
  harmonies existing in the universe, and assists
  human reason in discerning those harmonies.
• The sacred number 7 is characteristic of
  divisions of the octave. Some of its
  correspondences are Sapta-rishis or 7 sacred
  planets, Apollo, the 8th being the sun. Apollo
  bears in his hand a seven-stringed lyre,
  representing his 7 rays flowing forth in 7 logoic
  powers (corresponding to 7 musical tones, 7
  prismatic colors, 7 human or cosmic principles
  etc.). From it, he evoked the harmony that
  governs the worlds in their motions.
• Golden Section Fibonaci Series are
  underpinning principles in all music. Harmonic
  geometry, transcendence in brain waves, heart
  resonance Earths EM resonance- all fall within
  a frequency bandwidth of 1-30 Hz. Thru
  meditation, one can come into correspondence with
  the Cosmos!

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Musical Note
B
A
G
F
E
D
C
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• Corresponding to the 5 platonic solids, there
  are 5 basic elements of life earth, water, fire,
  air ether. A work-in-progress, man is
  presently a 5-elemented creature.
• Each chakra possesses its distinguishing Beej
  Akshar- root sound, which can be heard. The Human
  body resonates at around 7Hz. during meditation.
• Each planet has its own Schumann Harmonic
  Resonance Frequency of its electrostatic field.
  For Earth, this is 7.0 - 8.5 Hz.
• Quantum Physics researchers have recently
  concluded that, based upon measurements of cosmic
  waves left over from the so-called Big Bang,
  that the universe itself is a Dodecahedron!

Chakra Geometry Schuman Sequence
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Human-body a musical instrument
The 24 frets of the instrument, Veena are
analogous to the 24 cartilages of the human
spinal cord.
Seed-sounds of various chakras
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• Mathematicians since Euclid have studied
  properties of the golden ratio, including its
  appearance in the dimensions of a Regular
  Penta-gon and in a Golden Rectangle.
• Several artists architects have proportioned
  their works to approximate the Golden
  Ratio-especially in the form of the Golden
  Rectangle, in which the ratio of the longer side
  to the shorter is the Golden Ratio- taking this
  proportion to be pleasing aesthetically.
• Musicians have used this ratio as well.
  Intervals comprising chords of music follow
  Fibonaci mathematical sequence accurately.
• Golden Ratio is said to be found in DNA, animal
  skeletons, branches and leaves of plants and
  crystals also.

Golden Ratio f Fibonaci Sequence
A Golden Rectangle with longer side a and shorter
side b, when placed adjacent to a square with
sides of length a, will produce a similar Golden
Rectangle with longer side a b and shorter
side a.
Note A A D F E C E C F C D F
Inter-val Root Oct-ave 4th Aug. 5th 5th Minor 3rd 5th 3rd 6th 3rd 4th Aug. 4th
Fibo-nacci Ratio 1/1 2/1 2/3 2/5 3/2 3/5 3/8 5/2 5/3 5/8 8/3 8/5
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• It can be shown that the entire human race is
  joined in these same basic sacred proportions.
  For the physical body, with the arms and legs
  spread, is overlaid by a pentagram, with the
  fifth point being at the top of the head and the
  reproductive organs at the exact center.
• And each of these points also relates to the
  number five five fingers at the terminus of each
  arm, five toes on each leg, and five openings on
  the face. Additionally, we each possess five
  senses of physical perception.
• Golden Mean proportions of the cosmos and our
  body-temples are closely aligned with the harmony
  of the beautiful fifth interval in music.

Golden Mean
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• Ancient Greek geometers knew that the number of
  solids that can be constructed from regular
  geometric figures is limited to five. They are
  known as the 'perfect', 'Pythagorean' or
  'Platonic' solids.
• Kepler speculated that one of the five solids
  could be inserted between each concentric
  planetary sphere. This seemed to explain why
  there were just six planets (Mercury, Venus,
  Earth, Mars, Jupiter Saturn) with five
  intervals separating them.
• Kepler found that angular velocities of all
  planets corresponded with musical intervals.
  Later, the same was found true for Uranus,
  Neptune and Pluto as well!
• Fludd visualized celestial scales spanning 3
  octaves linking elemental worlds to angelic
  choirs.

Platonic Solids
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Composition of Music

• An interval (e.g. M3) is the ratio between two
  sonic frequencies. In Western music, intervals
  are most commonly differences between notes of a
  diatonic scale.
• The perfect fifth (P5) is more consonant or
  stable, than any other interval except the unison
  and the octave. The justly intoned pitch
  ratio of a perfect fifth is 32, meaning that the
  upper note makes three vibrations in the same
  amount of time that the lower note makes two.
• Circle of Fifths A full chromatic scale can be
  created by using just the perfect fourth and
  fifth musical intervals. This is characteristic
  of the Pythagorean temperament- musical
  progression parallels Fibonaci sequence.

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Part 2 Inner Music
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  At the ambrosial hour of the early dawn, be
you in communion with the Divine Word and
meditate on His Glory. (Guru Nanak)   The sweet
melody of the Music of the Spheres is endlessly
playing within us. (Baba Sawan Singh)   The
Music of the Spheres is so intense and swift that
It pulls me up in an instant. (Plato)   Music
without words means leaving behind the mind. And
leaving behind the mind is meditation. Meditation
returns you to the Source. And the Source of all
is Sound. (Kabir)   A Sound is coming from the
eternal abode to call you back. (Tulsi Sahib)
The Sound of Music
All the seven regions are resounding with this
Sound. But the worldly-minded do not hear It, for
the Sound is subtle. (Hafiz)   All space is
filled with the Abstract Sound. The vibrations of
this Sound are too fine to be either audible or
visible to the material ears or eyes, since it is
even difficult for the eyes to see the form and
color of the ethereal vibrations on the external
plane. The knower of the mystery of the Sound
knows the mystery of the whole Universe. (Hazrat
Inayat Khan)
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• All Houses of Worship- whether a temple, mosque,
  church, gurudwara, synagogue or other, made of
  brick and mortar, are but models of the True
  Temple of the Divine- the human body, made by
  Divine hands.
• It is within this that Sound Light of God is
  to be found. Outer sounds based on the 5 elements
  are called Bikh Baini- poison sounds.

Houses of Worship
At their sanctum sentorum, representing the Third
or Single eye, is represented Naam or Light
(e.g. wicker lamps, candles, torches) Sound
(e.g. bell, conch, devotional or scriptural
music, call of the muezzin).
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The Process of Creation

• The Supreme Lord is unmanifest, beyond any
  description and is the Ocean of Love. When He
  decides to become many from one, Saar Shabd
  issues from His Being at Muqam-e-Hairat and
  creates Sach Khand- eternal region of Truth or
  Pure Spirit (spiritual region). Here, He is
  present as Sat Purush- God, the Father, Supreme
  Creator Ekankar- the One manifest.
• Then, Sat Shabd issues and creates Paar-Brahm.
  From here, Sunn Shabd issues to create Brahmand
  (causal) then Onkar Shabd creates And
  (astral) finally, Onkar Shabd with Anhad Shabd
  creates Pind (physical).
• Naam comprises Shruti- Sound Jyoti- Light,
  attributes of manifested Spirit. Below Sach
  Khand, Sound-Light create the duality of
  Mind-Matter, Time-Space etc. Paar-Brahm
  Brahmand are perishable creations of the
  Spirit-Mind-Matter trinity. Here, Jivatma- soul-
  itself an essence of Oversoul or God- is
  progressively covered by Koshas- coverings of
  increasing density, until its pristine light of
  16 suns is altogether obliterated. The koshas are
  powered by a subsidiary product of Naam- Prana,
  cyclical (dual) in nature.

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• Closely resembling the Supreme creational sound,
  Ekankar, the sound of Onkar or Pranava
  (variously called Amen, Ameen, Omega and so on)
  frequently occurs in the scriptures.
• Onkar or Brahm is Universal Mind or Sun (Kaal-
  time), manifest deity of Brahmand (causal plane,
  El Dorado) that created And- astral and Pind-
  physical worlds. He is the creator of Vedas and
  supreme deity in several of religions.
• Triplistic states (A-U-M) and Gunas- qualities
  (Sato-Rajo-Tamo) are created in Brahmand.
• Brahmand however, constitutes only the second of
  the five stages of rest en route the Divine Home.

Ekankar Onkar or Pranava
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• Ta??ava N?tya is a divine dance performed by god
  Shankar (Mahadev). It is a vigorous dance that is
  the source of the cycle of creation, preservation
  and dissolution. While the Rudra Tandava depicts
  his violent nature, first as creator (in Big
  Bang) and later, as destroyer of the universe,
  even of death itself Ananda Tandava depicts him
  as enjoying. Shankar as Nataraja or Natesha is
  considered the supreme lord of dance.
• It symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and
  destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth
  and death. The dance is an allegory of the 5
  principal manifestations of eternal energy Y
  Srishti- creation, evolution, Y Sthiti-
  preservation, support Y Samhara- destruction,
  evolution, Y Tirobhava-illusion, and Y Anugraha-
  release, emancipation, grace.

Tandava Nrtya
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Mantra Yoga

• Mantras are sacred, potent words. Chanted with
  concentration and devotion, they are extremely
  beneficial at physical, mental spiritual
  levels.
• Repetition of mantras is called Japa. Chanting
  of mantras generate potent divine vibrations.
• Every mantra is a symbol of the a deity. By its
  constant repetition, aspirant absorbs the power
  of the presiding deity in the mantra.
• Mantras are signposts to the wandering mind,
  steering it to an ambient poise for meditation.
  Repetition of mantras completely engages the
  mind, offering a means of getting closer to the
  divinity within. Chanting of mantras produces
  positive vibrations, bringing benefits to the one
  who chants, as well as the one who listens.
• Yajnavalkya says that a whispered mantra is a
  thousand times more beneficial than a spoken one
  a mental mantra is a thousand times more
  beneficial than a whispered one and meditating
  on a mantra is a thousand times more beneficial
  than its silent recitation.
•  

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Creation of Sound

• When Lord Brahma appeared from Vishnus lotus,
  he was perplexed about his origin and destiny,
  but suddenly he heard two syllables tapa. Thus
  initiated by Vishnu, Brahma underwent severe
  austerities and was rewarded with Vedic wisdom
  for his great task of secondary creation. The
  first living entity that appeared from Lord
  Brahma was Pranava, the transcendental sound
  Omkara. From Aum came all the sounds of the
  alphabet.
• According to traditional phonetics (Shikshaa),
  the self (Atma) formulates intentions by means of
  intelligence (Buddhi) and inspires the mind
  (Manas) to speak. The mind impulses the body fire
  (Kayagni) it in turn sets in motion breath
  (Maruta) that moving in the chest, generates a
  humming sound (Mandra) that again rising to the
  palate and crown of the head, and rebounding
  thence, passes to the mouth and produces
  articulate sounds like vowels and consonants.
• As sound is of the nature of the Varnas
  (syllables) composing it, in tantra, the creative
  force of the universe resides in all the letters
  of the alphabet. The different letters symbolize
  the different functions of that creative force,
  and their totality is designated as Matrika or
  the "mother in essence". Aksharas are traced back
  to their material source level which is a
  particular deity of Shakti. Each of her stages of
  manifestation is a phase in the evolution of the
  universe. Thus the Aksharas are potent sound,
  constitutionally connected to objects as sound
  (Shabda) and its meaning (Artha).

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Nada Yoga

• The entire cosmos fundamentally consists of
  Sound vibrations. While the external Ahata- sound
  struck thru the medium of the 5 elements, is
  heard by the sensory organ of ears, internal
  sound, which is Anahata- unstruck as well as
  Anahada- continuous, can be heard thru Anahata
  chakra (heart).
• The universe originates from Nada- Sound. The
  Viparita Maithuna- reversed coition of Shakti and
  Shiva deposits the Bindu- seed in Prakriti-
  nature, resulting in the birth of goddess
  Kundali.
• Nada- sound and Bindu- void or light emanate
  from Para-Shakti- holy Spirit. Para-Shiva
  Para-Shakti are Nishabda- soundless and
  Nihshpanda- motionless. When there is Sphota-
  explosion in the Bindu, the sound produced is
  called Shabda-Brahman- sound consciousness.
• Nada is flow, Nadi the channel. Prana flowing in
  Nadis creates a variety of sounds at different
  levels of grossness in the various planes of
  creation. Arrived at thru meditation, Aum
  corresponds to C sharp in the small octave of our
  tuning system (136 Hz.) and to the 32nd Octave of
  the Earth year.

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Nada Brahman

• Brahman- supreme consciousness (Pranava), the
  static Word, becomes dynamic forms of Vak-
  Word transcendental, intellectual, mental,
  physical.
• 1. In Muladhara 4 petal chakra, Prana,
  originating in the Purusha, is the unmanifest
  Karana Bindu- causal source in Kundalini, with
  the 3 Gunas in equilibrium. It becomes static
  Shabda-Brahman. That sound is called Para-Vaak-
  sound of the beyond, the incubating womb of all
  creativity.
• 2. When this stirless sound unites with the mind
  Rajo, Sphota- explosion in Prakriti, it creates
  the Tri-Bindu Karya-Bindu, Naada Bija,
  exhibiting vibration and motion, and manifests as
  Pashyanti- visual sound or Bindu- Light in
  Manipura- navel chakra 10. It contains Iccha
  shakti- Will power.
• 3. The Shabda-Brahman acquires Indriyas-
  faculties Sato at Anahata- heart 12 chakra,
  and is now called Madhyama- middle stage or
  Dhwani- sound. 10 Anahata sounds are chini,
  chini-chini, bell, conch, lute, cymbals, flute,
  drum, mridanga- double-drum thunder perceived
  during meditation. It contains Jnana shakti-
  power of Knowledge.
• 4. Vaikhari- audible speech Tamo is when
  Shabda-Brahman ascends to the voice box in
  Vishuddhi 16 chakra, becoming Nada or Vak-
  intelligible and manifests as articulate speech.
  Kundalini is represented as a serpent along the
  spine, with each coil representing a Sanskrit
  alphabet. It contains Kriya shakti- Power of
  action.

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Sound, Speech Letters
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Shabd or Word

• It is through Shabd that all creation comes
  into manifestation. Scriptures describe the
  Word variously, for example
• Music of the Spheres by Pythagoras
• Naad, Akash Vani, Shruti in the Vedas
• Pranava Udgit in the Upanishads
• Logos (Heraclitus) Nous- Prana (Anaxagorus)
  by ancient Greeks
• Word Holy Spirit in the New Testament of the
  Bible
• Tao in Taoism (Lao Tze)
• Sraosha, Creative Verbum Ahuna Vairya in
  Zoroastrianism
• Sonorous Light Intrinsic Hearing in Buddhism
• Voice of the Silence by Theosophists (Blavatsky)
• Kalma, Kalam-e-Qadim, Kun Amra in the Quran
• Baang-e-Aasmani, Sultan-ul-Azkar
  Saut-e-Sarmadiby the Sufis
• Naam, Akhand Kirtan Sacchi Bani in Adi Granth
• Verbum in Latin Memra in Hebrew.

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The Sound Principle

• Sound Principle is considered the Jauhar-
  essense of the one life in all things. Sufis call
  music Giza-e-Rooh- food for the soul.
• Creational sound passing through inner regions
  of varying density, acquires different
  properties. The sound at each plane can be
  approximated by sounds of musical instruments and
  natural phenomena e.g., the sound of Dholak or
  Drums resembles the inner thunder and lightning.
  Inner sound is by far more bewitching than any
  outer music.
• While Naam is contacted at the Third eye,
  true Sound is only to be heard beyond Mansarovar
  in Paar-Brahm, beyond the trinity of Ida, Pingla
  Sushumna. Here, it produces a strong upward tug
  upon the soul.
• The practice of connecting with and listening to
  Divine Music is the only means for the soul to
  return to the Oversoul or God. In the process,
  the mind is brought under control and the 5-fold
  vices of lust, anger, greed, attachment ego are
  curbed. Detachment with the outer world,
  happiness, bliss and peace are its end-result.

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Surat-Shabd Yoga

• Having endured the bondage in Brahmand, whereby
  it constantly undergoes metempsychosis within 8.4
  life-forms (divided into 4 categories) in
  accordance with the Law of Karma, the Jivatama-
  soul now yearns for liberation and to return to
  its pristine Home. It does so with the
  application of Surat-Shabd Yoga- yoga of
  Spirit-Celestial Sound- a yoga of devotion.
• While outer world is perceived through the
  10-fold sensory agencies (5 Gyanendriyas 5
  Karmendriyas), inner world is experienced through
  inner agencies of Surat- hearing (also, the
  sensory current or soul) Nirat- sight.
• This yoga is taught by a living Sant-Satguru-
  perfect Master, who gives the initiate first-hand
  contact with Naam during Naamdan- spiritual
  initiation.
• It comprises two exercises 1 (a) Simran-
  mental remembrance of charged 5 Names of Rulers
  of 5 primal planes of Creation, (b) Dhyan- focus
  on inner Light using Nirat 2. Bhajan or
  Kirtan- focus on inner Sound using Surat. Light
  focusses, while Sound attracts. Through this,
  soul rises to inner regions and experiences
  various grades and types of Light Sound en
  route.

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Inner Music

• In Sant-Mat, terms Bhajan/Kirtan do not refer to
  outer music- vocal or instrumental (preperatory
  to devotion), but to listening to inner music,
  playing 24x7, which constitutes true Akhand
  (unbroken) Kirtan or Paath.
• As creation is copy of copies, reflections of
  sounds of higher planes can also be heard in the
  lower ones. Also, sounds initially heard are
  reflections in the physical plane. Only the
  prescribed main sounds are to be heard.
• Bhajan should not be done to the exclusion of
  Simran/Dhyan, which are also essential for the
  initial ascent of Spirit.
• An initiate should only listen to the music
  coming through the right ear. In fact, this music
  actually springs from the middle vein, Sushumna.
  Music from left is to avoided altogether as it is
  negative. If heard, the left thumb is to be
  loosened somewhat gradually the music will shift
  to the right ear.
• At some stage, inner music becomes initiates
  constant companion. Not only is it indicative of
  the presence of the inner Master, but also of His
  grace and solace (Comforter). Hearing Gods
  Voice is better than Prayer.

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Siddha Asana Vaishnavi Mudra (for Bhajan)
Vaishnavi Mudra (for Bhajan)
Siddha Asana (for Dhyan)
TYPICAL MEDITATION POSTURES
However, Surat-Shabd Yoga is not rigid on
postures. Meditation may be done even on a chair.
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Souls flight into the Inner Space
Stages Plane Path Description
IV. Beyond Plane-3 Vihang Marg- Vulture-like The soul can climb straight from earth to the mountain-top.
III. Upto Plane-3 Makar Marg- Spider-like The soul can climb from earth to the roof without needing support of the wall.
II. Upto Plane-2 Meen Marg- Fish-like The soul swims against the current of Naam.
I. Upto Plane-1 Papeel Marg- Ant-like Initiate struggles to control the Mind and vacate the 9 portals of the body and reach Satgurus Radiant form.
Nirat is the power of soul that awakens the
Surat (i.e. the consciousness) and leads it to
move on to the higher planes. Unless Nirat
(ability to see within) is activated Surat
(ability to hear within) cannot move ahead. Once
the Surat gets turned on to the Shabd, it
gradually becomes one with it, and effortlessly
reaches its Origin.
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Concluding

• In line with the Hermetic axiom, as above so
  below, man has always sought to harmonize his
  life on Earth (physical) with that of the
  Heaven (astral) through the discovery of the
  Laws of Nature. His effort ranges from
  construction of great pyramids to the splitting
  of atom in Super-collliders.
• Ultimately, everything in universe is made of
  frequency and vibration! Delving into its
  mysteries, man has arrived at what saints and
  mystics have always known- that the basic
  building blocks of creation are Sound Light.
• Music is not merely an entity that provides
  pleasure and peace it is of the very nature of
  the Divine! By playing on the instrument of the
  human-body, we can reach the great musician
  within- God.
• The chakric Jacobs ladder connects God with
  man, created in His own image. The return
  journey of the Jivatma- soul through the Science
  of Light Sound is akin to rock-climbing- Light
  is its anchoring element and Sound that of its
  elevation. With the grace of the living
  Word-made-flesh, it unshackles itself of its
  bondage and returns free to its pristine Divine
  source.

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Recommended NASA Voyager music of various
planets based on Radio-wave recordings
The End. Thank You
Further references on Shabd Gurmat Siddhant
1 Naam or Word Introspection Diary