Music
in yoga training - a limiting or accelarating factor?
by Geza M. Timcak & Ivo Sedlacek
Music has
been used in yogic training since time immemorial. Indian music, for
example, is especially well-fitted for supporting mental and spiritual
yoga training, but has limitations too. This article gives an outline
of the main types of music used in spiritual and yoga training and shares
recommendations for optimal use of music in individual and group yoga
training.
It would
be almost impossible to give a full account on all uses of music in
the yogic and yogoid training styles. First let us define what we would
call music. For our purpose, music is structured sound, where the height,
stress, tone, rhythm, succession and structuring of sound elements is
used for expressing (and inducing) states of mind - moods, feelings,
impressions, thoughts. Music sensu lato would include also natural sounds
of musical character. Therefore chanting - as we know it in mantra yoga
- would also come under music. The moods related by music are not always
universal and are often culture dependent. Their cross-cultural application
does not always bring the same result as in the home culture.
But still
- there is something in music which is universal. Something which can
deeply touch heart and soul of any human, at any time, at any place.
What is it ? In most of cultures sound and music were considered sacred.
If we look at the symbolic descriptions of the beginning of this universe,
we can mostly see the same - "In the beginning there was a Word",
"The Óm signifies the beginning, middle and end", etc.
The "word" means here primordial vibration. Music is considered
to be a reflection of that Infinite vibration which is the source and
the moving Power of the manifest universe. At the same time body, mind
and soul are also a kind of vibrational "music". We can thus
say that everything is "solidified" music.
Modern
science finds that human body, mind and soul are extremely sensitive
to music, sounds and vibrations. Music and sounds can influence and
change many bodily and mental aspects and processes in a human being
(but also in animals and plants).
No wonder
that music, in its original role was always considered as a means to
1) soothe, relax and heal 2) elevate the mind (bhakti, religious music)
3) induce altered state of consciousness 4) achieve magical changes.
Nowadays
- in a paradoxical way - music is so freely available in thousands of
varieties from thousands sources that its original mighty power was
somehow forgotten. Music is often played and created just to entertain
the masses, for commercial purpose, as an intellectual construction
etc. All this dilutes its strength.
Nevertheless,
if we try to delve deep in the hidden aspects of our own being (e.g.
through yoga), music can certainly help us in many ways - can help us
more than we can usually imagine.
MUSIC
AS A NON-VERBAL LANGUAGE
Music is
an age-long way of communication of feelings and/or thoughts and ideas.
It is difficult to track down the entire history of music, but as it
was already mentioned, the early (pre-vedic, vedic) yogis discovered
that sounds have definitive energetic charge, that if the sound is coupled
with tone, height modulation and rhythm, they have strong effect on
mind. In case of proper design, it enables reaching non-ordinary states
of consciousness. If we realise that mantras are not used for interpersonal
communication, but for tuning the mind to non-ordinary levels of perception,
mantra chants can be understood as a strong, non-verbal means of communication
in spite of the fact that mantras may contain meaningful words or have
grammatical structure.
Music
as such "speaks" or induces feelings etc. through musical
means and without words. The quality of music - from the point of view
of applicability in yoga - depends on the vibrational effect on the
mind and body, but the response to music is a very individual affair.
Nevertheless, classical Indian music (sensu lato) can be used as an
efficient means for inducing moods. In yoga training, meditative or
relaxation moods are the most frequently desired. Thus mantras, chants
of classical texts, ragas, Tibetan bowl sound, tuned glass, didjeridoo
etc. are the most frequently used non-verbal mood inducing tools.
Classical
European music is sometimes more difficult to use for meditation as
it "speaks" to the mind and usually makes difficult to detach
the mind from the content of this music. The most suitable music for
supporting relaxation and meditation comes from the older periods where
the music was mostly considered to be an expression of religious and
spiritual moods.
MUSIC
IN ANCIENT YOGA TRAINING
As we can
see from ancient paintings, at the yoga ashrams musical instruments
were in use and evidently they were used also as a training supporting
instruments.
Vedic
chants, chanting mantras, puranas - all create a flow of melody (although
in this case a relatively simple one) which induces concentration in
the listening mind. At the same time it always contains a deep meaning,
a powerful universal energy which we can connect to. Indian classical
music which later developed from this deep and powerful ground, was
originally meant as a full sadhana - a musician had to penetrate deeper
and deeper layers of the musical lines and structures till he reached
the point of merging with the Primordial vibration.
MUSIC
IN CONTEMPORARY YOGA TRAINING
Contemporary
yoga training uses music mainly for relaxation and for guided meditations.
Some schools use music as a background for practising asanas and pranayama,
too. If we analyse the range of musical types used in yoga training
we see the following types:
Mantra
chants (with or without instrumental support). They can invoke strong
moods, influence the subtle energy fields within us and direct our consciousness
towards higher realms.
Bhajans
- usually chanted verses. They invoke moods through their content, musical
construction and atmosphere they create, repeated melodies and a devotional
text content often connected with certain mantras. We can say that group
chanting induces much more powerful and inspiring mood comparing to
individual chanting. They may or may not be linked to special orientation
of a given yoga school.
European
music. We can observe that the main line and content of classical European
music till the baroque period was mostly spiritual - devotion and praise
of God was the main topic and inspiration of most of the compositions.
Most of the works of Bach, Palestrina, Orlando di Lasso and many other
composers of those periods can be considered as the highest musical
mysticism, literally "the music of the spheres" and can very
effectively induce very inspiring and devotional inner mood in us. Often
more, than for example contemporary Indian classical music which is
very much influenced by many superficial aspects like the need of commercial
success, exhibition of virtuosity and so on.
In the
later periods (classicism, romanticism and so on) the European music
has slowly abandoned the spiritual dimensions and became more academic,
more connected with the personality of a composer. However - for relaxation
and guided imagery proper European music from the later periods may
form a very good background. Modern music, as it has usually a dissonant
and less structured form (very calculative, theoretical and experimental),
can be used only for training pratyahara, though even there are exceptions.
Non-European
native music has a very varied character and its use in yoga training
needs a careful consideration - depending on the cultural/racial composition
of the trainee/s, the time and place as well as aim of training. Simple
resonant instruments (like Tibetan bowls, gongs, tuned glass, didjeridoo)
and drums are perhaps the most frequently used instruments for special
parts of yogic training.
The appearance
of keyboards on the musical ground made the appearance of countless
"special effects", but as very often the inspiration and inner
experience of the composers (well, perhaps "syncretisers"
would be a better word) does not satisfy a level needed for composing
music for yoga training, care is needed in the selection of music for
relaxation or meditation. The lack of a natural, sensitive touch between
the musician and his instrument, and a huge spectrum of very cheap but
still in a way amazing effects of electronic instruments bring sometimes
the synthetiser music to a category of beautiful but rather "artificial
flowers". The beat-dominant modern musical styles, though very
suggestive and though they indeed induce frequency following response
from the audience, were found to have negative impact on human health
- both physical and mental.
For dynamic
exercises (special pranayama, transpersonal techniques etc.) music (especially
live music) can work as an extremely accelerating and intensifying factor.
Conclusion:
Today we a huge selection of all possible music. However, before applying
it to yoga training support, we have to consider 1. that its effect
depends on the right choice, 2. that even the best recording cannot
surpass live music using acoustic instruments - as in live music there
are so many aspects present apart from the musical construction itself,
which create that inspiring, invisible connection between a musician
and a listener and between a musician and a source of his inspiration.
The music created at a very moment of listening can open many inner
worlds of a listener. The disadvantage of this approach is that specially
trained musicians are needed for such task and not many of us can have
a personal musician who is able to play for us any time we need it.
Thus the musical recordings become the main source of music for yoga
training.
HOW
TO SELECT THE RIGHT MUSIC
Music has
a direct influence on the body and its physiology. Every cell is sensitive
to sounds and music and reacts to it. Music influences also the mind
and the emotions. This in turn effects the physiological dynamics.
Furthermore, special music can create a feeling of peaceful environment
around us, an atmosphere which spontaneously relaxes our body and mind,
which enhances our ability to concentrate, meditate etc. Certain music
can also very easily connect us to higher spheres, to open meditative
and religious moods in us.
But the
main question remains - WHAT KIND OF MUSIC is suitable for all that,
which type of music can be successfully used for relaxation, healing
purposes, creating a peaceful environment, inducing a meditative mood,
calming the mind etc.?
Such music
should have two basic characteristics:
1. It is
created with a positive, devotional attitude, with the aim to become
just an instrument of higher inspiration.
2. The
musician/s creating the music has to be a master of his instrument and
has to understand deeply the principles of musical language. If these
two conditions are fulfilled, it is very likely that the music we are
listening to can inspire us in many ways.
Referring
to the special subjects of yoga training, let us consider the use of
appropriate music for different areas and stages of yoga training.
1. Creating
a quiet and inspiring atmosphere. As yoga and meditation practice usually
mean a certain step outside our rushing routine life, it is very useful
and important to be able to create quickly and effectively such an atmosphere.
Here, proper music can serve us very well. It is amazing, how well it
works. Listen for example to the sound of a gong - Isn't there a difference
between the moment before the sound and after? One can feel that the
atmosphere became more quiet, our mind more sharp, relaxed and concentrated.
(the same experience tends to come when listening to Tibetan bowls,
tanpura etc.) There are many recordings of this type that can help us
in this way.
2. Group
practice of asanas, pranayama, meditation exercises, which require a
complex attention - here just the background music of the above mentioned
type (if at all) seems to be really useful. Music with complex structures
and meaning could be rather a distracting factor.
To conclude,
we can say that music - when appropriately used can enhance the effects
of yoga training. Acoustic instruments have more penetrating effects
than electro-acoustic instruments. The strongest effect can be achieved
by live music. Recorded music has, however, sufficient strength to affect
positively the training. Music has to be applied with sense and over-indulgence
in music may make cause music becoming ineffective. For advanced, intensive
yoga training direct musical support is not substantial (and at times
disturbing), but for beginning and intermediate level it can be of a
significant help in creating and keeping the right mood. It is not recommended
though, to have music constantly on. It has to come as a "gift".
Barely audible (almost subliminal) background music can be had for greater
length, but here a very careful selection of music recordings are to
be made as this type of music presentation slips into the mind of the
practitioners almost unguarded.
But still,
apart from the above mentioned possibilities, music can also act as
a main and very powerfull tool for inducing and supporting many inner
processes during yoga and spiritual training.
This approach
have been widely developed by our team and is presented on a number
of workshops and seminars on "Secret power of music", "Savita
Yoga" or "Music, Yoga & Inner Transformation".
Ivo
Sedlacek
Ivo
graduated in 1991 from the Academy of Musical Arts in Prague as a student
of the renowned Czech violinist Vaclav Snitil. After graduation he set
out for India, where he studied Indian classical music for five years
under several well-known musicians - Dr.N.Rajam, Sangeeta Shankar, Pandit
Dinkar Kaikini and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. During Ivo´s years
in India he also taught and widely performed European classical music.
Through
personal meetings with several great Indian spiritual masters, he was
able to penetrate the deeper therapeutic and spiritual aspects of music.
Ivo
now focuses primarily on his own original music (available on many CDs)
which emerges from his rich experience, spontaneous creativity, and
a desire to touch the subtle spiritual levels of his listeners.
He
performs solo and is also a member and co-founder of Fontana, Yamuna
and Kailash music groups. Apart from concert and recording activities,
he also conducts workshops on mantra chanting and music therapy.
Ivo's
2003 retreat at The Sun Centre
Savita
Yoga Workshop Yoga,
Music and Mantras: Opening the Inner Heart
With
Geza M.Timcak and Ivo Sedlacek
May 8 - 15
cost: €650
Overview
Savita yoga is a unique yoga system, consisting of ancient
yogic bodily practices, breath re-education (pranayama), energy work,
mantra and nada yoga, relaxation and meditation, all this framed and
supported by specially designed live Savita music.
The techniques of Savita Yoga aim to harmonically bring
balance to body, prana and mind and have a profound purifying and revitalizing
effect on the whole human energy system.
During this week, you will have an opportunitity to
explore deeper levels of your mind, to harmonise and balance your bodily
and energy systems, to enter the world of profound ancient mantras and
to experience the subtle touches of live music flowing from heart to
heart...
Over the
last decade, Geza and Ivo have conducted a large number of courses in
many European countries, as well as in India and Taiwan. Their unique
approach has brought about a deep response among participants of their
Savita Yoga seminars.
Our
Ethos The
Sun Centre is a vision in progress that we have been nurturing since
summer 1998, when we decided to follow our hearts and develop a retreat
to offer people the chance to learn and practise holistic self-development
surrounded by nature. Our interest and integration of various holistic
traditions and methods into our family life, is the basis of the experience
we share with our visitors.
Read
more...
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