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"Sound is a form of energy which has frequency, pitch, volume, tone and also subtle
qualities." - Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
The first time I became aware of a peculiar sound in the ear was when I joined the
course in Brahma Vidya. This sound has become a constant companion. It is a very
tinny sound and what I call 'chinn' sound. Swami Muktananda of Ganeshpuri calls
it the sound of "Consciousness." This sound cannot be heard outside the ear i.e.
it can only be experienced. Once when I told Guruji that I would like to experience
the level this pitch can go to, he warned me not to try it. Somehow, when I next
sat for meditation, I started to move along with the sound. As it picked momentum,
we kept on moving till the pitch reached its subtlest level and became 'silence'.
The feeling that arises at that moment is of complete stillness and silence within
and without, and a sense of just 'being'. This can only be experienced.
The other subtle sounds that could be identified were of the ocean, strong winds,
school gong and a lute. These cosmic sounds probably emanate at different vibratory
levels and vary according to the density of the energy at that plane.
In due course I found that this sound would change its tune and vibration, and I
realized that at those moments I had to become very conscious and aware, because
I was going to be a recipient of a message or information which could be in the
form of a person, a book or just plain dialogue, or there would be a lag time before
the knowledge filtered through from the vibratory level to which the sound belonged.
These sounds arise from within the body-mind organism.
The subtlest and constant resonating 'nada' sound that belongs to the cosmos is
the sound or echo that lingers after a single bang on a drum. It is a soft, soothing,
ongoing 'mmmmmmmm…' like the humming of a bumble bee.
The above are the subtle sounds that are within the individual body-mind organism
or the cosmos. There are other soundless sounds that sound like a thunder-clap,
an explosion or a single clap, and it is experienced in the physical form as a jerk,
the intensity depending on the intensity of the impact.
I was given to understand that when this phenomenon occurred it meant that some
past karmas were wiped out. Though the explanation was appealing, I could not fully
comprehend it till I recently came across a passage in the book 'Prana Pranayama
Prana Vidya' by Swami Niranjananda Saraswati:
"According to Vedanta, universal mind is symbolized by hiranyagarbha, the golden
womb or cosmic egg. At one pole of the universal mind is time, at other pole is
space, and matter is at the center. During creation, time and space come closer
to each other. The instant they meet at bindu there is an explosion within matter
and creation begins. Therefore, the universe is created by the convergence of the
two poles of energy of universal mind, and is a product of an explosion at the nucleus
of universal mind."
 Fig.
1
The first golden cosmic egg that appeared led to a series of steps for purification
of body-mind intellect which would then enable me to recognize the form that would
serve as a channel for my unfoldment on the path to self discovery. This form I
came to recognize and accept as my Guru.
Fig. 2
The sound that emanated from deep within me was of a heavy male voice repeating
after me the affirmations I was reciting. This was followed by the sound of heavy
iron girders grinding against each other. The power of the sound is beyond imagination
and human comprehension. The forceful rising of the kundalini as a rotating, moving
cauldron was the cause of this phenomenon. Words become inadequate.
 Fig.
3
This experience of total disintegration came with a deafening, shattering sound,
more like a thunder clap blowing my psyche into smithereens. It is like a puzzle
being de-arranged and re-arranged. With this, changes take place in the mental,
emotional and physical body in an instant. It is said that this shaktipat can be
conducted in the energy field of the Guru, from a distance, by a touch or even by
a look.
Fig. 4
The final golden egg with the visual depicting creation and regeneration leads me
to further purification process that would complete my journey.
"The ultimate source of all creation is contained within bindu*. When the explosion
of time and space occurs within bindu* the first emanation is nada, transcendental
sound. This is the sound vibration at the highest level. From nada emerges kalaa,
the manifest universe of time, space and object."
"*Bindu represents time, space and matter within a single point. It is the seed
of creation."
- Swami Niranjananda Saraswati
In between the above major experiences there were lesser sounds which would be like
a loud clap or a burst of a fire-cracker. Going over the diary I can understand
at what point these must have occurred. It would be at times when contact takes
place between time, space and matter. The intensity of the impact would depend at
what vibratory level it occurs. As the clash takes place with matter the reaction
in the physical body is experienced as a jerk, sometimes as powerful as to throw
one off balance. Sound exists in the form of vibration, which is of varying frequencies.
I also realize that with each of these shattering episodes different levels of purification
in the body-mind intellect ensued. This led me towards the creation of a changed
psyche and a different way of thinking. I feel one is truly blessed to go through
this experiencing because the course of one's life and destiny is taken out of ones
own control and by shattering the aspirant's balance karmas and blocks a new destiny
is laid out for him/her. No longer is the individual 'will' that is operating, but
the Cosmic will. It is understandable that destruction of the old has to happen
in order for the subsequent creation in any form to take place. New can only come
forth when the old is annihilated.
Thus these visuals in a step by step manner helped me to understand the role of
Nada and its significance in the evolutionary process of an aspirant. This has been
revealed in a visual form so that in turn it may be presented as the spiritual sign-posts
for you - the meditators.
- Santosh Sachdeva
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