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Combining all the elements of the Yoga of Sound into a
regular practice requires treating the process like a
garden. Prepare the soil with the elements of Sound
Yoga, then plant your mantras. Here, I will
outline suggestions for creating a living, breathing
practice of Sound Yoga.
When you first start out, a spiritual practice is
fragile. You must tend to your fledgling practices
regularly and ensure that they are given sufficient
sunlight, water, and nourishment. The spotlight of your
consciousness, the water of your breath, and the
nourishment of devotion will care for this garden of
your soul. Some saplings may need protection from
overexposure, so practice moderation; that is the true
spirit of yoga.
Becoming excessively preoccupied with the world and
losing perspective in relation to our spiritual goals is
normal. It’s a sort of temporary spiritual amnesia.
During such periods, we may neglect our garden, allowing
weeds to grow in our absence. Meister Eckhart once said:
"It is not so much that God does not dwell within
us; it is we who have gone out for a walk." When
you return home, tend to your garden again; through your
loving attentiveness, revive the beauty and harmony you
enjoyed before.
Attending workshops and retreats, reading new books,
and listening to new music are all ways of visiting
other gardens; we learn from these experiences and bring
back new flowers to plant in our own garden. It is also
helpful to study privately with experts. They show us
how to landscape our garden, and they help us discover
new vistas and paths, sometimes pointing out rare and
exotic flowers we didn’t know existed in our own
backyard.
The Value of an Integrated Sound Yoga
Our choices of specific mantras and exercises from
among the various sound streams may vary according to
our moods, character, and circumstances. Each stream can
perform particular functions in our lives, responding to
specific problems and challenges we face. An integrated
practice that maintains all four streams is ideal. When
I first came to the United States, I found life here to
be full of stress, with financial burdens, legal
responsibilities, and work competition. I found that
Vedic mantras and the practice of Shabda Yoga offered me
strength and protection through their articulate sounds,
often preventing me from feeling vulnerable when
preparing for my day’s tasks or when going through
difficult negotiations in my life. These practices were
particularly powerful during legal battles, dealing with
insurance companies, and other similar situations. The
Vedic mantras further enabled me to develop effective
communication skills, building confidence and maturity
into my speaking voice. As a bonus, they added great
texture to my singing voice!
I was also deeply troubled, when I moved to the West,
by our lack of connection with nature here. We wear
mostly synthetic clothes, eat unwholesome foods, move
about with extremely rapid methods of transportation,
and rely too much on technology to artificially control
our environments. All of this severs our connection with
nature, often leading to poor health and even disease.
In response, I have found that the use of Tantric
mantras and the practices of Shakti Yoga help me
maintain an intimate relationship with my physical body
and my sensuality, removing blocks and constrictions
that obstruct the optimal flow of energy in my nervous
system. This ancient knowledge has been utilized for
many thousands of years, and it costs us nothing. Why
not put it to the test and give it a chance?
Even though the West is a culture that loves
community effort and teamwork, it often lacks true and
consistent emotional fulfillment. A pervasive loneliness
and isolation invariably seeks to fulfill itself in
superficial relationships or unhealthy sexual
obsessions. In my daily practice, Bhava Yoga mantras
help release love and devotion in my heart, providing me
with a deep, expansive emotional fulfillment. Bhava Yoga
also helps regulate my emotions, staving off manic highs
and crushing lows. I am grateful to have an
extraordinary companion in my wife Asha, but without the
devotional mantras we both employ in our spiritual
practice, our relationship would be very different; it
would lack the luster and vibrancy we’ve become
accustomed to.
Through Nada Yoga, we can fine-tune our bodies and
our minds to resonate with the harmony in all of
creation, from atoms and cells to flowers and planets.
We are surrounded by music in our culture, but most of
it does little to help us on the soul level of our
being. Through Nada Yoga meditations, we develop insight
into the true nature of music, effortlessly tapping the
healing power of sound and becoming better equipped to
attune ourselves to the varying circumstances in our
lives. Listening keenly to others and to ourselves
enables us to choose what is good and stay away from
that which is harmful. As a result, we enjoy greater
empathy in our relationships and enhanced satisfaction
in our work, and we contribute a more pleasing vibration
to the energy of our societies. This is the fruit of the
Yoga of Sound.
The Yoga of Sound for Busy People
The wonderful thing about the Yoga of Sound is that
you can start anywhere, then keep adding layers of depth
and skill to even the simplest exercises. You can also
practice Sound Yoga for relatively short periods,
depending on what your schedule allows, and still enjoy
many of its benefits. The charm of this tradition is
that we are inspired to use sound to affect our
consciousness and that of others almost all the time.
If you are busy — as most of us are — I recommend
that you distribute your practice among four segments of
the day: morning, noon, evening, and night. Choose one
of the following options:
MINIMUM: 5 minutes per segment = 20 minutes per day
MODERATE: 15 minutes per segment = 1 hour per day
IDEAL: 21 minutes per segment = 1 hour and 24 minutes
per day
We can also combine the various Yoga of Sound streams
into a daily practice. I recommend Shabda Yoga in the
morning, shortly after you wake up; Shakti Yoga around
noon, just before lunch; Bhava Yoga in the evening,
after you return from work; and Nada Yoga at night,
preferably just before you go to sleep. This strategy
allows the key principles of each of these streams of
sacred sound to work when people most need them during
the day. You may also use any of the practices from any
of the streams, combining them during any time of the
day or night, depending on what you need and how you
need it.
DAILY PRACTICE
Morning: Shabda Yoga
I suggest Shabda Yoga in the morning because it helps
prepare you for the day ahead; it fortifies your soul
against the challenges you have to face. This stream of
Sound Yoga is best practiced twenty minutes after you
wake up, allowing enough time for you to be fully alert
during your practice. Regular spiritual practice and an
enhanced vocabulary of mantras can help you deal
effectively with issues so that they don’t become
problems. I recommend, therefore, that you use a
combination of Vedic mantras (appendix one) and positive
affirmations at the start of your day. The great yogic
breath, along with sectional breathing (see chapter
thirteen for both techniques), is also helpful in the
morning.
Noon: Shakti Yoga
Shakti Yoga practices are fantastic for dealing with
energy bleeds that can take place at work. Around noon,
or just before you eat your lunch, take stock of the
most powerful experiences you’ve had that morning. Pay
close attention to the effect those situations have had
on your energy centers. Notice whether any of your
chakras are blocked.
Use shakti mantras and the alternate-nostril
breathing nadi sodhana (appendix four) to clear these
blockages. As you build up your vocabulary in this
stream of Sound Yoga, you may introduce other practices
as well.
Evening: Bhava Yoga
Bhava Yoga is best saved for evening. After we finish
our day’s work, we can look forward to a wonderful
experience of union when we return home. For those who
work at home, this is the ideal resolution at the end of
the day. Light a lamp, burn a stick of incense, and
chant devotionally for five to seven minutes; often,
that’s all it takes to bring a sense of completion to
your day. Chant to Jesus, to Ram, to Krishna, or to the
Buddha. Pour out your heart to the Divine, and offer
everything — the positive and the not-so-positive.
Trust that it will all be better tomorrow. After this,
you can give yourself fully to your lover, yourself,
your friends, or your community, depending on what you
have planned for that evening.
Night: Nada Yoga
At night, before you go to bed, sit quietly and
attune yourself to everything that has transpired during
the day. Let it all pass through you and out of you.
Practice yoga nidra (see chapter sixteen) and attune
your body to the Divine presence so that you can sleep
peacefully in the Divine embrace. Pay attention to your
breathing, and try to remain conscious as you enter into
sleep. You will find yourself well-rested in the
morning.
Fortifying Your Practice Year-Round
DAILY: Keep a Yoga of Sound journal to make brief
notes on the insights or challenges that present
themselves to you on your journey. Value the process; it
is your best teacher.
WEEKLY: Once a week, spend an hour learning new
mantras and musical intervals. Introduce them in your
practice during the rest of the week. Use about fifteen
minutes of this hour to prolong your meditative
awareness and center deeply in the experience. Review
your journal notes and mark important entries.
MONTHLY: Once a month, take a two- or three-hour
mini-workshop, or schedule a private session with an
expert to improve your skills in Sound Yoga. Otherwise,
design your own private mini-retreat by concentrating on
a specific breathing practice, mantra, or movement; seek
to enter more fully into the tradition. Review the
marked entries in your journal and summarize your
progress in a brief comment.
QUARTERLY: Once every quarter, take a one-day
(five-to-eight-hour) retreat. You can do this in your
own home, at a retreat center, or in an isolated cabin
by the sea. Ensure that you will not be disturbed, and
that it is okay for you to use vocal sound in the place
where you are on retreat. Immerse yourself in the
experience; review all the practices you know and
evaluate them. Reflect on key journal entries you’ve
made related to this discipline. Review your monthly
comments and write a brief, single-paragraph description
of your progress.
ANNUALLY: If you have the time and resources, take a
weeklong workshop or retreat on the Yoga of Sound once
every year. This will give you new insights into the
tradition. Review your quarterly descriptions and write
a half-page summary of what you have assimilated during
the past year. Title your summary, including the year it
refers to. Use the second half of the page to project
what you would like to assimilate during the coming
year. Title and date this section, too.
EVERY THREE TO SEVEN YEARS: Go on a pilgrimage. This
could be to a sacred spot within your own country or
overseas. Pilgrimage is a form of deep soul cleansing,
enabling us to start anew with a fresh perspective. My
wife and I go on a group pilgrimage every year to holy
temples in South India. This is the Hindu way, which
sees life itself as a pilgrimage, a passage through this
plane toward ultimate fulfillment. You are always
welcome to join us, or you may plan your own experience.
Simple Ways to Keep the Experience Alive
THE SHOWER: When you start your day, devote at least
a few minutes to chanting reverently in the shower.
Place your palms together and chant some mantras as you
attune yourself to the sound of the flowing water. This
will help cleanse your mind while your body is being
cleansed.
WALKING: When you walk down the street, chant
rhythmically to the sound of your breathing. Find a
mantra that complements your pace and energy at that
time. This will put joy into your step and generate
beneficial chemicals in your brain.
EXERCISE WORKOUT: Chant before and after your
exercise or yoga workout. You can do this internally if
you’re in a public place. It will connect you more
intimately with your body and help you stay more present
to the physiological changes that are occurring.
THE COMPUTER: At work, sit quietly in front of your
computer before you start the workday. Mentally recite a
mantra or a series of mantras for one minute; this will
clear your mind and help you function more efficiently.
Do the same thing before you leave your workstation.
Even half a minute will help configure your computer
with positive energy and encourage you to enjoy
returning to it.
BATHROOM BREAK: When you take a bathroom break, use
mantras to occupy your mind for a full minute before,
after, or even during your time on the toilet. If you
have the whole bathroom to yourself, lock the door,
stand with your feet and palms together (with clean
hands), face the door, and chant for a full minute.
Harmonize the flow of your breathing, then step out
peacefully and confidently.
TRAFFIC SIGNALS: At a traffic signal, chant quietly
and breathe evenly; visualize the road to your
destination as a smooth flow of energy toward its
source. Fill the interior of your vehicle with positive
sound vibrations. If you are in gridlock, chant aloud
and listen to the sound of your mantras filling your
car; you might want to close the windows to keep the
energy contained.
BUSINESS MEETINGS: Chant internally as you enter the
room. Make eye contact and smile while continuing to
chant mentally; this will help you awaken the best in
people and in yourself. If you find knots developing
against your spine during the discussions, regulate your
breathing with the sectional breathing or the complete
breath (see chapter thirteen). This will enable you to
listen more attentively and communicate more
effectively.
LOVEMAKING: Chant internally or, even better, chant
with your lover for a full minute. You will engage each
other in an authentic way afterward, as the chanting
will disperse any negative energy or expectations.
Regulate your breathing while engaged in the act; it
will smoothen and enhance the process. Play a CD of
chanting in the background to channel your energy
differently. I’ve gotten very affirming reports about
my own recordings, by the way — particularly P.M. Yoga
Chants.
OPENING YOUR MAIL: Place your palms on your mail
bundle and chant a mantra three times before you start
opening your mail. This will help you stay detached from
outcomes and embrace whatever is being placed before you
in life.
TRANSIT AND TRAVEL: Lounges, trains, airports,
airplanes, and even sitting rooms are great places to
attune your energy to the Divine presence. Chant your
mantra internally; even half a minute will help you
center deeply and cause your energy to flow optimally
through your nervous system.
Combinations and Sequences
Treat the Yoga of Sound as an organic process that
will keep unfolding as you get into it more deeply. The
secret is to learn each principle, mantra, and technique
so well that you can combine them in energetic sequences
that are just right for you in a given moment, or for a
particular phase in your life. Such combinations must be
seamless. As a reference, I’ve provided you with some
simple examples. You can substitute your own choice of
mantra if you don’t feel inspired by the one
recommended. I know this sounds a bit like a menu, but a
menu is a good analogy, since mantras are food for the
soul.
Morning Combinations
1. Stand in the posture of prayer, prathanaasana (see
chapter twelve), and loudly recite the mantra Asa-to Ma
Sad-ga-ma-ya; Ta-ma-so Ma Jyo-tir-ga-ma-ya; Mrit-yor Ma
A-mri-tam-ga-ma-ya. Draw from the articulate power of
shabda to manifest the best outcomes in your life. You
may then perform Zikr (body turning; see chapter
fifteen) in silence, and later lie down in the corpse
pose (see chapter twelve) to use the mantra So-Ham.
2. Sit in vajrasana (between your heels). If you
notice blockage in your system, perform the sectional
breathing practices, then conclude by chanting the
mantra Om while doing the great yogic breath (chapter
thirteen).
3. Sit in your meditation position and chant the
mantra Kra-to Sma-ra Kru-tam Sma-ra. Follow this with
the alternate nostril breathing (nadi sodhana; see
appendix four), and end with cranial buzzing (brahmari
mudra; see appendix four), performed with the six-way
seal (see appendix four).
Midday Combinations
1. Sit in your meditation position and go through all
the chakra bijas (see appendix two). Perform each bija
three times and visualize energy opening each chakra as
you chant the appropriate mantra. After the chanting,
stay attuned to the physical experience of each chakra
region in your body.
2. Go through all the vowels and their movements, as
des-cribed in "Dancing the Vowels" (chapter
fifteen). Repeat the exercise by riding the sounds on
your breath. Conclude with sounding them internally.
3. Find a quiet, isolated spot, preferably outdoors.
Chant one of the deity bijas (appendix two) for one full
minute. Sit quietly and pay attention to your breathing,
then perform nadi sodhana, the alternate nostril
breathing (see appendix four).
Evening Combinations
1. Perform the bhava yoga ritual (see chapter nine),
then sit quietly in meditation for a minute. You may put
together the ingredients for the ritual by buying
flowers on the way home from work, or you may perform
the ritual mentally, as described in manasika puja (see
chapter nine).
2. Stand in the prayer posture (see chapter twelve)
for a minute, then launch into the Zikr (see chapter
nine), using the mantra Om–Eeshaa–Vaasyam–Idham.
Sink into savasana, the corpse pose (see chapter
twelve), and place your attention on the delicate
sensation of breath passing through your nostrils.
3. Do a meditation walk (see chapter fifteen) while
mindfully, rhythmically chanting the mantra Hare Raama,
Hare Raama – Raama Raama, Hare Hare – Hare Krishna,
Hare Krishna – Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Then find a
quiet spot under a tree and perform the great yogic
breath (chapter thirteen).
Night Combinations
1. Lie in the corpse position (see chapter twelve)
and chant the mantra Shree Ram – Jai Ram – Jai Jai
Ram for a few minutes. Touch parts of your body,
reciting mantras to consecrate your body before going to
bed.
2. Perform the yoga nidra exercise (chapter sixteen),
but don’t run your awareness up and down your body
rapidly, as it would keep you awake. Mentally chant long
Om mantras that continue internally over many breaths.
Your consciousness will expand dramatically while you
sleep.
3. Sit in vajrasana, between your heels. Perform the
six-way seal (shanmukhi mudra, or yoni mudra; see
appendix four), but without the buzzing. Then rest your
awareness on the motion of your abdomen. Later, lie
facing the ground turning your head to the right,
pressing your left ear against your left arm using your
arm as a headrest. Keep your right ear wide open and
listen intently to the sounds of the night.
Create your own sequences, and don’t judge them
harshly. No one else can ever come close to the music
that you yourself are hearing and creating. You must put
the notes together, hold the baton in your hand, and
conduct the orchestra of your own personality.
There is no guarantee that a fixed sequence will
always bring you the same result because everything
about you is constantly changing: the food you ate, an
argument, a problem at work, and the position of your
body as you slept — all affect you in this moment. You
will change after your next meal, or as soon as you and
your lover kiss and make up. As you continue to expand
your mantra vocabulary, enter deeply into the elements
of Sound Yoga and develop an integrated practice using
the various streams of sacred sound. Over time, your
sequences will become more and more like a well-made
film, with superb cinematography, seamless segues, and
an excellent sound track. Good luck, and have fun along
the way.
© Copyright 2004 Russill Paul. All Rights
Reserved. Excerpted from the book "THE
YOGA OF SOUND: Healing & Enlightenment Through the
Sacred Practice of Mantra" by Russill Paul,
Published by New World Library, www.newworldlibrary.com
Russill Paul is a native of
Chennai (Madras City) in South India, who took to
playing stringed instruments at the early age of four
and began playing professionally in his teens. In 1984,
he underwent a powerful transition that motivated him to
live as a monk under the late Dom Bede Griffiths, a
pioneering Benedictine spiritual teacher and modern-day
sage, who directed Shantivanam, a Hindu-Christian Ashram
in South India. Here, he was able to bring together his
ancestral Hindu heritage with his Christian upbringing.
During the five years he spent
as a monk, Russill studied Sanskrit chanting and South
Indian classical music, in addition to yoga, meditation,
and philosophy. The most powerful component to his
transformation was a series of profound spiritual
experiences that affected his music and his education.
For almost fifteen years,
Russill Paul has toured extensively in North America and
internationally, presenting concerts, workshops, and
seminars at conferences, spiritual centers, and retreat
facilities. For more than twelve years, he has taught in
the academic programs of Creation Spirituality
nationwide. He presently teaches in the Masters of
Liberal Arts program at Naropa University Oakland, and
in the Doctor of Ministry program at the University of
Creation Spirituality, both institutions located in
Oakland, California.
Russill has also been involved
with the music industry for over two decades, recording
professionally for movie soundtracks under well-known
music directors in India and recording and producing a
wide selection of his own world class, yoga-related
recordings in the United States through The Relaxation
Company, a leading publisher of healing music.
He lives with his wife in the
San Francisco Bay Area. Together they conduct a special
chanting pilgrimage and retreat in South India each
year.
Visit Russill Paul's web site
at: www.russillpaul.com
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