Music takes you to higher states of consciousness because people "love" music. And love takes you to the Self. Anything you love wholeheartedly will take you to the Self. People are addicted to things because those things somehow help them to reveal their Self. Music itself has nothing to do with it. It is the perception of the person that something is really good that takes them to higher states. All truth, love and beauty are lying deep in our heart. And anything which pleases us only does so because for a brief moment, that truth, love and beauty is revealed. Everything you ever wanted is already inside you. It is when you think that there is something outside which needs to be achieved that our suffering starts.
On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 11:19 PM, YouWho? <[email protected]> wrote: > > In principle what RS is saying is true. > > However, your observation or experience about happens with the Khan or > with other devotional music hits one on a different level than just > mere perception of sound or our concepts about them. > > Devotional music, tribal drumming and dancing, chanting, hell, even > church hymns have a certain feeling, a certain bhava to them which can > have a transformative effect on the mind, as well as can also be a > reflection of higher states of concsciousness. > > I've spent a fair amount of time in India, and prior to that had > pretty significant amount of exposure to Indian style devotional > chanting, usually called kirtan or bhajan. > > In the west, devotional music is not really associated with non- > duality, where we mostly see armchair philosophizing and self- > proclaimed "enlightened ones" prattling on about how everyone is > already enlightened, and there's only "This." > > Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was also one of the great masters of that Sufi > style of devotional chanting(probably the most famous one) who had a > six octave vocal range. To some people, his "music" sounds worse than > screeching cats, and to the devotionally attuned, it can sound like > the voice of the eternal bliss of the Self itself. Especially nice are > some of the recordings of just him and a few of his close disciples > being acommpanied by a harmonium. Many consider some of those vocal > symphonies to be unmatched anywhere. > > Also, some Sanskrit music, or chanting, is said to have a certain > vibrational quality that is particular to that language which can > convey subtle states of consciousness and meaning, aligning the mind > in a certain way, much like the strings resonating to a tuning fork or > when a harmonic chord is being played. > > When I was first introduced to certain bhajans of some of the saints > of the state of Maharashtra in India, I was very turned off by it. > Marathi is not known for being the most beautiful sounding of > languages in itself, and the presentation of it and how it sounded was > much akin to throwing stones at a peice of sheetmetal while banging > two metal garbage can lids together. Thankfully there was enough > melody in them to keep the mind interested. Then, as I began to > understand the meaning being conveyed in them and became exposed to > some people who were singing them with that particular devotional > bhav, those very same bhajans became my own heart's song. > > I could talk more about the subject, but my experience in these types > of forums is that when bringing up devotion or devotional music people > get turned off about the topic very quickly. It really pushes some > people's buttons. > > Then you have other types of music and art, which it seems you are > quite familiar with. Many musicians and artists speak about moments of > losing themselves in their art, and with musicians, even a merging of > band with audience in higher consciousness. The sum being greater than > the parts, if you will. This type of 'experience' gets much closer to > what I would call 'pure art' than most ego-oriented performances or > pieces that fill the mainstream art world. But still, in my > experience, it does not really quite get to that same level of > devotional bhava which is unique to letting go of oneself into Pure > Consciousness. One is based in the world or dependent upon others or > things, while one is a release into selflessness. I don't know if that > makes sense, but I think that's enough to get the conversation > started. > > Adi Shankaracharya is considered by many to be the foremost expert on > expounding advaitic philosophy. He has composed a few poems or hymns, > one migh call them, which I think sound quite pleasing to the ear and > are also rich with meaning. One example that I think is nicely done is > called Atma Shatakam: > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTJyjxLwtcU&feature=related > > A rough translation is as follows: > > MANO-BUDDHI AH-HAN-KARA CHITA NI NA-HAM > > I am not the mind, intellect, ego or thoughts. > > NA-CHA-SHRO-TRA JIV-HEY NA-CHA-GHRANA NETRE > > I am not the ears, the tongue, nose or eyes.16 > > Na-cha vYoma bhoomir-na tejor na vayu > > I am not space, earth, fire or wind. > > CHIDANANDA ROO-PAS-SHIVO-AHM SHIVO-AHM (2) > > I am eternal bliss, I am Shiva. > > NA CHA PRANA-SAUGNYO NA VAI PANCHA-VAYU-HU > > NA VA SAPTA-DHATUR-NA VA PANCHA-KOSHA-HA > > I am not breathing power, the seven vital bodily constituants > > nor the five coverings > > NA VAK-PANI PADAM NA CHO-PASTH-PAYU-HU > > I am not speech, hands,19 feet, nor the rectum > > CHIDANANDA ROO-PAS-SHIVO-AHM SHIVO-AHM (2) > > NA ME DWESH-RA-GAU NA ME LOBH-MOHAU > > I am not envy, greed, nor craving nor attraction. > > MADO-NAIVA ME NAIVA MAT-SARYA-BHAVA-HA > > I am not arrogance nor jealousy nor pride, > > NA DHARMO NA CHARTHO NA KAMO NA MOKSHA-HA. > > Nor religion, wealth, spending for mankind nor liberation. > > CHIDANANDA ROO-PAS-SHIVO-AHM SHIVO-AHM (2) > > NA PUNYAM NA PAAPAM NA SAUKHYUM NA DUKHAM > > I am not virtue, sin, joy nor sorrow. > > NA MANTRO NA TIRTHAM NA ME DAA'NAM YUGNA HA > > I am not mantra, pilgrimage, scriptures, offering nor ritual fire. > > AHAM BHOJA-NAM NAIVA BHOJYAM NA BHOKTA-HA20 > > I am not food, the eating nor the one who eats. > > Chidananda roo-paS-shivo-ahm shivo-ahm (2) > > NA MRU-TYUR NA SHANKA NA ME JATI BHEDA-HA > > I am not death, doubt nor discrimination of caste. > > PITA NAIVA ME NAIVA MATA NA JANMA > > I am not father, mother, hence no birth. > > NA BANDHUR-NA-MITRAM GURUR-NAIVA SHISHYA-HA > > I am not brother, nor friend, nor guru nor aspirant. > > CHIDANANDA ROO-PAS-SHIVO-AHM SHIVO-AHM (2) > > AHAM NIR-VIKALPO NIRA-KARA ROO-PO > > I am beyond concept, without change, beyond form. > > VIBHUR-VYAPYA SARVA-TRA SARVEN-DRIANI > > I am all-pervading in all the senses. > > SADA-ME-SAMA-TVA NA MUKTIR-NA BANDH-HA > > I see equality in everyone; I'm neither liberated nor in bondage. > > CHIDANANDA ROO-PAS-SHIVO-AHM SHIVO-AHM (2) > > > > > > >
