not all who wander are lost.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Sound Meditation.

" with my closed eyes i see, i feel, i hear. "
This past May during my stay in Encinitas, I had two life-changing experiences. One was BioSync, the other was SOUND MEDITATION. Chris Del Moro, Nicole Gorton and I headed to this little hippie clothing/accessory/incense shop in Carlsbad, Global Heart, for their Monday night Sound Meditation. There is a room that they clear out and everyone is lying down on the floor. It was so cramped in there...feet to heads, arms alongside other limbs - we were packed in like sardines. Last time I was in the middle of the room, with my foot touching the huge Gong. Scattered throughout the room were Tibetan Singing bowls of all shapes and sizes, one placed next to everyones ear. We began with a silent meditation, followed by some chanting, before we relaxed down into the earth and let the sound heal us. PROFOUND: that's the only word that I can think of. The sound of the Gong was working it's way up through my body, the vibrations of the singing bowls were running along my Meridians. Sometimes I was smiling, and sometimes tears just ran down my face. I left feeling like a new person.


Well, since my Meditation-Partners-In-Crime are out of town, I took matters into my own hands. After some serious scouring of the web, I finally found my place. I know that tonight is New Years Eve, and that the weekend is coming up - but my countdown til MONDAY begins right now! I'm so excited for the clarity and warmth that fills me up during those Monday Sound Meditations!


Here's a bit about Sound Meditation.....

Sound, Meditation and Healing
It is believed that the primordial sound along with vibration is the source for the creation of the entire universe. Sound indeed is a very powerful tool for manifestation. As both humans and animals have understood the use of sound, we have used sounds for many different purposes. It is the medium of communication. The positive effects of sound has been understood and used in various chanting as an offering and also for the creation of soothing music for the soul.
Studies shows how sound can alter the state of the mind. Light music can create a peaceful sensation while loud and distorted sound can be the cause for irritation and disrupt the natural state. Sound has been used as a tool for meditation for thousands of years. Ancient eastern civilizations have explored and document both the benefits and the destructive properties of sound.

So how does sound and vibration work in the body?

As we become familiar with energy, we are able to feel, be aware and generate this phenomenon within the body. Our body is very complex, made up of billions of cells and tissues yet functioning together as one. Knowingly or unknowingly, the body is, has and will go through transformations. Transformation caused by time is a natural phenomenon but transformations affected by physical, psychological, and emotional causes maybe the result of external agents. If we are able to understand these external agents, certain changes can be avoided.

When one is affected by the later circumstance, the person develops distrust, frustration, anger and other blockages with them. These in turn are the same blockages that prevent the proper flow of Chi with the energy centers (Chakras). As a result one is constantly stressed. Stress is a package of other physical diseases. Cancer, heart disease, digestive problems, sleep problems, depression, obesity and various other diseases have been related to chronic stress.

Meditation is one of the natural ways of working with this problem. While meditating we not only give ourselves some time to slow down but more so we allow us the opportunity to understand things as they are. The best gift we can have is the Divine Wisdom and this can only be achieved through self understanding and awareness.

Sound meditation is another powerful tool. When we use sound during meditation we are able to go beyond the chattering mind and achieve a blissful state of mind. The Om (AUM) sound is considered the first sound that was manifested. Just by understanding this three syllabus sound, we can uncover the hidden secrets of creation. This syllabus contains within itself the creative, the preservative and the destructive forces. It is one complete sound.

When one has an active mind and is not able to either generate sounds or gets distracted easily, there are various tool to help us create sounds and vibrations. Tools such as singing bowls, bells, gongs and tingshaws have been effective on the body. Sounds create work in conjunction with the energy centers of the body, resonates them and thus aligning and enabling the flow of chi (energy), throughout the body.

When one allows themselves to be one with the universe, has an in depth understanding of things how and why it happens, then one can break from the cycle of misery and suffering. As Buddha describes suffering as : suffering is not what happens within the physical body but suffering is that which takes place every time there is instability within the mind. When we have this understanding healing takes place in the most subtle levels.

No comments:

Post a Comment