Nada Yoga
Nada Yoga, which means "union through sound," is an ancient spiritual art that embraces the notion that you can harmonize and guide the flow of energy in your body through sound and tone. Nada in Sanskrit it means 'sound' or 'flow.' This practice supports the belief that the universe is vibratory; from the atom to the Milky Way, everything vibrates at a certain rhythm. What our ears pick up is only the surface.
Although it's called yoga, no physical exercise is necessary. You can try practicing Nada Yoga by actively listening to soothing music, such as the North Indian sitar or Japanese Shakuhachi. Calming instrumental tunes are ideal because voices and words are specific and too distracting. At first, simply sit quietly and focus on the music for about ten minutes once or twice a day. The objective is to get so absorbed that you become the sound.
In essence, Nada yoga is about listening to the inner sounds. Gradually, you may be able to hear subtle sounds from within such as a ringing or a humming. This is the music inside your body: blood pumping; the electrical energy of nerves. With time, your listening skills will improve and you will become more sensitive to the emotions and energies swirling within yourself and in others. Remember, when we practice listening, we become intuitive.
Toning, which is a technique that relieves mental stress by returning the brainwaves to a state of alpha, is another integral part of Nada Yoga. It doesn't require melody, words or rhythm - just the sound of your vibrating breath. Vowel sounds are the easiest to start with. You can tone standing up in the shower or lying in bed. To start, allow your intuition to choose a vowel for you and then extend it until it becomes a continuous sound on each breath. Toning engages your entire being, not just your voice, so reverberate from deep within you. It doesn't have to be pretty; the point of toning is your experience and the results.
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