There is lots of debate in Yoga communities about sound and music during practice. Some say that sound is an external distraction that keeps the yogi from going inward, since the practice of Yoga is about transcending the senses and discovering the true nature of self.
However, sound and music can be aids in supporting the space and practice. There is a very special place for sound and music in yoga.
Sound Sets The Scene
Have you ever been in a Yoga class, only to feel agitated by all the shuffling, coughing, and adjusting going on during class?
Even worse, have you ever been in a Yoga class with bad music that doesn’t fit the vibe? Unfortunately, these experiences are all too common and may even turn students away from your class.
Every yoga class is filled with sounds that influence your mental state, whether intentional or not. When done right, music can help quiet background noise and decrease distractions.
A quiet mind is the key to going deeper in your practice. Through recent studies, we know that sound therapy supports concentration, reduces anxiety, and even improves blood pressure. Music has the power to calm the mind and relax the body– by rewiring neural networks.
Traditional sound healing has been used along side yoga, the Chakra System, and Solfeggio frequencies for thousands of years.
A true yogi knows how beneficial these effects may be on the Yogic path of “union” with the highest truth.
Nada Yoga
There is actually an entire school of yoga dedicated to a union between yoga and sound healing principles.
Sound healing is one of the most ancient spiritual techniques. We see evidence of it in cave paintings from 14,000-40,000 years ago. That is by far older than the 10,000-year-old teachings of Yoga. The ancient rishis (Yogic sages) picked up on the power of sound for spiritual use when codifying traditional Hatha Yoga techniques. They even dedicated a whole branch toward it! This is what we call Nada Yoga, which means “union through sound.”
How To Practice Nada Yoga
There are two ways that you can practice Nada Yoga– internal and external practice.
Let’s start with internal!
Internal Practice– The Unstruck Sound
The purpose of this practice is to access your internal sounds to raise the body’s frequency. This internal sound is referred to as Anahata nada“sound of the heart.”
This requires the utmost concentration, dedication to practice, and complete external silence. Experienced yogis who have been able to achieve this have said that they hear sounds like wind in the breeze, loud drums, soft flutes, buzzing bees, and shimmering gongs.
Interal nada yoga practice is a powerful heart-opener. The sounds are produced and heard from within Sushumna– the central energy channel. These sounds are especially loud in the “ear of the heart,” the Heart Chakra.
This practice takes years, even decades to master. If you, like most people, don’t have the time to spend on this, external practice may be a more viable option for you.
External Practice
This method uses external sounds, like recorded music or sound healing instruments. This is referred to as ahata nada, “external sound.”
While meditating or practicing asana, select calming sounds (such as chimes, tuning forks, bowls, or gongs) or your favorite soothing music. Nature sounds are also encouraged!
Focus on your breath, the sound of the music in your ears throughout your practice. Over time, this ahata nada technique will strengthen your focus and clarity during your practice.
To find a practitioner in the practice of ahata nada (aka a sound healer) near you, search our directory.
To explore how to tune your Yoga playlist to your Solfeggio frequency of choice, download HZP!
With HZP you can adjust the frequency of any music you have in your library to enhance your listening experience. HZP allows you to experience your favorite songs in any of the Solfeggio Frequencies so that you can explore what resonates with your unique mind, body, and spirit.
For the first time, you can unlock the healing potential of these frequencies at home from any device – making ancient medicine accessible for modern times. This new software is perfect for DJs, meditations, and mindful gatherings of all kinds. Download HZP today to see how listening to music in resonance with Solfeggio and other healing frequencies will benefit you. We believe you’ll love what you hear!
Head on over to https://hzplayer.com/download to find the right player for your device!
