Ohm, Nada, Sadhana, the essence of sound 3
The syllable OHM not only manifests in the form of sound but is claimed to be seen also as physical, light and heat. All things are based on vibrational frequencies and are stated in the Vedas and Upanishads. From the Mandukya Upanishad;
" The syllable OHM, which is the imperishable Brahman in the universe. Whatsoever has existed, whatsoever exists, whatsoever shall exist hereafter, is OHM, and whatsoever transcends past, present and future, that is also OHM."
The use of the tanpura in this meditative practice is essential, not only to give a tonal basis on which to sing, and to help us feel and hear the deep resonance but also for us to help perceive the sub-conscious levels within us. B. C. Deva writes about this;
" That the unconscious operates in all our perceptions is beyond doubt. The best clue to this is the realisation that out of the extraordinary number of stimuli we receive from the outside and inside, we are aware of only very few at a time. Now, the presence of the other stimuli cannot be denied. Therefore, they must be perceived at some level which is obviously at the sub- and unconscious levels. Such a process must certainly be operating in the case of the creation of the tonal background due to the tanpura".
It is also true that vibration in the form of music has enormous power over us, the kind of power that makes a strong man cry. It has the ability to reach into the core of our being, to lift us from the mundane to the limitless, boundless possibilities of the free spirit. The Sufis say that music has a divine connection with God:
" Sound is considered to be undertones of the celestial vibrations but it is believed to contain something of the celestial tones. That's why some of us feel a divine connection between music and God, It is through these undertones that the overtones become a vehicle back to the heavenly plains."