MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON OUR BODY CENTRES
Different musical instruments have different vibrations, each of which
uniquely affects different centres in our body.
The base sound created by the drum affects the lowest centre/chakra. For
example, this can be felt from rock and roll music. This sort of music
simply shakes off inertia. You just cannot be lazy or sleepy when drums
are being played.
The metallic sound emanating from stringed instruments have their effect
in the naval centre. If a chair is being pushed or some screeching noise
is made, something happens in the tummy. Have you noticed that if a door
creaks or any harsh metallic sound is made, something happens in the
navel centre? Solid metallic sound affects the navel region and from
there, fine stringed instruments have an effect rising up to the heart
region.
Wind instruments like the flute affect the region from the heart to the
throat to the eyebrow centre. The blowing of a conch affects us from the
eyebrow centre to the top of the head.
In ancient India, our ancestors had experimented with this relationship
between sound and the body and they had thorough knowledge about the
effects and causes of these instruments on the different centres of our
body. In fact, even a temple was designed accordingly. There were nine
doorways, and a different instrument was kept and played at each of
these door ways. In the centre of the temple, when all these instruments
were played together, the ideal intensity of the combination of all
these sounds was achieved. Drums were to be played at the outermost
doorway, then the metallic instruments, the stringed instruments and the
wind instruments. Right inside the temple, in the sanctum –
sanctorum, was played the conch and the bell. The sound of the bell has
special vibrations. It removes all negativity, depression and all
unclean thoughts from the mind, bringing alertness and clarity. When a
bell is rung, the mantra says, "the bell is the symbol of the coming
of the angels and the departure of evil spirits." A bell is rung
before the start of any puja. This is a sign for the coming of the
Devas. A Divine opening! The mind immediately opens up to receive the
Divine.
And when such music comes collectively from all the instruments,
resounding from all the nine doorways, the mind has got to be in the
Present Moment. A mind which is otherwise occupied, or disturbed, comes
back instantly into the present moment when a bell is rung.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
uniquely affects different centres in our body.
The base sound created by the drum affects the lowest centre/chakra. For
example, this can be felt from rock and roll music. This sort of music
simply shakes off inertia. You just cannot be lazy or sleepy when drums
are being played.
The metallic sound emanating from stringed instruments have their effect
in the naval centre. If a chair is being pushed or some screeching noise
is made, something happens in the tummy. Have you noticed that if a door
creaks or any harsh metallic sound is made, something happens in the
navel centre? Solid metallic sound affects the navel region and from
there, fine stringed instruments have an effect rising up to the heart
region.
Wind instruments like the flute affect the region from the heart to the
throat to the eyebrow centre. The blowing of a conch affects us from the
eyebrow centre to the top of the head.
In ancient India, our ancestors had experimented with this relationship
between sound and the body and they had thorough knowledge about the
effects and causes of these instruments on the different centres of our
body. In fact, even a temple was designed accordingly. There were nine
doorways, and a different instrument was kept and played at each of
these door ways. In the centre of the temple, when all these instruments
were played together, the ideal intensity of the combination of all
these sounds was achieved. Drums were to be played at the outermost
doorway, then the metallic instruments, the stringed instruments and the
wind instruments. Right inside the temple, in the sanctum –
sanctorum, was played the conch and the bell. The sound of the bell has
special vibrations. It removes all negativity, depression and all
unclean thoughts from the mind, bringing alertness and clarity. When a
bell is rung, the mantra says, "the bell is the symbol of the coming
of the angels and the departure of evil spirits." A bell is rung
before the start of any puja. This is a sign for the coming of the
Devas. A Divine opening! The mind immediately opens up to receive the
Divine.
And when such music comes collectively from all the instruments,
resounding from all the nine doorways, the mind has got to be in the
Present Moment. A mind which is otherwise occupied, or disturbed, comes
back instantly into the present moment when a bell is rung.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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