Theos-Talk Archives (April 1995 Message tl00165)

OSMAR DE CARVALHO <osmardc@bra000.canal-vip.onsp.br> writes:
> Aloha, Astrea and Liesel!

Aloha!

> I love to do some of my personal meditations with music,
> especially sounds of mantras.  Apparently this kind of harmonic
> tune leads the mind very quickly to the trance state and the
> feeling of emptiness.

I think this is a valid tool, and certainly tried and true
amongst most monastic traditions (that i know of.) Have you heard
Hoomi chanting? (aka overtone chanting.) Developed in Mongolia
and practiced in Central Asia, it produces a shift in
consciousness very quickly indeed.  David Hykes and his choir
from NY are excellent exponents of the art.

> On this subject I was told that Radha Burnier says that was not
> advisable to use music in meditation, because "music is a kind of
> form and meditation aims to achieve consciousness beyond forms."

Radha's approach seems very austere at times, and may not suit
everyone.

> From my experience I arrived to the conclusion that music is very
> good to attain the "concentration" state, as a sonic "mandala", but
> its fixation on one of the senses works similarly as an "anchor",
> which refrain the consciousness to enter the deep "meditation"
> level.
>
> What you think about it?

Sure, why not? I find a good live performance of Beethoven's
Ninth Symphony really does things for me!

Don't forget the Silence, though

ASTREA