How to Practice Nada Yoga [4 Powerful Techniques Included]

Nada Yoga, or the "Yoga of Sound," translates to "the blossoming of consciousness through sound," or "the practice of transcendental hearing." Nada Yoga is an ancient science built on the principle that everything in the universe is woven fr om vibration—Nada. As one of the many profound paths within the broader fundamentals of yoga, it offers a unique approach to spiritual connection.

You may have seen experiments wh ere music creates intricate patterns in sand, or how sound waves can structure the molecules of water. We’ve all heard stories of musical ragas being used to summon rain or light lamps, and of Tibetan lamas dispersing storm clouds with the beat of a drum. These examples all point to the same truth: sound is the foundation of creation.

In Nada Yoga, the human being is seen as a musical instrument, with 72,000 "strings" or energy channels (nadis) within the body. Throughout the day, different "strings" resonate, influencing our physical, emotional, and mental states. With this knowledge, you can learn to tune yourself to a state of perfect harmony and, by changing your vibration, influence matter and all its manifestations in the world.

The practice of Nada Yoga is a powerful tool for attuning yourself to this ideal state of being.

At the heart of the practice is the quest to hear the primordial sound that created the universe—the very pulse of life itself. It is believed that this sound still echoes throughout existence. If you can tune into it, you can connect with the consciousness of the Creator and attain the highest knowledge.

The teachings of Nada Yoga were passed down by Shiva to the great sages Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath. According to these teachings, Nada is the result of the union between Shiva (consciousness, the principle of eternal stillness) and Shakti (energy, the principle of constant transformation). It is the subtle vibration of transcendent sound fr om which all of creation later emerged.

Nada Yoga is mentioned in such ancient treatises as:

• The Gheranda Samhita
• The Shiva Samhita
• The Hatha Yoga Pradipika
• The Goraksha Paddhati

The Upanishads state that the sound "Om" is the manifestation of the Infinite.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe Nada Yoga in this way: "The sacred word of Ishvara is AUM (or OM). This is the Pranava. Through the sounding of this word and reflection upon its meaning, the Path is attained."

The Yoga of Sound is a vital practice for many spiritual traditions, not only the Vedic path.

Each tradition has its own name for this universal concept. The "Nada" of yoga is the "Shabda" of the Sufis, the "Logos" in Christianity, the "Sraosha" in Zoroastrianism, and is also known as "Naam" (the Name), "Akashvani" (the celestial voice), "Dhun" (the melody), "Nadiasmani" (the celestial harmony), and "Vani" (the Word).

Nada Yoga is described in detail in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" — here too, sound is presented as the source of the world's creation.

The Buddhist tradition also uses sound as an object of meditation.

Since ancient times, sound has been used as a means to connect with the Higher Self. According to the Vedas, which describe the methods for obtaining reliable knowledge (pramana), Nada Yoga belongs to Shabda-pramana (from the Sanskrit śabda, meaning 'sound, word, utterance, name, speech').

In Hinduism, many deities are depicted playing musical instruments: Krishna plays the flute, Saraswati the veena, and Ganesha the tabla drums.

Nada Yoga is practiced within Bhakti Yoga, Tantric Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Raja Yoga, Laya Yoga, the schools of Vedanta, and many other spiritual traditions.

The profound role of transcendent listening as a method of knowing is not unique to Vedic traditions; it also echoes throughout Western philosophy, from the teachings of Pythagoras and Aristotle to the works of Augustine, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Buber, and Spengler.

The Buddhist Shurangama Sutra describes how Avalokiteshvara attained enlightenment by concentrating on the inner sound, to which the Buddha remarked: "How sweet and mysterious is the Transcendent Sound of Avalokiteshvara! It is the pure Sound of Brahman. It brings liberation and peace to all living beings who, in their distress, cry out for help."

1. First Level: Para Vani

   Para Vani is the transcendent speech. It is internal silence, a soundless sound with an infinite wavelength. It is the mere potential for sound, a barely perceptible impulse in the mind.

   According to the Nitya Tantra, Para Vani arises in the Muladhara Chakra (the root center). At this stage, the knower becomes completely one with reality.

2. Second Level: Pashyanti Vani

   Pashyanti Vani is the thought of a word, not yet formed into speech. It manifests as the ability to "see" sound, to visualize a sound wave as color. It arises in the Manipura Chakra (the solar plexus center), corresponds to the state of deep, dreamless sleep, and is associated with the causal body (karana sharira). At this level, the practitioner sees truth through the eyes of the soul.

3. Third Level: Madhyama Vani

   Madhyama Vani is the mental utterance of a word before it is spoken aloud. This is the level of thought forms and intentions. It is connected to the senses (indriyas), originates in the Anahata Chakra (the heart center), and corresponds to the dreaming state and the subtle body (sukshma sharira). This is a form of auditory pratyahara, or the withdrawal from external sounds. Here, knowing is achieved by questioning one's own inner essence.

4. Fourth Level: Vaikhari Vani

   Vaikhari Vani is the grossest, most physical form of the primordial sound. It is our audible speech. It arises in the Vishuddha Chakra (the throat center) and is manifested through the vocal cords. It corresponds to the waking state and the physical body (sthula sharira).

   At this level, the perception of truth occurs through receiving knowledge from an authoritative source, passed down orally from teacher to student.

• Preparatory Practice: Karna Dhauti

  • Sit with a straight spine.
  • Place your index fingers into your ear canals.
  • Gently massage them clockwise and counter-clockwise for about three minutes.
  • Afterward, perform a gentle massage of your outer ears.

• Direct Meditation on Sound

  In Nada Yoga, the source of sound can be:

  • A musical instrument, such as a gong or Tibetan singing bowls.
  • Your voice. You can chant mantras, prayers, affirmations, well-wishes, or any words that you perceive as harmonious.
  • Your breath.

  The key is to allow yourself to relax completely. For some time, simply listen to the sound, immersing yourself in it, noticing the vibrations in your body, and trying to catch the "mental echo" that remains.

  During the practice, you can focus your concentration on one of the following points:

  1. The Anahata Chakra (the center of the chest).
  2. The Sushumna Nadi (the central channel along the spine).
  3. The Bindu point (at the back of the head, wh ere the parietal and occipital bones meet).
  4. The space between the eyebrows, known as the Ajna or third eye chakra.

  Practice for as long as feels comfortable for you.

• Shanmukhi Mudra

  • Sitting with a straight spine, take a deep inhale and hold your breath.
  • Close your ears with your thumbs, your eyes with your index fingers, and your nostrils with your middle fingers. Place your ring and pinky fingers above and below your lips to seal your mouth.
  • Remain in this position, directing your attention inward.
  • When you need to exhale, release your nostrils and breathe out. Keep the other fingers in place.
  • Inhale, and then close your nostrils again.
  • Continue for as long as you wish.

• Bhramari Pranayama (Bumblebee Breath)

  • Sitting with a straight spine, close your ears with your index or middle fingers by pressing the tragus (the small cartilage flap) over the ear canal.
  • As you exhale, make a long, continuous humming sound, like "mmmmmm." Inhale naturally.
  • Perform this practice for ten to twenty cycles.
  • Afterward, remain seated with your eyes closed, observing the inner silence.

What Sounds You Might Hear During Nada Yoga

In the Svacchanda Tantra and the Malinivijaya Tantra, the sounds heard during Nada Yoga practice are described as follows:

• The beating of a drum
• A roar
• The striking of a gong
• The sound of a conch shell
• A bamboo flute
• The loud buzzing of a bee
• Bells
• The striking of sitar strings
• The rumble of thunder
• Mridangam drums
• The touch of an ant
• The voice of silence, which absorbs all other sounds

In what other instances can the sounds of Nada be heard?

• Orgasm
• Death
• Yawning
• Samadhi (a state of deep meditative absorption)
• In the pause between the inhalation and exhalation

According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, there are four stages of realization in the practice:

1. Arambha Avastha. Energy rises and awakens the Muladhara chakra. The body may begin to sweat profusely, and feelings of joy and bliss arise.
2. Ghata Avastha. The mind begins to perceive more subtle sound vibrations. The practitioner may develop siddhis (supernormal abilities) such as clairvoyance, clairaudience, the ability to teleport, the power to assume any form, become invisible, or turn iron into gold.
3. Parichaya Avastha. The practitioner becomes free from worldly attachments and gains control over the five elements. The needs of the body no longer have power over them.
4. Nishpatti Avastha. One achieves complete self-realization and liberation from karma, disease, old age, and death.