The lovelorn sing to their beloved.
At one time or another, perhaps we all do.
Before we find this beloved, we ache for her. Our being gets imbued with a deep longing for our yet unfound sweet-heart. Our heart, mind and soul sing this unsung melody. Many of us die without having found our muse.
Yet, those who do succeed in finding their respective soul mate; cannot help but feel an uncontrollable, taunting-tingling sensation in their veins whenever they muse about, meet or mourn for their beloved. Who has not sensed this song reverberating in the soul, in one form or another; if not ostentatiously, then, oh-so-secretly!
Mystics sing to their Beloved.
Of course, theirs is not the worldly but the ‘other-worldly’ maiden.
In many mystical circles, especially of the East, it is a recommended, rigorously rehearsed meditative practice. The Sufis call this ‘Sama’. They sing odes to their Unseen Beloved. Not only because it is a postulation of their Preceptor; but also owing to the fact that their aching heart cannot help but break into a mournful ode to ‘That’; the Almightiness of Eternity.
Mohammedanism forbids it. Quakers and Amish too keep mum. Ultraorthodox Jews do not relish it. Most fundamentalists die with a song unsung in their heart. They are willing to kill for God but not sing for ‘Him’ Thankfully, psalms keep many a Biblical people singing and smiling.
The East, more specifically India, much advanced in mystical matters; makes a song and a dance about each and everything, on any and every occasion, spiritual or otherwise. Devotional singing is a way of life here. It is another matter that now-a-days loudspeakers set ablaze our early morning haze; all keen to awaken others than themselves becoming ‘Awakened’!
There is much rooting, yet, hooting too for music in mysticism.
The opposition is in less advanced, unenhanced religious systems. That is, these “hearing hear not”, grim-faced “god-damn-you” songsters, never catch the godly ‘goggle’ that Nature throws the way of humankind.
We all obey The Eternal Law of Nature.
When sad, we cry. When happy, sing. What is more natural than this?
Even scientific studies recommend music therapy for alleviating painfulness; elevating peacefulness within us. Only Stone Age belief systems keep beating the same wall; of bookish isms and raving, ranting writs and reasons.
During proper, purposeful meditation; that is, while silently listening to the song of the soul; it is not uncommon to hear pleasant chirping, ringing or humming sounds. A little advanced practitioner may even hear ‘Aum’ like sound. It would be found akin to ‘Amen’ of the Christians and ‘Ameen’ of the Muslims, if the ‘n’ is hummed and not drummed. All three sound alike then. It would be ‘A’ and ‘M’; like opening and closing of our mouth, trying to say something yet holding back at the exact moment and not uttering it. It is The Unsaid.
Yogis say it is the surreal sound of the skies. Is the Music of God.
Music is the muse of gods. It breathes in the soul of simpletons and sophisticated alike. It recognizes creed nor breed, color or ‘collar’, robe nor religion, book or crook. It takes abode in every heart. Whosoever fine tunes within, hears it. It is the life of Nature.
However, life sings in silence. Who recognize it, sing with it. Who sing it; start hearing the silence outside as within. It serves as a yoke with our soul. The Sanskrit word ‘yoga’ means ‘to yoke’. Yoke or unite with What Is: Truth, God.
Thus, the Yogis, Sufis and Free Mystics, recognizing its utility in ‘yoking’ to ‘What Is’; recommend and respect music as a divine blessing. In every kind and creed of religious sect, lower or higher, devotional music plays a crucial part here in India. The mystical teachings of entire Sikh Holy Scripture are set in 31 classical Indian ‘raga’, musical settings. Musical beat brings many an aborigine and an African race nearer God. It plays an important part in spiritual practices of the Red Indians.
In Sufi dervish gathering, ‘whirling’ dance, going round and round while devotional music is sung or played, is said to give them a ‘high’. Of course, it is open to drama and deceit; but, at the minimum it encourages, at a subtle level, to lead the spiritual seekers to fine-tuning their mystical ear. They start ‘hearing’ better the song of their soul.
All said and done, real music lies in silence.
Cacophony within, if not silenced, creates but crap-n-phony. Music, especially the right kind, mystical and divine, helps in clearing many a mess within. Yet, if not ‘hearing’ with the ‘right’ ear, music ‘maddens’ the ‘maiden’ of mystical understanding residing in us. Many a musician of the mundane but popular kind, get high on hallucinating drugs; misinterpreting some visions here or there as spirituality. It is not.
Music is used as a means in mysticism. It is not the end.
In the end there is but silence. All meditational practices are meant to get us somewhere ‘There’. The Endless Zone of Silence; where the soul is silent; silence is the soul. Hearing ‘That’ sound of silence, the free mystics sing. In the Eternal Soul of Silence, music and mysticism merge; becoming more than ‘duality’: One! This Immanent Silence is the music of the free mystics.
“I am in the Father, and the Father in me!”
Let this Silence sing.
All else is but blind leading the blind.
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