Yoga Of Inner Light And Sound

Author(s): Achyutanand Swami, Praveshkumar Singh
Publisher: Santmat Sangh Samiti Chandrapur

Page 16

consciousness present in the two eyes meet in a point, the gaze gets fixed in a point in absence of any base within has to be learnt from an accomplished Guru and practised regularly with utmost faith & sincerity. It must be noted here that sants warn strictly against any kind of imagining of the presence of a point within. Whenever the two currents meet, a bright point is automatically seen, it does not have to be imagined. Whenever this happens, breathing stops automatically, awareness of own body and surroundings is lost even as the meditator is fully alert and conscious internally. Ascension or transcendence is a direct corollary of concentration, collection or shrinking of attention. As a result, thus, of awareness shrinking completely in an absolute point the 'jiva'or 'Surat' (non-liberated individual soul that is combined with the mind etc.) pierces through or transcends the gross sphere, and ascends into the astral plane where countless varieties of sounds called anahad ('ana' meaning 'no' and 'had' meaning limit or boundary) nāda (sounds) are heard. Brilliant lights, innumerable worlds, stars, moon, sun, advanced souls etc etc are seen by the practiser, who has become completely oblivious of, or has left behind the gross universe (that his gross body exists in) behind him. The soul keeps flying in the inner sky sighting all the magnificent scenes like a bird. Hence bindu dhyān or yoga of light is also known as the "vihangam mārg" (vihangam means bird and mārg means path). The perceiver becomes indescribably enthralled, ecstatic by the mesmerising sights. But he has to move on resisting these temptations, rise further to accomplish his ultimate Goal which is self-Realisation or God-Realisation.
It is important to mention here that he who has moved into the realm of light acquires the ability to see distances, anywhere in the universe, as the Yogashikhopanishad says, "stillness of gaze in the Absolute Points naturally yields the ability to see far (in space & time)".
The soul has now to concentrate on the sounds that are heard ricocheting within, by practising nāda dhyān/surat shabd yoga/nādānusandhāna (Yoga of Inner Divine Sound). Countless varieties of sounds including the ocean's roar, thunder of clouds, melodies resembling those of musical instruments like drums, sitar, lute, flute etc. are heard. These sounds are so captivating and pleasing that the soul forgets everything else. These sounds become more & more melodious as one moves into higher & higher realms. By learning the right tact from a true Guru one can grasp the five central sounds, as described above, one after another and go on rising further and further. All these words or sounds are flowing from higher realms and clasping on to them it is very much possible for the perceiving soul to keep ascending, just as a fish can swim against the stream or current.
Tiny fishes especially are skilled enough to swim upstream even against very strong turbulent currents. The ascension of soul in the reverse direction of flow of streams of sounds can thus be compared to the swimming of fishes. Hence the yoga of sound has also been referred to as "mīna mārg" (mina meaning fish and märg meaning path). Thus, climbing further & further, leaving all the five spheres behind one after another, the soul finally transcends even the domain of the quintessential unstruck sound and merges into the 'anāmi' (nameless/ soundless) or 'kaivalyātīta' (beyond Kaivalya or Conscious) state to be one with the Supreme Godhead, to be the God Himself. Thus yoga or union or bhakti (devotion) gets completed.
Practice of Bindu Dhyān (Meditation on the Inner Infinitesimal Point), Drish Sadhan (Meditation on Inner Light), Shūnya Dhyān (Meditation in the Inner Void or Sky), or Sushumnā Dhyan (Meditation in Sushumnā) is also termed as the practice of 'dama' (subjugation of sensory organs). Thus, the one who masters or achieves perfection in the Yoga of Inner Light gains complete control over, or is able to subjugate his sensory organs.