Seeding Sound/Seeding Light

Seeking ‘en-lightenment?’ Riches? Power? Peace? Love? Health? Consider the sounds/meaning of words uttered without thought. (“I’m so tired.” “I’m afraid I’m sick.” “There’s not enough hours in the day.” “If only I had more money.”) Consider what the ears are taking in, the eyes tracking. The unconscious streams of opinion, bullshit, and nonsense are having their way with us, and as the character Howard Beale shouts in 1973, in the movie Network, “I’m mad as hell and I can’t take it any more!”

How many layers of meaning and understanding are attached to sound, to each word? More and more we are assaulted by vibrations of din, and (mis)information. Our core is mentally, emotionally, even psychically changed by this. It’s one thing to sit, swallowing pages of a book, munching pleasurably on each word, entirely different to listen to telephone pitches, TV ads, u-tube, Ipod, endless gameboys, never mind traffic, daily chatting, and kids yelling…the staff of life. Much of this is at high volume, often with dramatic emphasis and emotional rendering. You wonder why we ‘can’t get it together?’

Consider one word, “mom.” There’s the word itself, with its ancient seed sound, ‘Ma,’ and subconscious associations. There are emotional layers mixing past and present which confuses its generic worth. Then there’s context…ie how much of you is involved when hearing, “Mom,” and how much is simply outer contextual layering? What word did you actually hear when you listened to “Mom?” You heard something different than me, and therein lies some of the mystery, confusion, and magic of language.

‘The word’ is a beautiful thing, especially divine speech, or Saraswati. It is our direct link to creativity, and the mastery of much else in life. Our chakra centers are deeply affected by light and sound, especially when used together. In using and choosing words mindfully, with emotional intention, we change inner conditions, the subtle body responds, shifting physical perception. This is the reason chanting is a transformative tool. Even if we don’t chant, becoming aware of what we think, say, hear, see, brings greater opportunity to have control in a world where perhaps we feel small and powerless. We ain’t.

What is your first word/thought as a change-agent?

Asana: Simhasana/Lion Pose. this is the only Asana I know where sound is an integral component of its physical essence. Sit, placing R foot under L buttock, and L foot under R, keeping L ankle under R one. Sit on the heels, extending arms so hands stretch out over knees. Open mouth wide, extending tongue toward chin, drishti is between eyebrows, or tip of nose. Breathing through mouth, let out a roar. You can repeat roar, or sit silently, breathing through mouth, before changing sides.

Health Notes: This Asana helps with speech, especially good for stuttering, as well as bad breath. The lion is too regal for petty thoughts. With practice, our speech becomes lion-hearted. Simply sitting in silence, breathing through the mouth, offers mindfulness of how we might say something better.

Astrology Notes: We are in Pisces territory, which often express in multi-faceted ways as their nature is deeply impressionable. The two directions of the fish, or the feet, which Neptune rule, are tied, but going in different directions, depicting Pisces struggle between participation and withdrawal; between individualizing or morphing into the whole. Lion’s Pose is a good balance for Piscean bodies as it provides power to roar against becoming lost in dreamy undercurrents, or sacrificial seas.

Ayurvedic Notes: At this time of year, many colds circulate. They often begin with our digestion, or lack there-of. Kapha indigestion affects the stomach, Pitta the small intestine, and Vata the colon. When any of these doshas are left un-balanced they grow, moving into other parts of the body causing dis-ease. Untreated indigestion expresses as colds, coughs, fevers, ulcers, and influenza. By asking, “what can’t I digest in this moment?” is a good first step toward healing. Another, is faith in the ability to cure ourselves for most things. This is an essential ingredient of Ayurvedic medicine. Another is elimination of excesses, then, re-kindle digestive fires by balancing the doshas.