How To Use Sound, Simply, To Transform Your Life
Intentionally focusing on sound disrupts the thinking mind, moving us into a present state of awareness, where we can manifest clear and positive energetic states of being.
The thinking mind, or the mind of attachment, is constantly conceiving of important ideas that "have to be" thought about and "have to be" acted upon. The mind is thinking all the time, in such subtle ways, we aren’t even aware of it happening, or even know what we are really thinking about. It is so difficult to witness the thinking mind and all its small energetic shifts.
Regardless of whether we can witness the mind, we do suffer the tension and of all the emotions wrapped up in the ideas the mind is creating, whether they be fear, or sadness, or anxiety, or desire.
It is difficult to just slow down, quiet our minds, and feel at peace with our surroundings, because our attention is naturally directed by the subtle attachments of the thinking mind. It is like we don’t have a choice where our attention is going, and we are pulled along by our subconscious thoughts and feelings.
But, when we can slow down, and come into present spacious awareness, then we can have a greater sense of choice. In present awareness, we can intentionally manifest the energetic nature of our experience. We can manifest a state of comfort, peace, joy, love, bliss and many other clear coherent states of non-suffering, simply through our intention. It is the power, we have, to not suffer.
This is a simple path, from being wrapped up in our thoughts and attachments, to being presently aware and then to manifesting a positive energetic state. The more we can let our thoughts and attachments go, the more spacious we naturally feel, and the more easily we can intentionally manifest inner coherence.
It is important to learn this process on our own, with the mental faculties born to each of us, faculties such as attention, intention, perception and understanding. There is no medication, and there is no healer, and there is no specific sound, that can do this for us.
Sound though, with proper attention, can help us let go of stuck energy and be released into the clear present moment. Sound is a quickener. It bypasses and cuts through the thinking mind, so you can access spacious awareness much faster. You don't need to sit in meditation waiting for the mind to quiet. Sound calls forth present attention, away from thought processes, away from struggle, into direct present awareness. This can allow for spontaneous release of any chaos, confusion, emotional entanglements, or attached energy held onto. This is a process known as catharsis. It can bring about fast changes, sudden feelings of great peace or joy, of vibrant presence, and awareness of new and exciting energies and ideas. It can also allow for us to learn how to begin to manifest clear energetic states that we can begin to live and thrive in. Sound helps create a state known as ‘clear view’, from which we can see the world around and within us more clearly, thus make clear choices, and take more empowered clear actions.
Here is a simple sound meditation. You can use any sound. You can use an instrument, your breath or voice, or you can just listen to the sounds in your world. If you want to make sound, just use a simple hum, “om” or “ahhhh” as excellent starting point. Breathe with the awareness of the sound. As you breathe, focus in on just listening to the sound. Be present with it’s changes, and it’s vibratory nature. Now generate a small feeling of joy or wellbeing from within. This can be done in many ways: from the heart, through a small smile, through imagining the feeling, or through imaging something that would naturally bring about joy. Plant this feeling like a subtle seed, within your memory or body. Imagine the joy growing, and transforming the energetic experience of your mind and body. The joy will naturally grow, as you choose and intend it so. This practice is simply going into the present moment with the help of sound, and manifesting from there a clear positive energetic state. We use sound to quickly bypass the thinking mind and anchor our attention in the process, and then can use our own mental faculties to manifest a clear positive state.
This is something that can be done at anytime, whether you are waiting in line for food, or driving in a car, or doing the dishes. The world around presents us with a multitude of sounds to work with. There is constant potential for joy and happiness, that can guide and inform our actions in the world.
Jonathan Wood
Zacciah Blackburn
9/13/23