HEAL YOURSELF WITH THE AMAZING POWER OF MUSIC
Swami Shyamendra's Responses to Questions
on Music.
(1) I love music. But I am suffering from hypertension. Would you please tell
me the remedy?
--Answer from Swami Shyamendra: You must listen to a certain tune in Hindu classical
music. I tell you because I was myself a student of music in my teen age years.
You must approach a good musician and ask him to sing for you or just play tunes
in a special raga called Ananda Bhairavi. Get a recorded version if you must
& listen often.
(2) I am suffering from several psychosomatic diseases.
--Answer from Swami Shyamendra: Well, you must listen to another raga known
as Shanker Maranam from Karnatak music.
(3) I am suffering from asthma. What to do?
--Answer from Swami Shyamendra: Very well, you must listen Raga Bhairavi. It
heals all diseases related to breathing including tuberculosis.
(4) My mind is very restless. I get irritated easily. I am a very angry & violent
guy. But I want some help.
--Answer from Swami Shyamendra: You just relax & listen to Raga Malhar & Raga
Jaijaivanti.
(5) I have high blood pressure. Do you have anything for me?
Answer from Swami Shyamendra: You must listen to Raga Asavari.
(6) I am suffering from insomnia.
Answer from Swami Shyamendra: Just listen Raga Nilambari. And you'll sleep like
a baby buffalo.
(7) My belly is always bothering me. It just can not digest what I eat.
Answer from Swami Shyamendra: You just listen to Raga Sri & Raga Pancham and
your digestive power will increase.
(8) I have terrible pain in my limbs.
Answer from Swami Shyamendra: You just listen to Raga Vardhini. Then in order
for your limbs to function properly listen to Raga Todi.
(9) What about coughing?
Answer from Swami Shyamendra: Listen to Raga Bhairavi carefuly. It is the best
in all problems related to imbalace of bile & mucus. Start right away & heal
yourself.
(10) What other Traditional Indian Hindu Music heals?
Answer from Swami Shyamendra: Sama Veda recitation or Sama based music reduces
stress by 25%. These Ragas I've named above play their role exactly as deep
meditation does as a therapy. There is another very special Raga. Raga Khambuj.
It heals you even from insanity or lunacy. Can you believe that? Just try. "Your
right is on action alone & not on the fruit," says Lord Krishna in one of his
success tips.
(11) Which book shall I read on music therapy?
Answer from Swami Shyamendra - Read a book "Awakening" by Oliver Sake. Read
"The Tao of Music" by Dr. John Aptiz.
(12) What all happens during Music Therapy?
Answer from Swami Shyamendra: It is just a balancing of the imbalanced biorhythm
that does the job. In depression a song is necessary. In certain types of despondency,
the patient must sing by himself. In anxiety-neurosis, playing the Vina, Sitar
or Gitar are required. In manias or uncontrollable craziness - strong and fast
music is important. In order to heal, the patient must be in affinity with the
music. He must be involved. He must play the instrument as good as he or she
can. Vocal and instrumental music create chemical secretions in the brain which
cure the particular ailments along with their negative, pessimistic and life
damaging mentality. Many new brainwaves are created the new Alpha and Delta
vibrate and emanate and enter deeper recesses of your physiopsychology creating
a new situation producing a new context to life. This vibrates the jammed or
clogged right part of your brain which causes perception-blocked stupidities
and progress killer memory-less-ness. Music is a potent antidote to dementia.
(13) Would you please kindly tell us some creative and productive aspects of
music?
Swami Shyamendra - In Denver, Colorado USA someone experimented on vines & plants.
They found in a subjective, biased but interesting test that Rock music turned
them 80 degree opposite from the radio playing rock music whereas with the classical
music they enveloped the radio from all sides and bloomed into flowers. Their
roots branches were strengthened. Ohio experiments showed that the plants supposed
to bloom in about 2 years bloomed in 6 months. I suppose if they were supposed
to bloom with a positive attitude towards Rock music, they would have done that
too. In a South Indian university seeds were charged with music and when they
were sown they sprouted in less than half the time they took without it. Loud
speakers were put on high poles around the fields and music was broadcasted.
The growth was 20% increased. Near Kamakhya 100,000 fruit trees listened music
from 7 to 11 am daily in 5 acres of land. Dr. Rakio says flowers are amazingly
fragrant & fruits are nectarine sweet.
(14) Is not music an obstacle in yoga and meditation? We don't see yogis and
Swamis enjoy music. Why?
Swami Shyamendra replies - The author of Yoga Sutra sage Patanjali was invited
in a farewell party at the completion of a yajna by king Pushyamitra. Patanajali
participated in all programs including music, dances and songs. Next morning
his student Chaitra questioned him: "Sire, is music helpful in suspending the
modifications of thinking principles?"
Sage smiled on his pointy question. He explained - The nature of one's true
Self is bliss. The purpose of all the Yogic disciplines and regulative principles
and character building messages are only to maintain the purity of bliss and
not to let it get polluted with impressions and patterns of sensuality. To relinquish
the bliss only due to fear of its pollution thru sensuality is cowardice. Can
a farmer drop agriculture only because animals will graze it away or he will
have to spend a lot in taxes? This is not a discipline. It is an escape. This
escape is equal to saving water from a liquid flow and fire from heat and energy.
So fear not dear.
(15) Please tell us a nice story about music.
Response from Swami Shyamendra:- After "The law of conservation of energy" was
accepted, science tells us the world is a composition of vibrant sound waves.
Arnst Chadni in his book "Discourses Concerning the Therapy of Music." Says
all forms and patterns are created by sound waves, Quantum Waves. So whatever
we can see as person, place and form, physical or astral - or divine - are compositions
of sound waves. Therefore if a person, situation and circumstances are not according
to our likings. We can change it completely, as we like to be. It can be done
through bringing desirable changes in any object through producing appropriate
sound vibrations with music. Music is as powerful a science as Yoga or Tantra
is. O.K. now let me tell you a story. It took place just 400 years ago. There
is a movie on the hero of this story but this event is not there.
Master Musician Baiju lived in a temple at Vrindaban worshipping God through
music. His disciple Gopal, though young, also became an accomplished musician.
Gopal was an orphan. Baiju raised him from his childhood out of compassion.
When he sang Raja Dhamar the whole atmosphere became calm, silent and thrilled.
Flowers bloomed. Deer ran down and peacocks danced. Trees and vines shook and
swung to and fro.
One day an official from Jodhpur state heard him. He was stunned and thrilled
& teary-eyed. He embraced Gopal and said, "Wow, what a tremendous talent you
have. It is as if the Goddess of music is in your control! What are you doing
in this jungle my dear boy? Let me take you in the royal court of our king.
He will have you as his own soul. I'm sure.
Gopal couldn't say Yes or No. The official understood. Day after day he seduced
and allured him towards new gains. Gopal fell in his trap and one day he left
without informing his guru.
As soon as Gopal entered the royal assembly, he was amazed to see the royal
glamour and wealth. The court musician took the challenge. He sang Raga Dhamar,
Chaver, Tintal, Dadara, Dipchandi and many more. But Gopal's voice was matchless.
It was timeless, transcendent and bewitching.
Flowers showered. The Princess ran down. The King stepped forward and embraced
Gopal. He cried in great joy. He offered him at once a 9 million rupee necklace
of pearls. He gave him high seat. He donated a million rupee mansion for him
to live in. Gopal became an uncrowned king overnight.
The king asked- "Dear Gopal, please tell us who is your guru? How did you learn
such an enchanting music?"
Vanity took over Gopal and he said- "Majesty No one is my guru. I just practiced
music sitting in the temple with great labor and austerity."
The King responded, "Such a great achievement without any help! You're a divine
being. Gopal you are the prophet of music. You've come to our planet to restore
wisdom of music. This entire empire is yours. Just tell me your order. I am
your servant."
Gopal's royal life began in the midst of abundance. New golden dreams new fantastic
achievements. New delicious foods everyday.
Baiju loved his disciple whom he had raised from innocent babyhood as a helpless,
hungry, thirsty baby on the street. He cared and reared him as his own baby.
He worried about him, "O what happened to my child? Never before separated from
me for long and all of a sudden he is gone. He went everywhere asked everyone
whom he met. Oh, I lost my baby, where is my Gopal? Kindly go & find out about
him."
At last a person came who gave him the news about where Gopal had gone to. At
once Baiju left. Stumbling around he walked all the distance to Jodhpur & to
the royal assembly.
It was new spring day. Color festival was starting. Gopal was singing Raga Vasant.
Baiju saw his boy in royal garments and rushed. He clasped him in his embraced
and out of love tears came to his eyes. The King asked, "Stranger, tell me who
you are and why you have come?"
"Your Majesty, your court magician is my disciple, my adopted son."
Gopal stood up right there & yelled, "Your Majesty, I don't know who this man
is. Why he is doing this to me? I've no guru. I've obtained my talent all by
myself. Get him out of here."
Baiju sighed, "Gopal what's this you are telling the King? Don't you recognise
me -- your guru?" A big commotion arose in the royal assembly. The King raised
his hand asked everyone to calm down.
The King said to Baiju, "Dear Stranger, to prove your word you must play your
music in competition with Gopal."
"Competition with my own child? What are you talking about?"
Right then Gopal's vanity broke open.
He exclaimed, "Your Majesty, I am ready for this competition."
Baiju was offered a royal seat. He sat comfortably and a river of bliss was
oozing out of him. Rapturous joy spread around him. Flowers showered. Gopal
sang. He sang over and over. But his voice stumbled and trembled. He became
quiet finally. Baiju's voice reigned supreme uniting everybody's soul with the
whole universe. Time stopped. Duality vanished and one flame of luminous awareness
in bliss, in love, in beauty prevailed. The King & his whole assembly was blissed
out. The King ran down and bowed down at Baiju's feet. Everyone congratulated
and praised the yogi.
Baiju looked at Gopal who was nervous and ashamed. Baiju said, "My boy, not
for the fleeting glamour but for the immortal cosmic Beloved we sing. Then only
our greatness is maintained." But then the king was very angry. He announced
to everyone present that Gopal had dishonored his guru. He said Gopal would
be punished by being trampled to death under the feet of an angry elephant.
Baiju cried, "Oh no no no. Please don't do that, O Majesty!" But royal order
is an order. It's a law. We can not help. The King refused to listen his pleas.
Baiju replied, "Your Majesty, I've won the competition in your assembly, will
you not reward me with anything? You are so highly generous!"
The King responded, "Honorable Guru, Yes, I can give you all my empire, even
my life except I will not take my word back. I cannot spare such an ungrateful
dullard. He must be killed tomorrow morning."
Baiju responded again, "Your Majesty, I am not begging for the life of Gopal.
All I wish to have is permission to sing, playing my music when the elephant
is released on Gopal."
The King answered, "You've my permission for that. Ask for another thing. Something
for yourself."
Baiji said, "That's all Your Majesty. Thank you."
All went to their homes. Gopal was arrested. Next morning Gopal was placed in
an open ground. Then a tall fat and red eyed crazy elephant was let loose. It
was driven towards Gopal. Elephant screeched aloud and ran towards Gopal. Right
then from a remote corner Baiju's voice echoed. His sitar resounded. He was
singing Raga Ganesha. It thrilled the atmosphere. The angry elephant rushing
with blood shot eyes to trample down Baiju's young disciple and adopted son.
Gopal heard the elephant and the music. The elephant stopped, then journeyed
again towards Gopal. He reached Gopal. But he began to shake his trunk to the
soundwaves from the music. His legs began to move as if he was dancing. He left
Gopal. Turned towards Baiju, and with the same dancing gait, he neared him and
sat down quietly, as completely in as deep a peace as a Yogi. Breathless, timeless,
calm and soothed within. Baiju completed his music, stood up, took his flower
garland off and placed it on the elephant, patting the animal on the head.
The King was watching all this breathlessly. Baiju approached him and said,
"Your Majesty, your law has fallen apart. Give me permission to go back to my
ashram with my beloved Gopal." King bowed down at his feet and said, "With a
great Guru such as yourself, even God might fail to punish those whom you love.
Who am I but an insignificant king? Kindly rest today. I am arranging for your
farewell by tomorrow."
AYURVEDA: DIAGNOSING AND HEALING
LOSS OF MEMORY
By Swami Shyam
Loss of
memory is called smritibhransh which according to Gita (2.63) is the
fifth stage of intellectual pervertion leading to spiritual destruction. Therefore
it must be cured at all costs.
Memory means
retention of knowledge of an event and ability to remember. There are 600
million nerve cells in the brain united together with countless fibres into
innumerable combinations which preserve our memory.
The fibres
connecting the cells link between objects and their knowlege. As much as modern
civilization has grown, memory loss is still a large scale problem due to
unnatural, unhygenic ways of life. It is in such a deplorable condition that
people cannot believe the wonders of memory which our Vedic ancestors had
just a couple generations ago.
Here are
easy, simple formulas to cure your mental balances to whatever extent they
have receded...
The herb
bramhi (see www.swamishyam.org/herbs
to order online) as it is known in Sanskrit is popular for improvement in
memory. Get bramhi from any herbal store in Los Angeles, San Francisco,
New York or the link above. After getting it boil it in cow's ghee (clarified
unsalted butter.) This ghee gets all the qulities of bramhi. Take a
teaspoonful of this ghee on an empty stomach twice a day. Then drink a glass
of warm sweet milk (use only honey or maple syrup for sweetner, never refined
sugar.)
Second
best cures are: Centella asiatica ia called mandukaparni and Bacopa
monnieri is called matsyaksi in Sanskrit. Just an ounce of the juice
of the plants on an empty stomach twice daily.
The third
cure for a weak memory is what is known in Sanskrit as vacha. The powdered
root of the plant is taken one teaspoonful twice a day with honey and cow's
milk.
The fifth
cure is learning Shyam Meditation. Any of its 100 techniques will do the job.
During
the course of your healing, you must have a nourishing diet with lots of fresh
fruits, vegetables, juice and cow's milk products (those without rennet and
salt.)
You are
supposed to walk in the morning and evening breeze around dusk and dawn. Do
not allow stresses, strains, worry or tension to seep in during the course
of the healing.
Practice
sirasan (headstand pose) and sarvangasan daily. (Look up some
Hatha Yoga sites on the Net and you will see the correct postures.) This will
allow proper blood circulation in the brain area.
Press
a particular meridian point on the lower nail of the finger next to your index
finger on the left hand. Then press the meridian point on the top of your
head known as bramha-randhra. (To find the exact meridian points please
email some of the webmasters from Hatha sites, they should be able to supply
an exact diagram.)
[Webmaster's
Note: These particular practices are extremely effective. Note the admonition
to eat well. This is emphasized. Also, do not do these practices by rote or
give them up after the first month. Memory loss is a serious condition. It
is recommended that gentleness in perservering in these cures is the
correct attitude. Do not be frantic or expect results in too short a time.
It might take years to correct the condition that took years to produce. It
can take over four years to cure cancer through herbs ... or even more. Set
a reasonable pace for the correction of your lifestyle and add techniques
at your convenience. Start with one herb or one technique and then add the
others gradually. Remember attitude is everything.]
THE
HISTORY OF SADHUS
By Sri Swami Shyamendra Paramhansa
The history of the sadhus (holy people) of India goes back as far as four
million years ago. By 1800 BC it was a custom of civilized society to become
a sadhu for one quarter of one's lifetime. Everyone went to the university
from age eight or twelve to age twenty-five. After receiving an education
and storing vital energy he/she was supposed to get married and act as a perfect
dutiful and responsible householder. Thus broadening his/her heart and refining
intelligence until age fifty. Then one worked as an educator until he or she
got mature enough to renounce and become a sadhu.
Five thousand years ago it was customary to become a sadhu after seventy-five.
Lord Buddha changed that. He started initiating youngsters into sanyas.
In 500 BC, Lord Shankar brought a new spiritual revolution, he kept this system
and announced: "Yadaharev virajet tadahrev pravajet." Whenever one feels strongly
about the futility of ephemeral phenomena and develops an unsuppressable urge
to attain the Truth, one can renounce and take sanyas. By taking sanyas, you
become a sadhu.
Lord Shankar had a great mission. In order to unite the whole nation in
one evolutionary current of the search for Truth, he introduced the freedom
of man/woman and the freedom of the nation. The process of freedom being through
meditation and wisdom. To protect the non-violent meditating people, he produced
two kinds of disciples: wisdom-oriented and power-oriented.
Wisdom-oriented sanyasins entered into several systems to protect the
Enlightened Way of life. These systems are now known as Amnay, Pad, Madhi
and Matha (monastery). Power-oriented sanyasins entered other systems called
Akhada, Dwara, Madhi and Dhuni. They protected the Enlightenment-oriented
lifestyle through archery, swordsmanship, Judo, Karate and physical strength.
According to their spiritual taste and temperaments, other Seekers of
Truth received initiations into ten dimensions of renunciant lifestyle. They
are called Dasnami sanyasins.
When Shankar founded Uttaramnay in Jyotinmoth (Himalayas), the Giri, Parvat
and Sagar aspects of Dasnami sanyansins originated from the north center.
Puri, Bharati and Sarasvati originate from Daksinamnay of Sringeri monastery.
Vana and Aranya are attached to Purvamnay (Govardhan Peetham) of Jagannath
Puri monastery. Tirtha and Ashram are connected to Paschimamnay (Sharadapeetham)
of Dvarika. Now Atal, Juna, Niranjani, Nirvani, Arhan, Agni and Anand akhadas
of the Naga sanyasins belong to power-oriented sanyasins.
Madhi means "Seat of the Guru" or "Center of Initiation". There are 52 Madhis
of sanyasins. 26 of them belong to Giri; 16 to Puri; 4 to Bharati; 4 to Vana
and one to the Tibetan Lamas. This totals about 52 Madhis which correspond to
52 knots on the dharma flag (the flag of an Enlightened Lifestyle) as well as
the 52 power places of Divine Mother throughout the world. (For details, please
see Swami Shyamanand Paramhansa's presentation of Shakti Chronicles.)
Thus Lord Shankar had erected a world-wide flag of an Enlightened Lifestyle
upon a canopy of raising the quality of life through the four pillars of Amnayas
and Akhadas, and the ropes of the Madhis and Dwaras. Along with all of this,
the sadhus are the upholders of the canopy and all of Existence.
