According to the scriptures of yoga, a "super-sensory" sound called "Nada" is heard when the energy channels ("Nadis") in the body are purified. This sound is also a "sign" indicating that a certain level of purification has been reached. It is said to be a "sign" specifically indicating that the Sushumna, the main Nadis that run through the spine, has been purified. The sound is described as similar to the sound of many bells ringing in the distance, or like a flute, or even a metallic sound. It is a sound that flows continuously without a beginning or end, but it is difficult to hear in noisy places.

When I asked a certain yogi (Swami) or yoga teacher about the sound I hear, I received the answer described above. The scriptures also state this. However, generally, if it is diagnosed as "tinnitus," the cause is often stress. For physical tinnitus, a visit to an ENT doctor can provide a diagnosis, but if there are no problems with auditory function, it is often judged to be caused by stress. On the other hand, there is something called "spiritual tinnitus."

It seems that not many spiritualists, temple priests, or even yoga teachers understand the cause of this tinnitus.
When I asked, I was often told that it was simply stress. There were many people who said with 100% certainty that it was stress. On the other hand, people with knowledge of the scriptures of yoga, or those with spiritual understanding, seem to have different opinions. Some people have had similar experiences, and because of that experience, they can confidently say that it is not simply stress.

■Yoga
In yoga, it is interpreted as the "sound heard during meditation," which is "Nada." It is interpreted as a sign indicating that the Nadis, which are energy channels, have been purified. Specifically, the scriptures state that if you practice yoga pranayama (breathing exercises) several times a day, you will be able to hear this Nada in about 3 months. In yoga, it is generally interpreted not as a sound that is heard constantly, but as a sound that is heard during meditation.

This sound is called "Anahata Nada," which means "the unstruck sound."

"Meditation: The Ultimate Guide" by Swami Sivananda states the following:

"The inner sound. The sound of 'Anahata' is a mysterious inner spiritual sound that is heard during deep meditation. When that sound is heard, it indicates that the 'Nadis,' which are the spiritual energy circuits, have been purified. This can be experienced through the practice of pranayama. The sound may be like the music of bells, flutes, or timpani, or like the sound of a conch shell breaking, or like the sounds of thunder or the buzzing of bees. The sound of Anahata is heard in the right ear, and it is heard even more clearly if both ears are plugged (Yoni Mudra). Concentrate your mind and listen to this mysterious sound. This sound is the vibration of Prana (life energy) within the mind."

Even people who are normally deaf may be able to hear faint sounds by blocking their ears and focusing on the internal sounds. When using the Naumukhi Mudra (also known as Yoni Mudra), by blocking the ear with the thumb, the eye with the index finger, the nostrils with the middle finger, and closing the mouth by placing the ring finger and little finger on the upper and lower lips, one may hear extrasensory sounds. This is called the Nada sound, and as purification progresses, it may become a sound that is constantly heard. However, there are also people who do not hear it constantly even after purification.

In yoga, this extrasensory Nada is said to be heard in the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra) or the Vishuddha Chakra (throat chakra) located in the back of the head. It is a sound that is heard with a sense of being timeless, endless, and uninterrupted.

The location where the sound is heard varies depending on the book, with some describing it as being heard in the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra) and others describing it as being heard in the Vishuddha Chakra (throat chakra). However, since Bindu Visargha is a secondary chakra to the Vishuddha Chakra, it may not be wrong to say that it is heard in either location. Since Bindu Visargha is a minor chakra, it may be sufficient to say that it is heard in the Vishuddha Chakra. There is a description of it being heard in other locations, which is written below.

The following is a translation and quotation from the English text of "Meditation and Mantra" by Swami Vishnu-Devananda.

The Anahata sound (or melody) is a mystical sound that yogis hear in the initial stages of meditation practice. This topic is called Nada-Anusandhana, which is the exploration of mystical sounds. It is a sign of the purification of the Nadis (astral currents) for Pranayama. The sound may also be heard after chanting the Ajapa Gayatri Mantra "Hamsah Soham" 100,000 times. Whether the ears are closed or not, it is heard from the right ear. The sound is clearer when it passes through closed ears. You can sit in the Padma or Siddha Asana, in the Yoni Mudra, and close your ears with your thumbs to carefully listen to the sound. In some cases, the sound can also be heard through the left ear. Practice listening to the sound only from the right ear. Do you only hear it from the right ear? Do you hear it clearly from the right ear? This is because of the solar Nadi (Pingala) located on the right side of the nose. The Anahata sound is also called Omkara Dhvani. It is the vibration of the heart's Prana.

There is also the following description in another part of the same book. I will translate the English text and quote it.

There are 10 kinds of sounds called "Nada." The first is "Chini" (a word that sounds like "Chini"). The second is "Chini-Chini," the third is the sound of a bell, and the fourth is the sound of a conch shell. The fifth is "Tantri" (a lute), the sixth is "Tala" (a cymbal), the seventh is a flute, the eighth is "Bheri" (a drum), the ninth is "Mridanga" (a double drum), and the tenth is the sound of clouds, which is thunder.

Before you place your foot on the upper rung of the ladder of mystical sounds, you can hear the voice of your inner god (your highest self) in seven gestures. The first is like the sweet voice of a nightingale, singing a song of farewell to its companions. The second is the sound of the silver cymbal of Dhyanis, awakening the shining stars. Next is the beautiful melody of a sea fairy imprisoned in a shell. And following that is the singing of a Veena. The sound of a bamboo flute in your ears is the fifth sound. It then changes to a blast of a trumpet. Finally, it vibrates like the dull roar of thunderclouds. The seventh sound engulfs all other sounds. They die, and are no longer heard.

The book also contains personal accounts:
"After practicing pranayama for one month, I began to hear sweet melodies, sometimes only in the right ear, and sometimes in both ears, from the sounds of a flute, violin, bell, a cluster of bells, the sound of a conch shell, drums, and thunder." ....

There are various opinions about where these sounds are heard. In addition to the Bindu Visargha, some people say that they are heard from the Anahata chakra (heart chakra), while others say that they are heard from the Vishuddha chakra (throat chakra) or the Ajna chakra (third eye), or even the Sahasrara chakra (crown chakra).

Regarding this, I have come across interpretations that say that the chakra from which the sounds are heard differs depending on the four paths of yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Gyana Yoga. I cannot quote it, but I believe that there is an interpretation that if you follow the path of Bhakti (devotion), the sounds are heard from the Anahata chakra (heart chakra), and if you follow the path of Raja Yoga, they are heard from the Ajna chakra (third eye), and if you follow the path of Gyana (Vedanta knowledge) Yoga, they are heard from the Sahasrara chakra (crown chakra). Perhaps, depending on the path you take, certain chakras are more easily activated, and the sounds are more easily heard from those chakras.

However, in many cases, it seems that the cause of the Nada sound is often one of the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra), the Vishuddha Chakra (throat chakra), or the Anahata Chakra (heart chakra). Among these, the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra) is a secondary chakra to the Vishuddha Chakra (throat chakra), so if we combine the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra) and the Vishuddha Chakra (throat chakra), the two main causes are the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra) or the Anahata Chakra (heart chakra).

In my case, it seems to be coming from the center or slightly behind the middle of my head, so the interpretation that it is coming from the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra) makes the most sense. However, the Bindu Visargha (Bindu Chakra) and the pineal gland, which is the core of the Ajna Chakra (third eye), are located close to each other, so it could be either. When people think of the Ajna Chakra (third eye), they generally imagine the space between the eyebrows, but the core is in the pineal gland, so it may be that the sound is coming from there.

■Anahata Chakra (Anahata Chakra)
The word "Anahata," which is the same as the Anahata Nada (Anahata sound), is used in the Anahata Chakra (heart chakra).
The origin of this word is the same, and both mean "unstruck."
"An" means negation, and "ahata" means "to strike" or "to hit," so Anahata means "not struck."

According to Honzan Hoshikawa, "It is said that in the Anahata Chakra, a sound called the Anahata Nada (Anahata sound), which is non-physical, transcendental, and endless, is heard."

■Possibility of air pressure
Sometimes, when the air pressure changes due to the weather, I experience tinnitus.
However, this is often accompanied by physical discomfort, and it seems to be different in nature from this type of spiritual tinnitus.

■Possibility of physical causes
It may occur when the balance between the left and right sides of the skull is disrupted.
If that is the cause, a yoga teacher told me that it can be cured by properly performing yoga asanas.
That teacher also had tinnitus in the past and cured it with yoga asanas.

■Spiritual
From a spiritual perspective, the continuous high-frequency sound is interpreted as a sign that angels are nearby, or as a sound that is heard when one's own vibration increases. Spiritualists say, "If the high-frequency sound is too strong and painful, you can ask the angels to 'tone it down a little' or 'move a little further away.'" This is a very romantic interpretation. At the same time, spiritualists interpret this high-frequency sound as "purifying oneself."

Some spiritualists who focus on 4096Hz say that the 4096Hz in the 9th octave is the sound that opens the door to the realm of angels. The 9th harmonic of the Earth's vibration frequency (8Hz) is 4096Hz.

[4096Hz Angel gate 2 The sound that connects the Earth and the realm of angels] Crystal tuner sound, sound of blessing, healing, healing effect, purification background music, angel frequency.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBVlmCUGv3M

By the way, I have recently been hearing a sound that is close to 4096Hz. It varies slightly from day to day. It is similar to this, but not exactly the same. It is a little different from what can be heard with the ears, so when comparing it, it seems similar, but it feels like a wider range of frequencies are mixed in. It is a high pitch, but it also feels like it could be lower. Rather than becoming noise like sounds in nature, it feels like each pitch is "separately" heard somewhere in the head, and it feels like both the high pitch and the low pitch are correct in their own way. All I can say is, "If you tend to hear a higher pitch more prominently, it might sound like this, that's the feeling." In this movie, the volume increases and decreases, but the sound I actually hear has a constant volume. It is a sound that has no beginning and no end.

It seems that crystal tuners, which are 4096Hz purification tuning forks, are also sold (I have not used them).

By the way, what spiritualists call "a sign that angels are nearby" is probably because the angel's vibration is high, so one is surrounded by the angel's aura and temporarily vibrates at a higher frequency, which is why the sound is heard. This is because the difference between humans and angels is the height of vibration and whether or not they have a physical body. Therefore, even if a person with a high vibration is nearby, a similar high-frequency sound may be heard. I think that perhaps, not only angels but also humans and spirits, if one goes near a soul (spirit) with a very high vibration, one's own vibration is influenced and temporarily increases, causing the high-frequency sound to be heard.

■ Sushumna and Anahata Sounds
One interpretation is that the Anahata sound in yoga refers to the sound that is heard when the Sushumna, the most important nadi (energy channel) that runs through the spine, is being cleansed. It can also be interpreted as the sound that is heard when it is not being cleansed and is blocked. Various sounds may be heard depending on the nature of the blockage. Eventually, the sound will disappear when the cleansing is complete. Primarily, it is a rough or scratchy sound. However, it is likely that if it is completely blocked, no sound will be heard, and the sound may only be heard during the transitional period.

Hypothetically, the rustling sound may be more related to the Ida and Pingala nadis, while the booming sound may be related to the Sushumna. This is still speculation. The way the sounds are perceived may vary depending on the energy level, which may be similar to the way sounds are produced in the physical world. More subtle and mystical sounds are extrasensory sounds that are connected to higher realms. Spiritualists are mainly referring to these. It seems that they are different for each chakra and nadi. In the higher realms, the world is said to be "only geometric figures and sounds," so it seems that what is being seen and heard is the beginning of perceiving that. Both are analogies. There is likely to be a sound for each nadi, and a sound for each chakra.

According to "Meditation and Mantra" by Swami Vishnu-Devananda, the fact that sounds are heard is a sign that the extrasensory world exists, and it can be a great spiritual aid for those who are engaged in spiritual practice. While many people leave this world without experiencing the extrasensory world, finding such a "sign" can provide confirmation. This sound is considered a very basic milestone in spiritual practice (sadhana). It is like taking the first step into the spiritual world.

■ A Story from a Lecturer at the British Spiritualist Association
According to "Spiritual Practice in Britain" by Kaido Jikan, a lecturer at the British Spiritualist Association explained that headaches are a precursor to the awakening of spiritual abilities. This is an ancient tradition. It is possible that various spiritual abilities, such as clairaudience and clairvoyance, or some other ability, may emerge. The ability varies from person to person, so it does not necessarily appear in everyone. If a spirit is nearby, it indicates that the spirit is close, and you can ask it to move away if it is too painful. In the same book, I seem to remember that there was also a mention of tinnitus, but I cannot find it now. Perhaps it was just my imagination.

■Interpretation from a "Lightworker" perspective
According to "The Awakening of the Light Body," at a certain stage (level 8), intense tinnitus may occur when the pituitary gland and pineal gland grow. Also, it is written that when you hear a high-pitched whistling sound, it is likely that a higher-dimensional being is trying to contact you.

■Zen
In Zen, there is a famous anecdote known as "Zen Byo" (Zen sickness), which is the story of the Zen master Hakugin's "Yese Kibun."
After diligently practicing, Zen master Hakugin developed Zen Byo. One of the symptoms was "intense tinnitus, as if being in the midst of a river's murmur" (from a reading of Hakugin).

As an interpretation, he may have been experiencing the Anahata Nada (the sacred sound of Anahata) extrasensorially through the Sushumna or either the Ida or Pingala channels.

■Tinnitus in the Elderly
According to the commentary book "Yese Kibun Kowa" (written by Yoshiyuki Onishi), it says, "When you get old, there are times when you hear a sound like a cicada chirping in the depths of your ear, sometimes it sounds like 'zee' and sometimes it sounds like 'gaa.' When you hear such sounds, it is not a peaceful time. It is a state of being overheated." The author of this book seems to believe that the tinnitus heard by Zen master Hakugin was a sign of a bad condition. It seems that the interpretation is that he simply experienced tinnitus due to stress, rather than hearing extrasensory sounds.

The extrasensory sounds heard from the Bindu Chakra are always present regardless of mental state and are basically constant, so they are different from the tinnitus experienced by Zen master Hakugin and the tinnitus experienced by the elderly as described above. As mentioned later, the tinnitus experienced by Zen master Hakugin may have been a booming sound caused by a Kundalini experience. In that case, it would be classified as Anahata Nada (the sacred sound of Anahata). As mentioned above, it seems unlikely that it was simply the tinnitus of the elderly.

I have read several books by Zen master Hakugin, but the authors of the commentaries seem to be monks or Zen masters, but none of them were able to interpret this tinnitus well. It seems that what is written in the books is not something that can be written in a book, but rather general explanations for the public, and perhaps the Nada sound is a common occurrence when actually practicing at a temple.

As far as the books are concerned, there are some that say, "Zen master Hakugin worked hard and developed Zen Byo, which caused him to experience tinnitus due to stress." In reality, the Nada sound itself is simply "an indication that purification has progressed to a certain extent," and is a positive thing, while the fact that Zen master Hakugin gathered Kundalini energy in his head and developed what is known as Zen Byo is a separate story that should be interpreted differently.

■How to distinguish between a high-pitched sound that is a "nada" sound and a tinnitus caused by stress (We received a question, so I've added this).
A high-pitched sound is said to be a "nada" sound when one's mental state becomes very calm and relaxed as yoga practice progresses. However, if the sound is heard with a restless mind, it is often tinnitus caused by stress. However, there are also people who hear "nada" sounds even when their mind is restless. Basically, if you are relaxed, it is likely a "nada" sound, and if you are stressed, it is likely tinnitus. "Nada" sounds that are heard when relaxed are not a problem, so it is generally best to leave them alone. If it is tinnitus caused by stress, it is best to relieve stress and relax.

■Gopi Krishna's Kundalini Experience
According to Gopi Krishna, the first Kundalini experience involved "a roaring sound like a waterfall." He says that this was the sound of a stream of light traveling through the spinal cord and reaching the brain. (Quoted from Gopi Krishna's "Kundalini")

After this, Gopi Krishna developed a condition known as Kundalini syndrome (or Zen sickness). The author explains the reason for this as follows: "Normally, Kundalini should be raised using the Sushumna, which runs along the spinal cord. However, if it rises through other nadis (energy channels), it can cause serious spiritual and physical disturbances, leading to disabilities that may not heal, or even madness, and sometimes death. In severe cases, if Kundalini awakens through the right-side nadi, Pingala, the internal heat, which is impossible to control from the outside, can literally burn a person to death." Therefore, the author considered awakening the Ida, which is a nadi (energy channel) on the left side. He carried out this plan and was saved. The book also contains another important instruction: "While practicing yoga, the practitioner should not keep the stomach empty. Light meals should be taken every three hours." By following this, the author was saved. (From "Kundalini")

The fact that a roaring sound was heard when Kundalini energy rose through the Sushumna suggests that this sound is related to the Sushumna or the Pingala and Ida nadis, and it can be called Anahata Nada (the sacred sound of Anahata).

In yoga, traditionally, emphasis is placed on purifying the Sushumna through breathing techniques such as pranayama. Purifying the Sushumna may have the meaning of preventing fatal accidents when Kundalini unexpectedly rises, and purification is also important as a preparation for consciously raising Kundalini. The book also mentions such things.

I have forgotten where it was written, but I seem to recall that some sacred texts mention the dangers of raising Kundalini from the right Pingala.

The Anahata Nada (Anahata sound), which is heard during a Kundalini experience, and the tinnitus caused by stress and mental instability when Kundalini control is incomplete, are completely different things. I think the booming sound that Hakuin Zenji heard was the Anahata Nada (Anahata sound) of a Kundalini experience. However, that itself was not tinnitus caused by stress, but rather Hakuin Zenji experienced Kundalini syndrome (or Zen sickness) because the control of his abundant energy became unstable at times. Just because one hears the Anahata Nada (Anahata sound) does not necessarily mean that one has Kundalini syndrome (or Zen sickness). Many later commentators have interpreted Hakuin Zenji's experience of the Kundalini Anahata Nada (Anahata sound) as Kundalini syndrome (or Zen sickness), but I think this is a misinterpretation.

■ Kundalini Yoga-related sounds
One of the practices is a method to circulate Prana (life energy) within the body. At this time, a super-sensory sound is heard from the Bindu Chakra (Bindu Visargha). ("Kundalini Yoga")

■ Cleansing and hearing Nada sounds in 3 months
The "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" (by Swami Vishnu-Devananda) states the following:

(Chapter 2, verse 10) By Anuloma Viloma [alternate nostril breathing], a certain degree of purification can be achieved in 3 months. There is satisfaction, peace, and contentment. As long as you observe Yama and Niyama, all of this will be achieved. Simply breathing in and out from the left and right is not enough. Anyone can practice Pranayama, but if Yama and Niyama are not followed, the mind will not progress in the right direction, so success will not be easily achieved.

Yama and Niyama are the first two of the eight limbs of yoga, and refer to basic ethics. It is stated in the classical scriptures that by performing Pranayama under certain conditions, one can be cleansed and hear Nada sounds in 3 months. However, when I look around, there are many people who have not heard it for years or even decades, so while it may have been the case for people in ancient times, it is not clear whether 3 months applies to modern people. As I will describe in more detail below, in my personal experience, I started doing yoga every day and it started to be heard around that time. For the first 10 months, I took a 90-minute class once a week, and then for 3 months, I did yoga almost every day for 90 minutes, and then I started to hear it.

■From the book "The 13 Laws of Aura Magic" by Komiya Baker Junko.
This author states that vibrations began from the Ajna chakra (third eye) to the butterfly bone, and as a result, she started experiencing tinnitus. She consulted an ENT doctor, but the examination showed no problem; in fact, she was diagnosed with having hearing that was "too good." She says that the tinnitus started around the time she began to be able to channel and perceive auras. I also consulted an ENT doctor, but the diagnosis was also "no problem."

■Interpretation by Doreen Virtue, a spiritualist.
It was probably her who started calling this high-frequency tinnitus "the voice of angels," or perhaps she was the one who spread this idea. Listening to the voices of God or angels is called Clairaudience (trans-auditory ability), and it seems that this is interpreted as the sound that is heard when downloading messages from the angelic realm. In her case, this sound is heard from the "left ear."

While a yoga master says "right ear," she says "left ear." In my case, I hear it mostly on the left side, but it also feels like it's coming from both sides, so it's not just one side. It seems to be coming from the center of my head, slightly to the left. If that's considered the "left ear," then I suppose it is.

The main Nadis (energy channels), Ida and Pingala, are located on the right. Pingala, which is associated with the sympathetic nervous system and the sun, symbolizes vitality. Ida, which is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system and the moon, symbolizes healing. Some say that Pingala governs physical energy, while Ida governs spiritual and higher energy. According to this interpretation, the yoga master may have activated Kundalini or similar energies that are closer to physical energy, and the sound connected to the Pingala, which is connected to the right nostril, was heard on the right side. On the other hand, the spiritualist may have activated higher spiritual energies, and the sound connected to the Ida, which is connected to the left nostril, was heard on the left side.

The Nad sounds mentioned in yoga are mainly sounds that are heard during meditation, while the high-frequency tinnitus that spiritualists talk about refers to sounds that are heard constantly.

■Interpretation of the left and right.
In yoga, the energy channel on the right is called Pingala, and the one on the left is called Ida. The right Pingala is associated with the sun, is active, and is related to the sympathetic nervous system. The left Ida is associated with the moon, is calming, and is related to the parasympathetic nervous system. When combined with sound, the sound heard from the left can be interpreted as Ida-like, which is healing, while the sound heard from the right is Pingala-like, which is active. However, this is related to the "Nadis (energy channels)" that start from the nose and connect to the Muladhara chakra (around the perineum). If it's a sound related to this, I think this interpretation is valid.

■左右とチャクラ
ヨーガの観点から、胸のあたりには、スーリア・チャクラ（太陽のチャクラ）とチャンドラチャクラ（月のチャクラ）という二次的なチャクラがあります。

■古代エジプトの左右の目
「フラワー・オブ・ライフ」によると、古代エジプトには3つの神秘学派があったとのことです。
男性性の学派は「ホルスの右目」、女性性の学派は「ホルスの左目」、そして「ホルスの中央の目」。
ここでも、右が男性、左が女性になっていますね。

■古典的なスピリチュアリストによる解釈（混乱しないように注意）
シャーリー・マクレーンの「ゴーイング・ウィズイン」によると、「第3の目（チャクラ）は脳の下半分、神経組織、耳、鼻、人格の目である左目を支配している。」「王冠のチャクラは松果腺と対応しており、脳の上半分と右の目を支配している。」と記載があり、左目がアジナチャクラ（第3の目）、右目がサハスララチャクラ（クラウンチャクラ）に対応しているとのことですが、この書籍以外でこのような記述をほとんど見かけないので、このような説もあるという理解で、とりあえず頭の片隅に置いておくくらいがいいと思います。

余談ですが、松果腺は、ヨーガ的にはサハスララチャクラ（クラウンチャクラ）ではなくてアジナチャクラ（第3の目）と関連しているので、その部分の解釈も異なります。

更に余談ですが、「フラワー・オブ・ライフ」で紹介されている古代エジプトにおける13チャクラシステムによると、松果体は3つのチャクラに繋がっていると言います。「第3の目（アジナチャクラ）」「クラウンチャクラ」およびその中間にある「45°のチャクラ」に繋がっているとのことです。現代で一般的な8チャクラシステムと13チャクラシステムは別の理論体系のようなので、基本的には併用できないようですが、真実は1つなので、それぞれの側面から解釈できるかもしれません。

これらは解釈がそれぞれ微妙に違っていて混乱を招くかもしれませんし、ヨーガなどで一般的な話とちょっと離れているので、一旦忘れた方がいいかもしれません。

■ナーダ音に集中して瞑想するナーダ・ヨーガ
上と同じ「Meditation and Mantra」から訳しつつ引用します：

あなたは瞑想の間、様々な種類のアナハタの音、例えば鐘の音、ケトルドラム、雷鳴、コーチ、ヴィーナやフルート、ハチの鳴き声などを聞くことができます。心をこれらの音のいずれかに固定することができます。これもサマーディに繋がるでしょう。

This can be interpreted as a meditation in the sense of Nada Yoga. It seems that samadhi can also be achieved by focusing on the Nada sound and meditating.

■Interpretation from the Vedanta school
Also, according to the book "Meditation and Mantra," the Vedanta school seems to have a different interpretation. They seem to ignore the light and sound that appear during meditation, considering them to be illusions (maya). Here is a translation and quotation:

A student on the path of Vedanta ignores these sounds and lights. He contemplates the significance of the great statements of the Upanishads by negating all forms. "The sun does not shine there, nor the moon, nor the stars. Nor does this lightning flash. And the fire burns not there. When he shines, he shines on everything that shines. By his light everything shines." He meditates as follows: "In the homogeneous essence, there is no wind blowing. There is no fire burning there. There are no sounds or sensations, no smells or colors, no mind or prana. I am the satisfied Shiva, I am the satisfied Shiva."

This also refers to the sounds that are heard during meditation, not the sounds that are heard in daily life.

...As I wrote before, I later spoke with someone who studied Vedanta in India, and they said that Vedanta does not ignore experiences and does not deny experiences, so "ignoring experiences" and "denying experiences" are common misunderstandings. In Vedanta, they are looking beyond the experience, so they do not deny the experience, but rather they do not place much importance on the experience. It seems that when you study Vedanta, you often hear and experience such things from people around you and from books, so it is likely that such experiences exist. However, those who are on the path of Vedanta are not very interested in experiences because they are looking beyond them. Vedanta seeks what is beyond phenomena, which is expressed by the words "Sat-Cit-Ananda," which is something that is always unchanging. Phenomena and experiences have a beginning and an end, but Vedanta seeks eternal bliss, which is not limited. The word that represents this goal is Sat-Cit-Ananda, and it seems that they are walking a path to find eternity and bliss in everything and all phenomena.

■Hemisync Experiencers
Similar high-frequency sounds were also mentioned in books by Japanese Hemisync practitioners. It seems to be a high-frequency sound that is heard when working or reading in a quiet place, and it seems to be similar. However, it does not necessarily mean that you will hear it just because you have done Hemisync.

■Interpretation from a Buddhist perspective
In Buddhism, the world seems to be divided into three realms:
The desire realm where humans live, the intermediate realm of form, and the formless realm that transcends desire.

From a Buddhist perspective, visions and sounds heard during meditation belong to the "realm of form," and it is interpreted as a world where desires still remain. (I have forgotten the source.)

■Anahata-Nada and Anahada-Nada in Nada Yoga
According to the writings of Jyotirmayananda, a disciple of Swami Satyananda, Anahata-Nada and Anahada-Nada are slightly different.

In yoga, the body is considered to be composed of three main layers: "physical body (matter and prana)," "subtle body (mental and astral)," and "causal body." Each body hears different sounds. The Anahata-Nada is heard in the "subtle body," and the Anahada-Nada is heard in the "causal body." The Anahata-Nada is the first sound to be heard, and the Anahada-Nada is heard later.

■Zen Koan: "The Sound of One Hand," "The Sound of One Hand"
Jyotirmayananda, in his book "Tantra Yoga Meditation," clearly answers the Zen koan, "When you strike with both palms, there is a sound. What sound is there when you strike with one hand?"
Of course, in the physical body, no sound is produced when striking with one hand. According to Jyotirmayananda, this is precisely a koan to test whether one has reached the stage of hearing the Anahata-Nada. This is not something to be thought about with the head, but something that should be practiced and experienced until it is actually heard.

The "an" in Anahata-Nada means "not," and "ahata" means "to strike" or "to hit," so Anahata means "unstruck." They probably checked the progress of practice by whether or not the Anahata-Nada, a sound that is heard without being physically struck, is heard.

In the Zen Buddhism of the Hakuin Zen master, this koan is presented at a relatively early stage.
Therefore, the "sign" of hearing the "nada" sound seems to be quite basic.

■ I asked someone who has studied Nada Yoga for many years about the "sound of one hand."
I participated in a workshop by Sylvia Nakache, a graduate professor who advocates a method called "Yoga of Voice" that combines Nada Yoga and other techniques. During that workshop, I asked her about the Zen koan called "the sound of one hand." According to her, the story of the Zen one-hand clap originates from Sanskrit, so it means the same thing. She said that the story became a koan because "Anahata" means "not struck." Is this a guess, or is it common knowledge?

I thought that this Zen koan was devised by Hakuin Zen master, but indeed, it makes more sense to interpret that the meaning of the Sanskrit word "Anahata" came first. It seems that interpreting it in that way is better.

■ According to Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography:
Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" states, "The mystical sound of Om can be heard by even beginners in yoga, after a period of practice. At this time of blissful spiritual inspiration, the seeker confirms that he has actually come into contact with the divine." It can be inferred that the "Om" sound mentioned here is the Anahata-Nada sound.

■ Anahata-Nada
Anahata-Nada, which is often confused with Anahada-Nada, means "unbounded" or "unqualified," according to Jyotirmayananda. This is considered to be the primordial resonance of the universe, or the inner resonance of silence, and it is a silent sound related to the deepest samadhi in meditation, but it is completely different from the ordinary silence of not hearing anything in daily life; it is a silent resonance that can only be perceived as a sound. This recognition seems to lead to an understanding of "the mantra Om as the fundamental principle of the universe," or to an understanding similar to the biblical "In the beginning was the Word." There is a group of Nada Yogis who seek enlightenment using Nada.

This is also interesting. In my case, I can hear the Anahata-Nada, but the Anahada-Nada is something I have yet to experience. I'm finally starting to understand the situation.

■Anahata-Nada and Anahada-Nada: Are they the same?
As mentioned above, a prominent Swami says that Anahata-Nada and Anahada-Nada are different things. On the other hand, I asked Silvia Nakachi, a university professor who has studied Nada Yoga for 30 years, and she said that Anahata-Nada and Anahada-Nada are the same. Since an expert in Nada Yoga says so, it might be the same thing, just a difference in pronunciation. It's confusing. According to her, since it originates from Sanskrit, the difference between "ta" and "da" is not a problem, and they are the same. Hmm. Perhaps that is the correct answer, or perhaps it's knowledge that doesn't need to be known. It might be okay to generally say that only Anahata-Nada exists. If you claim that they are different, you can't explain it unless you have experienced it. If you claim it without experiencing it, it might seem like trivia.

Alternatively, as is often the case with yogis and other mystics, perhaps she is vaguely answering the questions of someone like me, who has only participated in a seminar, and is actually hiding the fact that they are different. Perhaps she only reveals the essence to those who ask with certainty. Or perhaps the essence is only taught to disciples. Generally, it might be easier to explain if we say that they are the same and that only Anahata-Nada exists, because even if we explain it, only a limited number of people will understand. Perhaps the yogic way is to reveal the secret only to those who seem likely to reach Anahata-Nada. The mystery remains. From here, it might be necessary to experience Anahada-Nada yourself.

■Nada Yoga Practice
The book by Jyotirmayananda introduces the practice of Nada Yoga. The following is written in the notes:

"After practicing for a while, a sound will suddenly appear at times when you are not doing anything during the day. When that happens, stop this method. However, this is not a hallucination. It's just that this sound interferes with the practitioner's daily life and does not bring any benefit, so it's better to stop it. Very skilled yogis can continue to hear spiritual sounds throughout the day while they are awake. However, this requires very special preparation and direct guidance from a guru. But at that point, it becomes a practice to try to hear unknown sounds that belong to siddhi (supernatural powers)."

Therefore, generally, it seems important not to overdo this kind of auditory training. I wasn't doing any special Nada yoga training, you know... In my case, the reason I started hearing it was probably just regular yoga pranayama. I only did very basic exercises, not difficult things like bastrika that are done in Indian ashrams or by some advanced practitioners. Even so, it might be enough to perform basic purification (cleansing).

■ If the sound continues to be heard
According to "Messages from Shambhala" (by Masaharu Naruse), if you are practicing Nada yoga, the sound may linger in your ears, and in that case, performing "Kapalabhati Clear" is said to resolve it.

■ Four classifications of sounds in Nada yoga
In Masaharu Naruse's "The Door to the Spiritual World," he introduces four classifications of sounds in Nada yoga.
He says, "Nada means 'flow' or 'sound' in Sanskrit. The flow refers to both the flow of sound and the flow of consciousness."
The four types are:
- Vaikari: Sounds that can be heard with the normal ear.
- Madhyama: Sounds that are between audible and inaudible. Like a subtle whisper.
- Pashanti (Pashyanti): Sounds that are not heard with the ear, but "sounds that can be seen."
- Para: Sounds that are inaudible, like the sound of silence, but are the primordial resonance of the universe and the deepest part of meditation.

Madhyama can be interpreted as the so-called Nada sound.

According to Jyotirmayananda, "The sound of the intermediate dimension between Vaikari and Madhyama is called Anahata-Nada." If interpreted literally, it is between Vaikari and Madhyama, but considering the meaning, Madhyama itself means an intermediate sound, so I interpret it as a sound that is heard in the intermediate Madhyama stage when moving from Vaikari to Para. It's probably just a subtle translation issue.

Anahata-Nada is said to be the sound heard by the "causal body," so although it is not explicitly stated, it probably corresponds to Pashanti or Para.

The following is written in "Meditation and Spiritual Life 3" (by Swami Yatishwarananda):

When we speak, what we hear with our ears is only a crude form of sound, called Vaikhari. It originates from the vocal cords, tongue, and other movements. Behind this, there is language, which is the product of a thought process. This is called Madhyama sound. The thought itself originates from a more subtle impulse, called Pashyanti sound. Pashyanti originates from the non-manifested Shabda Brahman, and the process of sound is called Para. Therefore, the life of a person's thought exists in a realm that extends from Para, through Pashyanti and Madhyama, to Vaikhari.

■Classification of Vaikhari/Madhyama/Pashyanti sounds
Hatha Yoga Pradipika (written by Swami Muktibodhananda, supervised by Swami Satyananda Saraswati) on page 559 contains a clear explanation with examples.
- Sound that is physically heard by the ear: Vaikhari sound. For example, when someone is playing the flute and someone else is listening.
- Sound that feels like it is heard by the ear, but is actually heard by the mind: Madhyama sound. For example, when someone is playing the flute somewhere far away, and you feel that someone is playing the flute.
- Sound that is not heard by others, but is heard in meditation: Pashyanti sound. For example, when you hear the flute even though no one is playing it.

■The Treasury of Knowledge
A Japanese translation of "The Treasury of Knowledge," which H.P. Blavatsky, the founder of the Theosophical Society, obtained while training in Tibet, is published in "The Voice of Silence." It also contains descriptions of the seven types of sound mentioned above.

・(During meditation) The light is a reaction of the physical body. Vibration belongs to the mental (astral) body. And sound belongs to the causal body.
・The sound comes from the Void, which is one of the five elements.
・Once you can hear this sound, you will no longer be affected by external noise.
・Light, vibration, and sound correspond to the five elements: fire, air, and ether (void). The other two elements are water and earth, which correspond to the physical body. Fire does not manifest on its own; it requires something to burn. By creating internal or external light, you can burn the karma created by past actions and thoughts.
・The purpose of meditation is to go beyond the light (corresponding to the physical body, Kalatitam), vibration (corresponding to the astral body, Bindu), and sound (corresponding to the causal body, Nada). In the final state (Paravastha), there is no light, no vibration, and no sound. Light, vibration, and sound are important in the initial stages of spiritual practice (sadhana), but they become less important as you progress beyond the qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas. Light, vibration, and sound are necessary aids to free our consciousness from everyday life, and relying on light and color becomes very important at a certain stage.

- "Hatha Yoga Pradipika (written by Swami Vishnu-Devananda)" states in parentheses within the explanation: "Brahma Granti is a knot in the Anahata Chakra, or a knot of Brahma." When I read this, I thought, "Huh?"
- In "Yoga Konpon Kyohon (written by Tsuruuji Saho)," the explanatory text states: "The knot of Brahma is a knot within the Anahata Chakra." When I read this, I also thought, "Huh?"
- In Hatha Yoga Pradipika (written by Swami Muktibodhananda, supervised by Swami Satyananda Saraswati), Verse 70 (P567), the explanatory text states: "Breaking the Brahma Granti causes the Muladhara Chakra to move. Sound emerges from the Kundalini in the Muladhara. The word 'Unstruck' in the scriptures means Anahata, but this does not mean the Anahata Chakra. The Anahata Chakra comes at a later stage." This last explanation resonates with me. Therefore, the conventional understanding that "Brahma Granti is located in the Muladhara Chakra" can be interpreted as correct. When reading scriptures, there are often descriptions that differ from the conventional understanding, so it is necessary to check each time.

・"It (Kundalini) gives liberation to yogis, but binds fools." ("The Esoteric Science of the Asteroids, Vol. 1, The Etheric Body" by Arthur E. Powell)
・"The awakening of Kundalini gives liberation to yogis, but gives the fool the chains of suffering." ("The Chakras" by C.W. Leadbeater)

・"Kundalini Shakti sleeps above the Kundalini. This is a cause of liberation for yogis, but a cause of bondage for fools." (Translation of Chapter 3, paragraph 106, from "Yoga Honpon Kyohon" by Tsruji Saho).
・"Kundalini Shakti sleeps above the Kundalini (the place near the navel where nadis join and separate). It gives liberation to the yogi, and bondage to the fool. He who knows Shakti knows Yoga." (From "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" by Swami Vishnu-Devananda).
・"Kundalini Shakti sleeps above the Kundalini. This Shakti is a means of liberation for the yogi, but a cause of bondage for the ignorant." (From "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" by Swami Muktibodhananda, supervised by Swami Satyananda Saraswati).

・Purification.
・Body trembling. Hearing of the "nada" sound (some people do not hear it).
・First stage of Kundalini, "Pranotthana" (rising of vital energy).
・State of dominance of "Tamas" (darkness). Beginning of chakra sensation (feeling of being touched). (The chakra is not yet visible). (I am currently in this state).
・Some people experience a semi-awakened state (Tandra), a deeply slept state (Nidra), and a state of "Tamasik Samadhi" (Samadhi dominated by Tamas).
・Second stage of Kundalini, "Beginning of the radiant state."
・"Sattwa" (goodness) dominated Samadhi, opening of the chakras (becoming visible). (I have not experienced this).

・"Meditation to the Extreme (Swami Sivananda)" → Right ear (quoted on the previous page): "The sound of Anahata is heard from the right ear."
・"Meditation and Mantra (authored by Swami Vishnu-Devananda)" → Right ear (quoted on the previous page): "Let us train to hear it only with the right ear."
・"Hatha Yoga Pradipika (authored by Swami Vishnu-Devananda)" → Right ear. It simply states: "It is heard in the right ear."
・"Yoga Fundamentals (authored by Tsuruji Saho)" → Right ear. It states: "One should listen with the right ear."
・"Hatha Yoga Pradipika (authored by Swami Muktibodhananda, supervised by Swami Satyananda Saraswati)" → The position is that the left and right are not important (quoted on the previous page).
・Spiritualist, Doreen Virtue → Left ear (her experience).
・"Aura 13: The Laws of Magic (authored by Junko Komiya-Baker)" → No mention of left or right.

■The Nada sound originates from the navel.
I discovered a similar description. When I took a TTC in Rishikesh, India, the teacher said something similar, and I had been unable to find the same content in books, but I am glad I found it.

The mysterious Para sound that originates from the umbilical cord can be transformed into a Vaikari sound, which is an audible sound, in the Vishuddha chakra area. (Omitted)
The Vishuddha chakra is what transforms the sound of the Absolute Brahman, the Para sound, into a Madhyama sound and then into a Vaikari sound, which is an actually audible sound. "The Science of the Soul" (by Swami Yogeshwarananda) (P167)

[The tornado of Windrun.[From the experience, 13 days later]

■ The Color of Sound
What I perceived as "silver" was a "za-za-za-za" sound layered on top of a high-frequency "pee" sound, and when that became even more powerful, it felt like "gold." Perhaps the meaning of "sound has color" in books refers to something like this? I don't know about other colors yet.

■ Composing in a Dream
In my dream, I was composing harmonies and choral pieces. The melody created by the combination of harmonies and vocals was very pleasant, and I felt like I had a realization while continuing to compose, but it was just a fleeting moment, and I couldn't articulate it. When I woke up, I had completely forgotten it. It might be related to what is written in the scriptures, "verbalizing sound," but I still have a long way to go.

■ Ego Shrinking
I am not very good at asanas (exercises), so the option of becoming a yoga teacher was not available to me, but the reason was not only that. If I became a teacher, the ego of "being a teacher" would emerge, so I thought that becoming a teacher would be a negative thing for my current self. However, with the experience of the tornado, and the shift to Anahata being dominant, I think that a significant portion of that ego has been overcome. So, if I can just improve my asana skills, I might be able to become a yoga teacher.

"I read "Pythagoras' Music" by Kitty Ferguson. This is not a book about yoga, so it doesn't discuss nada sounds, but it's interesting to see expressions that resemble them throughout the book. The book describes "the music of the spheres" as follows:

Among the Pythagorean ideas passed down from Archytas to Plato, the concept of "the music of the spheres" was particularly well-known and had a long-lasting influence. Archytas and the Pythagoreans believed that the planets were moving rapidly through the sky, creating music. (Omitted) According to Pythagorean tradition, only Pythagoras could hear this music.

This is interesting. Only Pythagoras could hear this music!
"The music of the spheres" has various translations, such as "celestial music" or "sky music," so the translation is not unique.

Apparently, the concepts of musical notation and the octave were created from this "music of the spheres."

The speed at which the celestial bodies move appears to be uneven. The Pythagoreans believed that the higher the speed, the higher the sound produced. Aristotle wrote that when considering the relative distance between celestial bodies and relating it to the musical interval, they took this point into account. When all the celestial bodies are combined, all the octaves of the scale are complete.

The Pythagoreans created the concepts that form the basis of the current musical scale, and was "the music of the spheres" originally referring to this? Was it only that? Did it not have any nada sound connotations? I read on with these thoughts, and indeed, there were. It seems that figures like Pythagoras and Aristotle may have been vaguely aware of nada sounds.

According to Aristotle, the Pythagoreans believed that the celestial bodies were moving and actually producing sound. Aristotle mentioned that he thought the Pythagoreans explained why ordinary people could not hear it. They explained that no one noticed this sound because it had been with us since birth, so there was no silence to compare it to. Sound and silence are only recognized in relation to each other, and humans are all experiencing something similar to a copper craftsman who has become completely accustomed to the noise over the years.

This is similar to the idea that nada sounds are always there, but we don't notice them.

Cicero also gave a similar explanation.

The people living in the Nile River's Kataduppa, where water falls from very high mountains, have lost their hearing due to the loud noise. He explained that most people cannot hear the music of the spheres because their ears are the same as those who have lost their hearing.

According to the book, the concept of "the music of the universe" was popular in 15th and 16th century Italy. At that time, a person named Gafurio modified the concept that "only Pythagoras can hear it" to "only those who are exceptionally noble can hear it."

Gafurio, who was the leading authority on music theory at the time, tried his best to become a true Pythagorean. He tried not to consider any intervals other than those recognized as consonant intervals by Boethius. (Omitted) According to legend, only Pythagoras could hear the music of the spheres, but Gafurio slightly modified it to say that only those who are exceptionally noble can hear it.

This is similar to the concept of nada sounds. The concept that "only those who are exceptionally noble can hear it" is similar to the concept that "nada sounds can be heard as purification progresses."

Later, in the 17th century, the astronomer Kepler also tried to transcribe the music of the spheres onto musical notation based on astronomical laws. This was an interesting era when music and astronomy were integrated. It seems that the current chakra theory, which produces musical notation, is related to this era, which is interesting. However, Kepler, although famous in astronomy, was treated as a curiosity for publishing this music theory.

Later, the Pythagorean music of the spheres appeared as a metaphor in Shakespeare's stories, and the concept has continued to exist in various places. Indeed, I have often heard such metaphors. Nowadays, it is a metaphor that we must consciously remember, but it seems to have been a very famous and popular concept among people in the Middle Ages.

However, in those stories, it is always a metaphor, and it is a prerequisite that it cannot be heard by human ears.

Then, in the 20th century, astronomers once again turned their attention to "the music of the spheres."

In 1962, astronomers studying the sun discovered that sound waves passing through the sun's interior were causing the visible surface of the sun, the photosphere, to ripple. They described it as the "symphony of the sun" (omitted), because the sun is emitting countless overtones. Of course, our sun is not the only star that vibrates in this way.

Also, some people seem to be saying that black holes also play a similar symphony. If that is the case, then sound is pervasive throughout the universe. This is a concept that is relatively familiar to us through recent space documentaries, but until the Middle Ages, such a concept was based on the Pythagorean school.

■ Is the music of the spheres the same as Nada sound?
Based on the description in the book, the music of the spheres is not exactly the same as the concept of Nada sound, but similarities can be seen. From the perspective of human spiritual growth, it can be judged to have properties similar to Nada sound, based on the point that "it becomes audible when purified." However, I have never heard a Pythagorean (are there any still?) say that "the music of the spheres is Nada sound."

Recently, people who practice yoga say that the "music of the spheres" is Nada sound, and it is also written in yoga literature. I basically think so too. Therefore, I think it is appropriate to interpret the "music of the spheres" as Nada sound from a yoga perspective.

From the ears, a sound like a pillar of flame or thunder.

Since this morning, when I doze off in my recliner, I hear a "thump" that feels like "entering a pillar of flame and receiving the flames throughout my body," or like receiving thunder throughout my entire body, or like a low, dull sound that is a lower pitch of thunder that has fallen in the distance. It's a "zussaaara" sound, a rough sound that sounds like it could be a game effect. Today, I woke up earlier than usual, around 4 am, so I started feeling sleepy around 9 am.

It's not a loud, impactful sound like actual thunder, but rather something that has a similar atmosphere. The sound is like a "thump," but I also felt like I was hearing a "crackling" sound, like something is breaking. Perhaps 80% of it is the "thump," and 20% is the feeling of something cracking.

This feels similar to the 7th description, "a dull rumble like thunderclouds," written in "Meditation and Mantra" or "The Voice of Silence."

First, the "energy" or something inside my head increases in "pressure." As the pressure increases, my head feels compressed, and then, presumably as a natural phenomenon, the pressure seeks a way to escape, and the pressure builds up to about half of my head. Eventually, when the pressure suddenly releases, a low, dull sound like "thump" occurs. This happens naturally, without any intention or imagination on my part.

With this feeling, I wonder if the sound will stop once the pressure is released? What do you think? If that's the case, it would be consistent with the description I quoted from that book the other day.

This is different from the high-frequency nada sound, which I continue to hear. I am still hearing the high-frequency nada sound.

Since I only noticed it this morning, I am still observing.
It has been occurring sporadically for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, and it is not currently audible.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that this sound is related to the ajna chakra or the pineal gland, but there haven't been any major changes yet.

Come to think of it, the other night (probably last night), I heard a similar sound in my left ear when I was doing a headstand at home. At that time, I thought it was the sound of pressure on my bones or something, so I ignored it. I had never heard such a sound before, and since the sound disappeared after I finished the headstand, I didn't pay much attention to it. I haven't been doing yoga asanas for a while because of a fracture, and I only started doing headstands again about a week ago, so I thought it was just a little different because I hadn't done it in a while. However, since I heard the same sound again this morning, I finally started to wonder what it could be.

Since I only heard it last night and this morning, I will continue to observe.

Until now, I have been focusing on my breath and the sounds of the body (nada) to calm my mind and meditate, aiming for a state close to "emptiness." In addition to that, energy work is also important. However, by continuing both "emptiness" meditation and energy work, I have a feeling that there is a world expanding beyond the sounds of the body and sensations, like a "world that stretches out flat as far as the horizon."

Recently, I saw that logical thinking, bodily sensations, and the world of thoughts exist as separate entities in the middle, and it seems that there is a wider world beyond that "I" world, which is the body or sensations.

However, I still cannot see what that outer world is like. It's just darkness, or simply a silhouette of a horizon. Sometimes, I feel like there might be something there, like the silhouette of a mountain.

As I continue meditating, distractions gradually disappear, their power weakens, their frequency decreases, and I can observe my breath and distractions without putting in much effort.

In that state, the objects of observation feel "translucent," like they are there and not there, which is a strange feeling.

I wrote "outer world," but perhaps it overlaps. However, for now, it feels like an "outer" world.

If our gaze is directed forward, there is a range that can be seen with the physical eyes. During meditation, the eyes are closed, so nothing is visible with the naked eye, but I feel something beyond the range that would be visible if I opened my eyes. Metaphorically speaking, it's as if "I'm stepping back a little, and then looking a little to the right (or left)," and there is something beyond the "outside" of the world I usually see.

That "outside" is also the world beyond the sounds of the body (nada).

However, as I mentioned above, it is not yet clearly visible. I will continue to observe, but recently, even the feelings of "experimentation," "curiosity," and "exploration" have been disappearing, and I wonder what will happen if I continue meditating.

This is a continuation of our previous conversation.

For example, when talking about mantra meditation, it seems like we are immediately aiming for a Rajasic meditation, but in my experience, I don't think it works to immediately start with Rajasic meditation. Is this something that varies from person to person? Perhaps it works better if someone is originally Tamasic.

In my case (and I think many people are like this), the initial meditation state was not really Tamasic, but rather a chaotic state. It was a state where various thoughts were mixed, and it was difficult to tell whether it was Tamas or Rajas. Initially, I interpreted this mixed state of thoughts as Tamas, but now I think it might not have been Tamas at all, because Tamas is a more heavy and dull state.

From that chaotic meditation state, we first try to "concentrate" and "forcefully" stabilize the state.

As the state becomes more stable, the thoughts gradually decrease, and we gradually approach a state that can be called "emptiness." However, I now think that this state of being "crushed" or "dull" is actually Tamas.

Therefore, in some circles of yoga practitioners, there is a tendency to talk about Tamas as being bad, as if Tamas is the villain. However, I now think that Tamas might be level 1 of growth.

Before starting yoga or meditation, we are at level 0. If Tamas is level 1, then Rajas would be level 2, and Sattva would be level 3. A peaceful state that is even beyond Sattva would be level 4. Since Tamas is level 1, it is indeed a low level compared to higher levels, but it is a relatively high level compared to before starting yoga or meditation.

In fact, even that "empty" and dull meditation state is much more peaceful and clear compared to the previous state of mixed thoughts. Therefore, I think that even Tamas, level 1, is a certain level of achievement.

Therefore, instead of treating Tamas as something bad and avoiding Tamasic meditation, perhaps it is better to first master Tamasic meditation and then move on to Rajasic meditation.

Well, this is also a hypothesis and a current judgment based on trial and error.

I feel that if you try to aim for Rajasic or Sattvic meditation from the beginning, it might not work. Or, there might be people who think they are doing Rajasic or Sattvic meditation, but are actually doing Tamasic meditation. What do you think?

On the other hand, people who have undergone training with the aim of developing "abilities" in psychic or spiritual areas might have immediately become Rajasic, and their abilities might have manifested, achieving their goals. However, since they have not gone through Tamas, they might become mentally unstable. Perhaps people who are "easily angered" in spiritual circles are like this. This is my current hypothesis.

Of course, Tamas is Tamas, and a calm and stable personality will not emerge without Sattvic meditation. However, if you only have Rajasic or Sattvic qualities, you might become unstable, so perhaps Tamas is also necessary.

Yoga practitioners often aim for Sattva, but Tamas and Rajas are not necessarily bad, and the ultimate goal is beyond Sattva. Once you reach that state, perhaps Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva will become less significant and can be viewed from a higher perspective.

People who talk about Sattva can be divided into two types:
- They eliminate Tamas and Rajas and become Sattvic, reaching their goal.
- (Regardless of whether they eliminate Tamas and Rajas), they become Sattvic and eventually transcend even Sattva.
Therefore, it seems that we can only interpret this based on the context.

It seems that there are mainly two periods when meditation becomes "tamasic."

- The period before hearing "nada" sounds, when there are many distracting thoughts, and the transition from suppressing those thoughts to entering a state of "emptiness" is a tamasic meditation.
- After hearing "nada" sounds, when distracting thoughts have significantly decreased and the meditation is almost free of them. This is when the energy level is still relatively low. You might think you are in a "sattvic" meditation, but looking back, it is relatively a tamasic meditation. It is a relatively tamasic meditation, but with a considerable increase in "sattva." Whether to call this "tamasic" is debatable, but it could be considered a tamasic state.

Because "tamas," "rajas," and "sattva" are subjective, there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding.

In my case, after entering a tamasic state of "emptiness," I started hearing "nada" sounds within a few days to a week. Initially, when I first entered that "tamasic" state of emptiness, I was delighted, thinking, "There is such a peaceful meditation." I was in a state where I felt nothing, which could be called peace. However, after about a week, "nada" sounds started appearing, which began to disrupt my entry into the tamasic meditation. Initially, I even felt that the "nada" sounds were an obstacle. I thought they were sounds that were preventing me from entering the tamasic meditation.

However, now that I think about it, that was a tamasic meditation, and by observing the "nada" sounds, I experienced the disappearance of distracting thoughts.

Even if you engage in tamasic meditation, it only temporarily quiets the mind, and when you exit the tamasic meditation, distracting thoughts reappear. While it is a moment of peace, it is temporary.

After that, I continued to observe the "nada" sounds, as described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and finally, the distracting thoughts began to decrease significantly, and that is where I am now.

Tamasic meditation is similar to sleep, and it can be difficult to distinguish whether you are truly meditating or simply falling into the "void" of Tamas and becoming unconscious like sleep, especially in the beginning. If you are unconsciously losing track of time, you may be falling into a Tamasic meditation.

Initially, there are many distractions, so it is unlikely that you will be able to enter this kind of unconscious state. Being able to rest in a Tamasic, unconscious state, which is the so-called "void," is a certain level of progress.

However, it is also true that if you remain in that "void" state for too long, you will not grow. In ancient times, the classical texts of Yoga warned against falling into this kind of sleep. However, I think that while staying in it for a long time is not good, it may be a path that one must pass through.

In my case, as I mentioned earlier, I was able to enter this kind of "void" meditation and become unconscious relatively quickly, within a few days or a week, and then I started hearing Nada sounds. At that point, the Nada sounds began to prevent me from entering the "void" meditation.

At the time, I wondered what that meant. I had finally been able to enter a comfortable, unconscious state like a "void," but the Nada sounds quickly interfered with it.

However, now that I think about it, the "void" was a state of falling into a Tamasic, unconscious meditation like sleep, and the Nada sounds were helping to keep my consciousness by preventing me from falling into that unconscious sleep.

Therefore, while I initially thought the Nada sounds were an obstacle, now I think they were a helping hand to maintain consciousness.

That maintenance of consciousness leads to Vipassana-style observational meditation. The goal of meditation is not to become "void" and fall into unconsciousness, but to observe everything as it is, and to keep the mind flat like a calm surface of water while observing. The Nada sounds were very helpful in reaching that goal.

The Nada sounds constantly change and do not let go of the mind, so I started my meditation by focusing on the Nada sounds. This is the Nada sound observation meditation, which is also written in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

Eventually, as distractions decreased and the mind became calm and flat, my mind no longer felt drawn to the Nada sounds. My mind is still listening to the Nada sounds, and I am aware of their existence, but I no longer need to be bound by the Nada sounds as I was before.

However, especially in the beginning, the Nada sounds helped me maintain consciousness and were a helping hand to rescue my mind from distractions.

Recently, I have been practicing Vipassana meditation, which involves observing the scenery without thinking and in slow motion. However, I have noticed that when I focus my awareness solely on my visual field, the "nada" sound disappears from my consciousness.

When I shift my awareness back to my ears, the nada sound begins again.

This is interesting.

Previously, when I was concentrating on something or thinking, the nada sound would disappear from my awareness, but it is only recently that I have become able to consciously suppress it.

To say that I can "suppress" it is misleading. The nada sound is always present if I try to hear it, but when I focus my awareness solely on my visual field, it disappears from my consciousness.

Previously, I was not very good at making this shift in awareness, and once my awareness was directed towards the nada sound, it was difficult to suppress it.

However, now, with the prerequisite of a certain level of relaxation and concentration, I can quite easily focus my awareness solely on my visual field and suppress the nada sound when I am in a state similar to slow-motion Vipassana. Previously, the nada sound would disappear from my awareness passively, as I was distracted by other things, but now I can intentionally and consciously do it. This seems like a small but significant difference.

When I experimented further, I found that this focus of awareness was not limited to the visual field. For example, if I focused on a physical sound, the nada sound would disappear from my consciousness. Similarly, if I focused on bodily sensations, such as the feeling of my feet when walking or riding a bicycle, the nada sound would disappear from my consciousness.

However, it seems that sounds are more difficult to focus on than visual or sensory experiences.

I have always struggled with the nada sound interfering with my ability to enjoy classical music concerts, but perhaps I can use this technique to purely enjoy the music. I would like to try it next time.

Previously, this was happening unconsciously, and I had already verified this phenomenon, but the difference now is that I can intentionally create a Vipassana state and intentionally suppress the nada sound.

Previously, I quoted a passage from the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" about "the soundless place," which states that the "soundless place" is the Atman in yoga.

The interpretation that when consciousness enters a Vipassana state and visual, auditory, and sensory experiences occupy consciousness, the sound disappears, can also be interpreted as the Atman and consciousness becoming one. This is a personal speculation.

When I am in a Vipassana state and can direct my awareness towards the nada sound itself, I can observe it, but there is a slightly different feeling when I direct my awareness towards the nada sound itself compared to when I am experiencing the scenery, sounds, or sensations. It feels like the moment I start observing the nada sound in a Vipassana state, the Vipassana state is released. This is subjective.

According to the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," the place where the nada sound is heard is merely Shakti, or power. Therefore, when trying to observe the nada sound, which is Shakti, in a Vipassana state, it may separate from the Atman and the Vipassana state may be released... This seems to make some sense, although there is nothing written about it, and it is just my feeling.

On the other hand, even if it is just a feeling that I can observe the nada sound in a Vipassana state, there is nothing to worry about, but I still feel that directing my awareness towards the nada sound in a Vipassana state is somehow different. Perhaps, observing the nada sound is an intermediate level of consciousness, and the consciousness used in Vipassana is a slightly higher, more subtle level of consciousness.

As mentioned earlier, there are different theories about the four types of sounds in yoga. The sound heard by the ears is called Vaikari, the next level, Madhyama, is "the sound between the audible and inaudible," and presumably, the nada sound is this Madhyama. Therefore, it can be speculated that the state in which Vipassana is achieved is a more subtle level of consciousness than that. Perhaps it is the stage of Pashyanti. Pashyanti is likened to "the sound that can be seen," which seems appropriate for the Vipassana state.

There are various theories about this stage, and some say that the nada sound is between Vaikari and Madhyama, but in the context of this discussion, it is the same thing. On the other hand, there is also a saying that Anahata-nada is the sound heard by the "causal body," and while that may be true, I once speculated that Anahata-nada corresponds to Pashyanti or Para, but that speculation does not quite resonate with me now.

Based on my Vipassana experience this time, I think it would be cleaner to categorize it as follows.

I will add it to the previous list. (Bold part)
- Vaikarī: Sounds that can be heard with normal ears.
- Madyamā: Something between sounds that can be heard and sounds that cannot be heard. A subtle whisper-like sound. Nāda sound.
- Pashantī (Pashyantī): Not a sound that can be heard with the ears, but a "sound that can be seen." Something that is recognized during slow-motion Vipassana meditation.
- Parā: A sound that cannot be heard, a sound of silence, but it is the primordial resonance of the universe, and the deepest part of meditation.

During my usual meditation, I often feel a dim light, but today, I initially felt the usual dim light, but suddenly a black cloud appeared in front of me, and it enveloped my face, and my vision suddenly turned dark, and I was completely enveloped in pitch darkness.

That cloud, rather than a cloud, looked like a black, organic mass pulsating. It was a black cloud that resembled both a cloud and a brain, and it enveloped my face and head, as if sending me into a deep state of consciousness.

In my previous meditations, "emptiness" meant the disappearance of consciousness, but this was a different kind of "emptiness." However, my consciousness was still clear, and yet it was being guided to a deeper place.

It might be a misnomer to call it "emptiness." Perhaps "pitch black" is a more accurate description. I felt as if my consciousness had entered a pitch-black cloud or a pitch-black magnetic storm.

In this state of consciousness, I feel a different sensation than in my usual meditations, as if my consciousness is constantly being stimulated electrically.

It's not as if I'm entering a trance state, a state of reverie, or an altered state of consciousness, but simply that my consciousness is entering the pitch black... or being guided to a state of pitch black.

The cloud seems to be charged with electricity, and it feels like a thundercloud.

When I experienced entering "emptiness" about a week ago, when I started hearing the "nada" sound, my consciousness stopped, which I think was a "laya" state.

This time, it's similar to that "emptiness," but the difference is that even when enveloped in "emptiness," my consciousness remains clear. In the past, when I was enveloped in "emptiness," I would immediately enter a laya state and my consciousness would disappear, but now it remains.

I feel like I've reconnected with a familiar "emptiness," but back then it was truly black and pitch black, while this time it's charged with electricity, and I can faintly see sparks of electricity in certain parts of the cloud.

Meditation always brings about various changes one after another.

About a week before I started hearing the anahata sound, I could enter a state of "emptiness" by quieting my consciousness and stopping it, which allowed me to feel at peace. This recent sense of tranquility is similar to that feeling, but this time, it's a state of peace with my consciousness still active.

About three months after I started practicing yoga almost every day, I remember being able to relax deeply and peacefully, falling asleep with a sense of tranquility.

However, that peace lasted only about a week. The anahata sound started. Because the anahata sound is accompanied by automatic consciousness awakening during meditation, preventing sleep, that feeling of "emptiness" disappeared.

At first, I felt frustrated by the anahata sound. I had finally managed to enter a state of "emptiness" and find peace, but then this sound started, disrupting the silence.

However, as I learned more, I realized that what I was doing might have been a type of practice that is not recommended for yogis, namely, "finding comfort in a state of stopped consciousness." I now think that the fact that the anahata sound appeared and forced me out of that state after only a week was a good thing.

I don't want to be misunderstood, but the anahata sound itself is a "sign of growth due to a certain level of purification." However, it also opens the door to a more subtle world, making consciousness more sensitive.

I think I was quite insensitive before I started hearing the anahata sound. My senses were not very subtle, and I was able to quiet my consciousness and find peace. That was a form of growth in itself.

When consciousness becomes still, a subtle world opens up before my eyes, and eventually, kundalini experiences occur, and energy increases. However, the sense of peace I felt when I experienced "emptiness" before the subtle world opened up and before the kundalini experience is quite similar to the sense of mental tranquility I am feeling recently.

Previously, I relaxed by consciously suppressing my consciousness to enter a state of "emptiness." My consciousness was almost completely stopped, and I felt a sense of "peace and tranquility" with only the sensation of breath. I couldn't intentionally create such a deep state of relaxation before, but for that week, I could easily enter that state of "emptiness" by simply suppressing my consciousness.

I haven't experienced that kind of "emptiness" relaxation for many years. However, recently, while continuing to meditate in a state of mental stillness, I experienced a state of relaxation similar to the "emptiness" I had experienced before, even though my consciousness was active.

Since the anahata sound started, it has been difficult to enter such a deep state of relaxation because my consciousness has become more sensitive.

However, this time, I entered a similar state of relaxation even though my consciousness was active.

In both the previous and current situations, the "observation" itself seems to be the same. However, the difference is that in the previous case, I was forcibly suppressing my conscious mind, while this time, my conscious mind is naturally calming down.

Previously, I created a state of "emptiness" by suppressing my conscious mind, and I experienced a deep state of relaxation while "observation" continued. However, after the anahata sound started, my consciousness became preoccupied with the sound, making it difficult to enter such a deep state of relaxation.

While the anahata sound has made meditation easier by drawing my attention away from other thoughts, I couldn't completely enter a state of "emptiness" because I couldn't stop the anahata sound with my conscious mind.

This time, I continued meditating until my conscious mind naturally calmed down, and I experienced a deep state of relaxation while "observation" continued. The anahata sound is still present, but because the scattered thoughts that would normally react to the anahata sound are already quiet, the anahata sound does not disrupt my relaxation.

This seems to be a state that is similar but quite different.

The initial state was simply forcibly suppressing scattered thoughts, which I feel is appropriate to describe as "emptiness." Of course, the terminology may vary depending on the school of thought, but I personally find that "emptiness" is the most fitting term. That relaxation was very beneficial.

However, as I entered the subtle world and as kundalini energy began to move, I experienced various problems, such as the anahata sound and energetic imbalances in the body.

Recently, I feel that I have reached a state where my energy is in harmony and I can maintain a state of relaxation that is not affected by the anahata sound.

I think the sound of Nada is helpful when meditating with many distracting thoughts. When you have a scattered consciousness that tends to jump to distractions, the sound of Nada makes you cling to that sound. So, when the sound of Nada begins, meditation progresses more quickly.

However, as long as you rely on it, your scattered mind is still in a state of "jumping to something." I think that is probably the case.

When meditation progresses and your consciousness no longer easily jumps to external stimuli, you will no longer be drawn to the sound of Nada. It is only when such a state of mental tranquility is maintained that you can truly relax in a subtle state of consciousness.

Even if you can relax with a rough consciousness, it can hinder entering a more subtle state of consciousness. And this time, I think I was able to relax in a subtle state of consciousness.

The sound of Nada has not disappeared, but it is a state where the sound of Nada does not enter consciousness. If you search for the sound of Nada, you can hear it, but it does not interfere with relaxation.

When I was meditating after first hearing the sound of Nada, it was a meditation where I obtained comfort and relaxation by clinging to the sound of Nada. However, this time, the sound of Nada is there, but it is a state where you can achieve relaxation without clinging to it. It seems similar, but it is quite a different state.

A while ago, when I reached a state of stillness, I felt a flat, peaceful state, which could be considered Nirvana, depending on the school of thought.

Now, when I reach a state of stillness, there is a deep awareness present, almost like a different version of Nirvana. However, some schools of thought may not consider this Nirvana. For now, I will tentatively call it Nirvana.

Initially, I thought this state was a regression and that I needed to reach Nirvana again. However, my current understanding is that this is not Nirvana, but rather the emergence of a deep awareness.

It is difficult to explain this in words.

Before reaching the state of Nirvana, there were gradual stages of stillness and relaxation. These stages of stillness and relaxation still exist, but the difference between then and now is that, even in what would be considered the state of Nirvana, it's not like seeing the horizon, but rather feeling something pulsating within the chest.

In the state of Nirvana, there was nothing in the chest area, and the aura was concentrated in the abdomen. By letting go of the thoughts in the head and directing them to the heart and lower body, I reached a state of stillness.

The basic principle is the same; I am still letting go of thoughts in the head and directing them to the heart and lower body. However, the difference between then and now is that, in the past, there was no sensation in the heart area, and it went down to the lower body. Now, the heart is receiving the tamas that have been purified by the Vishuddha chakra.

The focus on the back of the head remains the same. Focusing on the back of the head allows the tamas to gather and be drawn into the Vishuddha chakra. However, after that, in the past, it went down to the lower body and resulted in Nirvana, while now, it is being received by the deep awareness in the heart.

This is quite different, but it reminds me of something that happened a long time ago, when I first started hearing Nada sounds. Just before I started hearing Nada sounds, I entered a state of "nothingness," where my mind completely stopped, and I was in a state of complete relaxation and unconsciousness. However, after about a week, I started hearing Nada sounds, which began to disrupt that "nothingness." The Nada sounds were forcing a state of awareness.

This time, the state is quite different, but it can be interpreted as a deep awareness emerging while remaining in the state of Nirvana and enjoying a peaceful existence.

When the Nada sounds appeared, it felt like they were not allowing me to stay in that state of unconsciousness. For a week before the Nada sounds appeared, I was enjoying the complete relaxation of that unconscious state. However, the Nada sounds appeared as if they were not allowing me to stay in that sleep-like unconscious state.

This time, it's not like the Nada sounds, which are sounds, but rather a sensation in the chest, a feeling of being driven from deep within. That sensation is shaking me from deep within, or applying pressure from the inside out, and it feels like that deep awareness is not allowing me to stay comfortably in the peaceful state of Nirvana.

Whether it's the sleep of tamas or the state of stillness in Nirvana, both are not enlightenment, and there is still more to go.

(Postscript: Apparently, this is not considered Nirvana in Zen Buddhism, but rather the fourth dhyana. It seems that the definition of Nirvana varies depending on the school of thought. I will write more details later.)

There is an endless stream of superior music that sounds like "nada" sounds. It's not really music in the sense that it has a distinct melody, but rather a continuous series of infinite pitches and a never-ending sequence of high tones. Even with just that, I no longer need most other music.

There are many genres of music, such as J-pop, rock, jazz, and classical music, but there is no music that surpasses the "nada" sound.

If you were to say that taking just a small part of it could create a symphony, it might be an exaggeration. And it's true that it doesn't have a complex melody like a symphony. However, when viewed from a broader perspective, it's a simple sequence of high tones, but it's a sequence of countless musical elements, so it's like hearing the complex music of hundreds or thousands of symphonies at once, and it's endless.

The "nada" sound is the ultimate music, and it could be said that other music is just a fragment of it. But if you were to ask what it sounds like, I would have to repeat myself: it seems like just a simple, high-frequency "pee" sound. If you hear that description, you might think, "Oh, nothing special," but in reality, that high frequency is constantly changing, and the content of those changes is a further series of countless waves, which could even be considered the fundamental music.

Since I started hearing the "nada" sound regularly in my daily life, I have hardly listened to any other music.

I sometimes go to concerts, but I can always hear the "nada" sound, so unless I focus only on the concert's sound and don't pay attention to the "nada" sound, the two sounds overlap, which is a bit inconvenient. However, I take care to enjoy concerts occasionally. I especially liked opera before the coronavirus, but I haven't been to one since.

Even though I occasionally enjoy live performances, basically, the "nada" sound is the music that is always with me, and because I have the "nada" sound, I don't need any other music.

I don't know how other people feel, but at least for me, the "nada" sound makes other music unnecessary.

I'm not saying that music is bad, and I think it's fine for music to exist. I just don't need to listen to the kind of music that I used to listen to.

In the past, I used to buy CDs and play them in my daily life, but now I don't need them because I have the "nada" sound.

I'm not saying that there shouldn't be music in TV shows or on YouTube. I think it's perfectly fine to have music to create an atmosphere. It's the same as with concerts; it's music as an expression, and I'm not denying that kind of expressive music.

I'm just saying that I don't need music that plays constantly in my daily life. That's because I have the ultimate music, the "nada" sound, which is always present and continues to appear endlessly, so anything more than that is unnecessary.

At first, I only observed the mind, or just one of the five senses. However, I feel that the time I spend simultaneously experiencing multiple senses is gradually increasing.

Especially when I enter a state of vipassana where my vision is in slow motion, my awareness focuses solely on the sense of sight, and that is enough to fill my consciousness.

On the other hand, when I hear nada sounds, my consciousness is filled with the nada sounds.

In either case, I am concentrating on it, but I think it can be called either concentration or observation. It's just a difference in expression, the difference between the words "concentration" and "observation."

These are simply different types of senses used when concentrating, and both primarily involve observing a single sense.

On the other hand, the mind is more subtle. Even when we talk about the mind, it can refer to emotions or thoughts, which are mental phenomena. Emotions are somewhat closer to the five senses, but thoughts have a gradient ranging from things close to the five senses to much deeper levels.

After initially trying to observe only the mind, or just one of the five senses, I think it gradually becomes a combination of them.

It's easier to start with the five senses, but if you meditate, you should first aim for a state of stillness (shamatha). In that case, thoughts become the object of observation, so you are observing thoughts.

In reality, meditation begins with stillness (shamatha), but to simplify the overall explanation, there are two main categories: observing the mind or observing the five senses. The starting point is which one you choose to observe.

Since the mind is deep, you can start with the five senses, or you can start with a specific level of the mind.

In meditation, especially when you reach a state of samadhi or vipassana, you enter an observational state. However, even in that case, it starts with samadhi or vipassana focused on either the mind or one of the five senses, and then gradually progresses to a combination of them.

Initially, it's seated meditation, but eventually, you enter a state of samadhi or vipassana in your daily life. When that happens, for example, you might initially become very sensitive to the sensation of your skin or the sensation of your eyes, and then you gradually become able to observe not only those sensations but also the thoughts in your mind.

If you can observe thoughts from the beginning, that's fine, but the mind is subtle, and the five senses are more coarse sensations, so the five senses are relatively easier to work with. However, even if you start with the five senses, you will naturally be able to observe the mind over time, so the combination gradually increases. When you reach that point, you may be able to maintain a state of samadhi or vipassana relatively easily in your daily life without even consciously trying.

If you are careless, you may fall out of that state, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It's important to know your limits in terms of samadhi. In your daily life, how long can you maintain samadhi? Your daily life itself is a form of practice. There's nothing wrong with your daily life, and it's not that you should only meditate while sitting. Your daily life is also important.

Previously, I used to manipulate energy during meditation, mixing yin and yang energies.

Now, I simply sit with my hands on my knees or folded in front of me, focusing my awareness on my forehead.

Previously, chanting mantras was effective, and even now, when I feel that energy is not flowing properly, chanting mantras can be effective. However, recently, I've mostly been meditating without chanting mantras. Sometimes I try chanting mantras, but lately, it's often ineffective. It's not that it's completely ineffective; rather, in the areas where the mantra would have been effective, the energy is already flowing, so it's more like a way to check if the energy is flowing properly. If the energy isn't flowing, chanting a mantra can help, so it's sometimes useful for that purpose. However, I've largely moved away from relying on mantras.

Recently, I've also stopped focusing on my breath during meditation. In the past, I used to practice breath meditation, which was effective, but I don't do that anymore.

I also used to practice meditation by focusing on the "nada" sound, but I don't do that anymore. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes using nada to guide one to samadhi, which was effective to some extent, and I practiced it for a while.

Maintaining awareness without letting it disappear during meditation is important, and nada played a significant role in that. However, I rarely rely on nada now. Sometimes I try focusing on nada, but I generally don't meditate with nada anymore.

Recently, I literally just sit with my awareness focused on my forehead, waiting for the energy to rise to the ajna and sahasrara.

I don't actively will the energy to rise, nor do I manipulate it like I used to, swirling it around with my "aura."

This method is quite common in classical yoga, which emphasizes sitting and focusing awareness on the forehead. However, previously, it didn't quite resonate with me. While it had some effect, I found that focusing on the back of my head was more stable than focusing on the forehead.

Therefore, while I understood the concept of focusing on the forehead in classical yoga, I had a lingering doubt that it might not be the right approach for me.

However, recently, I've found that, just as classical yoga teaches, simply sitting and focusing my awareness on my forehead allows energy to flow to the ajna and sahasrara, and that this happens even without consciously intending it; simply focusing my awareness on my forehead causes the energy to move in that way.

This has happened before, and sometimes, while focusing on my forehead or the back of my head, my awareness would suddenly become still. However, recently, it feels more like I'm simply sitting and focusing my awareness on my forehead, rather than doing something else.

However, I don't think it would have been better if I had only practiced the classical yoga method from the beginning. I believe there were methods that were appropriate for each period of time.

Certainly, now, this classical yoga method feels the most right, and I sometimes wonder if it's enough on its own. However, I wouldn't tell others to only do this, and I suspect that it would be difficult to progress significantly in this modern era by only practicing the classical yoga method.

That being said, now, this classical yoga method feels the most right, and perhaps, after a while, I might come to understand that it's all that's needed.

At the same time, I think it's important to keep an open mind to other methods and possibilities. For now, this classical yoga method feels the most right.

Classical yoga also teaches that distractions will disappear if you simply let them be, which also resonates with me, but that's a different topic.

Now, I'm simply meditating by sitting and focusing my awareness on my forehead. I don't manipulate the energy, and when distractions arise, I observe them in a state of awareness, watching them come and go. By simply focusing my awareness on my forehead, the energy gradually flows to the ajna and sahasrara, leading to a state of stillness, observation, samadhi, and vipassana.

Nāda sound is a high-pitched sound that can be heard as purification progresses through meditation, etc. Some people may also hear it while doing yoga.

Regarding this, I occasionally receive inquiries from people who suspect they are hearing Nāda sounds. However, I cannot diagnose anything remotely, and I do not provide direct diagnoses or guidance. Therefore, I always advise them to consult an ENT doctor first if they are concerned.

If someone hears a sound, I suggest they visit an ENT doctor. Only after the ENT doctor confirms that there are no abnormalities in the ears can we tentatively hypothesize that it might be a Nāda sound.

ENT doctors can only examine the physical ears. Therefore, even if an ENT doctor says there is no problem, it is still unclear whether it is a Nāda sound at that point.

Even if there are no abnormalities in the ears, stress-related tinnitus can occur in people who are living stressful lives.

Alternatively, tinnitus may be caused by the condition of the skull or the position of some bones.

ENT doctors cannot determine these issues.

Therefore, if you hear a strange sound, do not immediately assume that it is a Nāda sound.

There are certain criteria for determining whether a sound is a Nāda sound, but I still recommend that you first consult a regular hospital.

I do provide brief responses to email inquiries, but these are simply comments on the content of the email or expressions of gratitude for the email. I am not a doctor. I write various things, but I am not providing any specific guidance.

I am not responsible if someone prematurely assumes that a sound is a Nāda sound, does not go to the hospital, and the condition worsens. Therefore, I recommend that you first visit a hospital.

In some schools of meditation, there is a teaching that says, "Let go of any distracting thoughts that arise." This teaching seems correct in the state of concentration, or samadhi, especially in the state of observing the mind.

However, before that, it seems to function only as a principle.

If you truly let go of distracting thoughts, as the teaching suggests, distracting thoughts tend to expand, and the loop of distracting thoughts strengthens, making feelings of anger, hatred, and jealousy stronger (for those who do not meditate often).

Some teachings say not to repeat distracting thoughts. This is true as a "result," but it is not something that can be done intentionally.

If you intend to do that in your mind, you can easily create an image of being able to meditate, and repeatedly tell yourself, "I can let go of distracting thoughts," or "I don't repeat distracting thoughts," which are just distracting thoughts themselves. This is a common occurrence for beginners, and it is probably a path that everyone goes through, so it is not necessarily a bad thing, and it can even be a sign of having gained some experience with meditation. However, you cannot stop there.

As a result, not letting distracting thoughts loop is good, but it is not the "method" itself.

Therefore, you need to think about methods to prevent distracting thoughts from looping.

These methods are described in scriptures, such as chanting a mantra, focusing on the space between the eyebrows, or listening to the anahata sound (if you can hear it), to bind the mind to a single point. These are different methods, but they all have in common the idea of binding the wandering mind and focusing it on a single point. If your school of thought teaches a particular method, you can use that. Otherwise, you can choose a method that suits you. At this stage, there is not much good or bad, only preferences and what suits you.

At this stage, there is no "letting go of distracting thoughts." Instead, you are confining the movements of the mind, where distracting thoughts arise, and binding it to a single point so that other things do not come to mind. When chanting a mantra and concentrating, distracting thoughts may enter, but you repeatedly bring your concentration back to the mantra with the power of your will. The same is true when focusing on the space between the eyebrows. When focusing on the space between the eyebrows, distracting thoughts may enter and your concentration may be broken, but you notice it and bring your concentration back to the space between the eyebrows with the power of your will. This may be difficult to notice when your eyes are closed, but if you have time, you can do it gradually. The same applies to the anahata sound. The basic principle is to concentrate on the anahata sound, and even if distracting thoughts enter, you let them go and bring your awareness back to the anahata sound.

The basic principle is to not follow distracting thoughts that enter, but to return to the concentration of meditation. This is based on the idea that the mind can only think of one thing at a time. Focus on the object of meditation, and even if distracting thoughts enter, do not follow them, but focus on the object of meditation.

In meditation, the teaching of "letting go of distracting thoughts" essentially means this. However, there is also a state of "observing the mind" in the state of samadhi, which is also expressed in a similar way, and it can be said that "letting go of distracting thoughts." However, in the samadhi of the mind, the Atman (true self) behind the mind is observing, so the state is quite different.

It seems that the positioning of the "nada" sound changes depending on whether one has awakened consciousness or not.

When the true nature of the heart (sejni) has awakened consciousness (rikpa), even if there is a nada sound, one is in a state of observing it from the side.

On the other hand, when rikpa has not yet emerged, or is very weak, the conscious mind (the thinking mind) clings to the nada sound. In this case, when extraneous thoughts arise, one may feel unwell or confused, and thoughts may swirl around in the mind.

In the latter state, some texts mention "meditation on the nada sound," and it is written that by focusing on the nada sound, one can reach samadhi as a preliminary stage.

(Chapter 5, verses 79-80) You will hear a pleasant sound emanating from within your right ear. First, it will sound like the chirping of a cricket, then like the sound of a flute, then like thunder, a drum, a bee, a dhol, and further on, the sounds of trumpets, kettledrums, and the mridangam (a South Indian double-sided drum).
(Chapter 5, verses 81-82) And finally, you will hear the resonance of the anahata sound, and there will be light within that sound, and there will be the mind (manas) within that light, and the mind disappears within it. This is the state of reaching the throne of Vishnu. This is how you will attain samadhi.
(From "Continued Yoga Sutras" by Tsugio Saho)

There are various types of samadhi, but the samadhi described here has not yet reached the Atman, and the awakened consciousness (rikpa) of the true nature of the heart (sejni) has not yet emerged. Even so, it is a significant advancement compared to being troubled by extraneous thoughts and afflictions, but it is not the end. There is still a stage ahead where the true nature of the heart (sejni) emerges and awakened consciousness (rikpa) begins to function.

The disappearance of the nada sound is something that happens before rikpa emerges. It may be a stage of growth, but after rikpa emerges, the nada sound is often present, but the conscious mind does not become distracted by it.

In the state where rikpa is functioning, a "consciousness of observation" appears next to the nada sound and the conscious mind (the thinking mind). There is a consciousness that observes not only the nada sound itself but also the ordinary mind (conscious mind, thinking mind) that is aware of the nada sound.

This "consciousness of observation" has always existed, according to the texts. It is not a newly acquired ability, but rather something that is inherently present in all humans. However, in this confused world, it is covered up by impurities, and the function of awakened consciousness (rikpa) is suppressed. The texts say that by removing these impurities through meditation and practice, anyone can attain enlightenment. I believe this is true.

When awakened consciousness (rikpa) emerges, the true nature of the heart (sejni) appears separately from the ordinary mind (conscious mind), and it begins to observe the nada sound. Before rikpa emerges, focusing on the nada sound would take over the entire ordinary mind (conscious mind). However, after rikpa emerges, the conscious mind can selectively focus on the nada sound, or on other things. In order to selectively activate the conscious mind, the inherent nature of the heart (sejni) that controls and observes the conscious mind is necessary. It is through the function of rikpa by sejni that the conscious mind can function consciously and selectively, without being unconsciously swayed. The conscious mind itself is like a tool, and it is through the conscious function of rikpa by sejni that the conscious mind can be moved consciously.