Nadam: Mystical Sound of Light

by Manorama

Rishis of old, speak of the mystical sound that lies within every manifest being. In Sanskrit, this sound is called OM or Nadam. It is the sound of silence and is linked with pulsation, light and essential rhythm. A yogi-in-training must practice listening to this inner sound during meditation, in order to develop his/her practice and to connect more deeply with his or her Self.

Nada Intoxicated:

When you focus your attention uninterruptedly on the inner OM, you enter the meditative space within, beyond thought known as nada intoxication. Your whole being becomes energized and filled with the pulsation of light and sound. Here, you perceive inner sound, but do not move in any way to translate it. Instead, let the thought waves dissolve by withdrawing your attention from them and work to simply be with the sound through what I call the pure feeling mode.

Manifest and Unmanifest:

Connection to mystical inner sound is extremely healing and energizing. It refines your capacity as a yogi-in-training in both the manifest and unmanifest sense. In the manifest sense, paying attention to nadam develops your capacity to listen more deeply to the sounds around you. Regularly connecting with nadam trains you to be more grounded and present to all of life’s experiences because by being with it, you learn to be with energy overall, energy that both rises within you and around you. This is an important skill for the budding yogi and creates much needed inner space for profound teachings to land. 

In the unmanifest sense, focusing on nadam builds a real relationship with witness consciousness. In order to hear the inner OM, you must focus on it. When you stay with the inner sound continuously it shifts you from a mental level of knowing to a vibrational understanding where you transcend thought. Regular practice illuminates the connection that exists between consciousness and energy.

How to Work with The Practice:

One way to work with nadam is to simply sit each morning and hear the sounds that are in your vicinity. Listen to the sounds that exist in your everyday life: The cars whooshing by, the refrigerator, the creaking of the house, the ambient sounds outside. Pay close attention, not in a serious manner, or in a way that is filled with tension. Simply listen in a way that is open, easeful and attentive. 

After you have worked with being aware of outer sound in this way shift your focus and work with the inner aspect of OM. To do this start by allowing the daily awareness of outer sound to expand in you as you shift into a more meditative place of listening. Listen to the sound within. As the sound grows or dims in intensity do not move to make meaning, instead work to allow the process to lift you into witnessing the sound thereby allowing the OM to reveal its meaning to you.


Copyright 2013 Luminous Shabda, Sanskrit Studies & Manorama