Yoga and Music

     The two words - Yoga and Music are popular the world over. While Music surfaced in almost every civilization of the world in one form or the other, Yoga has been the legacy of the civilizations in the Indian region. In adaptations across cultures, Yoga has developed different meanings specific to the people of the regions.
     The original (native) meaning of the word Yoga is 'to combine' or 'to join'. Therefore, there must be things that need to be connected, and therefore things that are disjoint currently. Those things are the body and the mind, the mind and the voice. It is essential that the body obeys the mind and the mind thinks about the body. It is also essential that the voice be in the shape the person wants to convey the meaning. All these things are essential.
    Yoga, is certainly not a different type of acrobatics or a relaxation course. It must be undertaken to enhance awareness. An in an aware body, an original sense of music is more likely to prevail. Music will be in different colors when practiced with Yoga.

Listening to your own voice

        As a child, it always struck me when I saw some page in a book saying "And he realized that all pains are inevitable" or "he could finally listen to his own self". In those days, I tagged them to be poetic non-sense. After all, I could always listen to my own voice and I knew 'No pain, No gain' and other related quotes. There was nothing so impressing about it. Every book told it. Every body knew it.
       Then, there came times when I began to feel the things, realize the things. Yes, when they say be quiet, we should be quiet. Quiet not just in the manner of not uttering a word, but also quietening the mind. I could then feel blood flowing in my nerves. And these things also made me aware of so many tensions, and pains in the body. Pain, as they have said it, is inevitable.
       Now, after learning some basic ragas in Hindustani Classical Vocals, I must say my notions for the voice have changed. It is not just the sound produced from the vibration of vocal chords, it is the result of all the activities that go on inside us at that moment. It makes us conscious that now we are being heard, we own the words that we say, and we are responsible for it. I think, I am beginning to hear my own self.