Modern science has discovered recently that on certain plates one can see clearly the impression of sound. It is made visible. But in reality on all objects the impression of sound falls clearly, only it is not always visible. It remains for a certain time on any object and then it disappears. Those who have discovered scientifically the different impressions that are made by sound have found the clear forms of leaves and of flowers and of other things of nature, which is the proof of the belief that the ancient people held, and which is expressed in the Vedanta in the well known phrase: Nada Brahma, meaning Sound, the Creator. And we read in the Bible that first was the word, and the word was God, and that first was sound (the word), and then was the light. This only means that the source of creation was sound. In other words, the creative source in its first step towards manifestation was audible, and in its next step it was visible. It also shows that all we see in this objective world, every form, has been constructed by sound: it is the phenomenon of sound.

When we go further into this subject we see that from a mystical point of view every syllable has a certain effect. As the form of every sound is different, so every syllable has a certain effect, and therefore every sound made, or word spoken before an object, has charged that object with a certain magnetism. This explains to us the method of the healers, teachers and mystics who, by the power of sound, charged an object with their healing power, with their power of thought. And when that object was given, as water or as food, that object brought about a desired result. Besides that, many masters of occult sciences who have communicated with the unseen beings, by the power of sound have done still greater things: they have created beings. In other words, they have given a body – by the power of sound – to a soul, to a spirit, making it into a certain being, which is not yet a physical being, but a being of a higher kind. They called such being Muwakkals, and they worked through these beings, using them in any direction of life towards a certain purpose.

The physical effect of sound has also a great influence upon the human body. The whole mechanism, the muscles, the blood circulation, the nerves, are all moved by the power of vibration. As there is a resonance for every sound, so the human body is a living resonator for sound. Although by sound one can produce a resonance in all substances, such as brass and copper, yet there is no greater and more living resonator of sound than the human body. The effect of sound is upon each atom of the body, for each atom resounds; on all glands, on the circulation of the blood and on the pulsation, sound has its effect.

In India there is a feast every year at which the people think of the great heroes of the past and mourn over their life's tragedy. Certain instruments are played, certain drums; sometimes very badly, sometimes by one who knows better. There are some people who, on hearing those drums, instantly enter into ecstasy, because the sound of the drum goes directly into their whole system, bringing it to a certain pitch where they feel ecstasy. And when they are in ecstasy they can jump into the fire and come out without being burned; they can cut themselves with a sword and they are instantly healed; they can eat fire and they are not burned by it. One sees it every year at that particular time.

They call such a condition Hal. Hal means condition, which is an appropriate term for it, because on hearing the drum they think of that condition and they enter into it. In order to go into that trance they need not be very educated or very evolved. Sometimes they are very ordinary people, but the sound can have such effect upon them that they are moved to a higher ecstasy.

The question was raised by a physician in San Francisco, Dr. Abrams, of how the sudden healing of a sword-cut in ecstasy is brought about. Although all other doctors disagreed with him, he intuitively thought that by the help of vibrations illnesses could be cured. But instead of looking for the power of vibrations in the word, he wanted to find it in electricity. Yet the principle is the same: he took the rate of vibrations of the body, and by the same rate of electrical vibrations he treated the elements of the body. He began to get some good results, but it is a subject which will need at least a century to develop fully. It is a vast subject and this is just a beginning; therefore there is still no end to the errors; but at the same time, if people could bear with it, after many years something might come out of it which could be of great use to the medical world.

This example shows that when a man can cut himself and be healed at the same time, he has created such a condition in his body that its vibrations are able to heal any wound immediately. But when that same person is not in that condition, then if there is a cut, he cannot be healed; he must be in that particular condition; the vibrations must be working at that particular rate.

There is a school of Sufis in the East which is called the Rafa'i school. Their main object is to increase the power of spirit over matter. Experiments such as eating fire or jumping into the fire or cutting the body are made in order to get power and control over matter. The secret of the whole phenomenon is that by the power of words they try to tune their body to that pitch of vibration where no fire, no cut, nothing, can touch it. Because the vibrations of their body are equal to fire, therefore the fire has no effect.

Now coming to the question of music: why music has an effect upon a person, why a person, by nature,  likes music? It is not because he is trained in it or because it is a habit, but because it is a natural effect of sound that it attracts. First it touches the physical plane. The snake charmers in the East have proved many times that by playing their simple instrument called pungi they can attract the serpents of the vicinity. The sound has this effect upon the physical body of the serpent, and it begins to feel quite different; through that effect it is attracted to the sound, even to sacrifice its life, for then it is caught by the snake charmer.

It is for this reason that the wise considered the science of sound to be the most important science to use in every condition of life: in healing, in teaching, in evolving, in accomplishing all things in life. It is on this foundation that the science of zikr was developed by the Sufis, and that the Yogis made mantrashastra. By zikr is not meant one particular phrase: by zikr is meant a science of words.

Apart from the meaning a word has, even syllables of sound can bring a good result or a disastrous result. Those who know about this can recall several instances in history where, through the mistake of a poet who did not use the proper words in the praise of a king, the kingdom was destroyed. And yet, how little one thinks about it if one says: 'Well, I have said it, but I did not mean it'. People think that by saying something they have done nothing, as long as they did not meant it. But even saying something without meaning to, has a great effect upon life.

The science of sound can be used in education, in business, in industry, in commerce, in politics, in order to bring about desired results. But the best use of this science is made in spiritual evolution. By the power of sound or word one can evolve spiritually and experience all the difference stages of spiritual perfection.

 

THE MANIFESTATION OF SOUND ON THE PHYSICAL SPHERE

( from an earlier edition of the text )

Modern science has discovered recently that on certain plates one can see clearly the impression of sound. It is made visible. But in reality on all objects the impression of sound falls clearly, only it is not always visible. It remains for a certain time on any object and then it disappears. Those who have discovered scientifically the different impressions that are made by sound, have found the clear forms of leaves and of flowers and of other things of nature, which is the proof of the belief that the ancient people held, and which is expressed in the Vedanta in the well known phrase: Nada Brahma, meaning Sound, the Creator. And we read in the Bible that first was the word, and the word was God, and that first was sound (the word), and then was the light. This only means that the source of creation was sound. In other words, the creative source in its first step towards manifestation was audible, and in its next step it was visible. It also shows that all we see in this objective world - every form - has been constructed by sound: it is the phenomenon of sound.

When we go further into this subject we see that from a mystical point of view every syllable has a certain effect. As the form of every sound is different, so every syllable has a certain effect, and therefore every sound made, or word spoken before an object, has charged that object with a certain magnetism. This explains to us the method of the healers, teachers and mystics who, by the power of sound, charged an object with their healing power, with their power of thought. And when that object was given, as water or as food, that object brought about a desired result.

Besides that, many masters of occult sciences who have communicated with the unseen beings, by the power of sound have done still greater things: they have created beings. In other words, they have given a body - by the power of sound to a soul, to a spirit, making it into a certain being, which is not yet a physical being, but a being of a higher kind. They called the serpent, and it begins to feel quite different; through that effect it is attracted to the sound, even to sacrifice its life, for then it is caught by the snake charmer.

It is for this reason that the wise considered the science of sound to be the most important science to use in every condition of life: in healing, in teaching, in evolving, in accomplishing all things in life. It is on this foundation that the science of zikr was developed by the Sufis, and that the Yogis made mantrashastra. By zikr is not meant one particular phrase: by zikr is meant a science of words.

Apart from the meaning a word has, even syllables of sound can bring a good result or a disastrous result. Those who know about this can recall several instances in history where, through the mistake of a poet who did not use the proper words in the praise of a king, the kingdom was destroyed. And yet, how little one thinks about it if one says: 'Well, I have said it, but I did not mean it'. People think that by saying something they have done nothing, as long as they did not mean it. But even saying something without meaning to, has a great effect upon life.

The science of sound can be used in education, in business, in industry, in commerce, in politics, in order to bring about desired results. But the best use of this science is made in spiritual evolution. By the power of sound or word one can evolve spiritually and experience all the different stages of spiritual perfection.

Question: Can one use music to awaken the soul to mysticism?

Answer: Music is the best medium, nothing is better. Music is the closest, the nearest way to God - that is, if one knows which music and how to use it.

Question: How do you explain that some people have no feeling for music.

Answer: I only explain that feeling is not yet created in them. The day when they begin to feel life, they will begin to enjoy music also.

Question: How is the sudden healing brought about of the sword-cut made while in ecstasy?

Answer: This point was touched upon by a physician in San Francisco, Dr. Albert Abrams. Although all the doctors were against him, he intuitively thought that illnesses could be cured with the help of vibrations. But instead of finding the power of vibration in the word, he wanted to find the power of vibration in electricity. Yet the principle is the same. He took the rate of vibrations of the body, and with the same rate of vibrations of electricity he treated the elements of the body. He began to get some good results, but it is a subject which will need at least a century to develop fully.

He still has representatives. I went to the Institute of Dr. Abrams in San Francisco to see how far they had developed and I saw that they were using a person as a medium. That person feels the vibrations of the drop of blood which is put in his hand. The vibrations of that drop of blood go through his body and he feels them in a certain part of his body. In that way they find out the rate of vibrations of the blood. No doubt it is a vast subject, and this is just the beginning. Therefore there is still no end to the errors. At the same time, if people could bear with it, something might come out of it in many years' time which could be of great use in the medical world.

This example shows that, when a man can cut himself and at the same time be healed, it only means that he creates by sound such a condition in his body that the vibrations of the body are in such a condition that any wound can be healed immediately. But if the same person is not in that condition, then - if there is a cut at that time - he cannot be healed. He must be in that particular condition; the vibrations of his body must be working at a particular rate. If they are not vibrating at that rate, then he will not be healed.

There is a school of Sufis in the East called the Rifa'i school. The main object of this school is to increase the power of spirit over matter, and such experiments as eating fire, or jumping into the fire, or cutting the body are made in order to get power and control over matter. The secret of the whole phenomenon is that by the power of words they try to tune their body to that pitch of vibration where no fire, no cut, nothing can touch it. Because the vibrations of their body are equal to those of the fire, therefore the fire has no effect.

Question: In human life is it possible to hear the soundless sound?

Answer: Yes. It is by hearing the soundless sound that souls have reached the highest point and have discovered that there is a soundless sound.

Question: What do you mean by the soundless sound?

Answer: Sound is that which is heard by the ears, and soundless sound is audible without the help of the ears.

Question: Those who hear the soundless sound, are they clear sighted?

Answer: It is not necessary for a person to be born with clear-sight or with the hearing of the soundless sound. If a person is born with that tendency then it is no credit to him. I think that the best thing is to be like everybody else and at the same time to evolve so that one experiences all that is possible, all that is latent in man, giving others the proof that we are not different from everybody else: we are the same, but this is latent in man.

Question: By evolving you get it?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Is it possible for a person who is born with a gross nature to become fine.

Answer: Certainly. Other things apart, even those who have done the zikr in the right way - in six weeks' time the vibrations of their body change; in six weeks' time those who do it properly become finer. Take the grossest person, make him do the zikr, in six weeks' time his vibrations will change.

Question: In the spoken words are there vibrations of air, as science teaches, or are there still more inner, finer vibrations?

Answer: There are finer vibrations. The vibrations of the air are nothing. Every word has a breath behind it, and breath has a spiritual vibration. So the action of the breath vibrates physically, yet at the same time breath itself is an electric current. Breath is not only the air, but an electric current also: therefore it is an inner vibration.

checked 23-Oct-2005