Naad Absorption (Samadhi)
Listening to naad is an extensive practice which may be misunderstood and unrated. Kirpal Singh stressed the listening to naad practice as the ultimate type of samadhi absorption. He called it the sound current. There is what is termed to be surat shabd yoga which is an absorption of inner sounds practice. It is extoled as the ultimate.
Naad yoga begins with hearing naad sound which is a screeching sound within the head. It is continuous and is unpronounced. The yogi hears it and may wonder of its source and value. The beginning stage is the mere hearing of this sound.
It may develop further to the yogi’s listening to hear this sound. Note that the yogi first hears it, then secondly, he listens with interest, just as if he listened to much desired or an alien sound.
Listening and hearing are different but some students are of the opinion that listening is hearing and hearing is listening. I must inform however that in inSelf Yoga™, hearing is the elementary practice. Listening is the advanced practice. There is a difference between the two even though the distinction is subtle. Hearing is an alert condition where the yogi while being attentive to something else, suddenly hears the naad sound. At that time his attention shifts from what was current to hearing the naad sound. What was current which were thoughts, ideas, images, blankness of mind, stunned condition of mind, psychic occupation and other mental or emotional features, suddenly ceases and the yogi realizes that he listens to an inner sound which is spontaneously occurring and which does not depend on his participation.
The yogi may chant a mantra, which causes him to be in the presence of naad sound. Then he suddenly begins hearing naad.
A student yogi may remain in this hearing condition and not shift into listening which is an advancement from hearing. Realizing that he hears naad, the yogi can decide to listen to it in earnest. If he does this, the listening with interest freezes his interest in anything else even his interest in the flow of time. Instead of flowing with time, the yogi remains stationary as the intent listening causes him to freeze in his tracts.
Besides hearing and listening, the yogi may become involved in locating the position of naad. This is different to listening. Listening is remaining where the coreSelf is located and intently listening to naad and only doing that. The positioning feature comes about when the yogi listens to naad but wonder about its location or entry. He seeks to determine where naad is positioned. In doing this he may determine the position of the coreSelf and then find the location of naad, or he may not know the position of the core but locate naad. Some yogis are unable to do either, where they can neither position the core or naad. They are left with listening to naad without know a location as reference either for the core or for naad.
Once a yogi finds the position of the core and the position of naad, there occurs in the meditation a need to determine if there should be a shift. Naad will hold its position if that is detected by the yogi. Naad will hold its position even if that is unknown to the yogi. However, if the yogi locates naad but does not know where the coreSelf is, the yogi can try to shift into naad. In other words, the coreSelf even if it cannot recognize its location, can shift into naad. If it does so the absorption will increase in intensity.
In either case as to if the yogi relocates into naad or if the core remains where it is and is aware of naad’s location, the yogi may discover naad light. This is merely a glow of light in the mind space. It is not a blaring light or a focused light. It is merely a glow. The yogi while listening to naad and while being aware of naad’s position with or without knowledge of the core’s position, can at this stage be aware of naad light. This would mean four focuses occurring as one absorption. These are:
- hearing naad
- listening to naad
- knowing the position of naad with or without knowing the position of the core
- seeing naad glow light
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"He seeks to determine where naad is positioned. In doing this he may determine the position of the coreSelf and then find the location of naad, or he may not know the position of the core but locate naad. Some yogis are unable to do either, where they can neither position the core or naad."
Thanks for sharing this! For me, naad is usually positioned in the right ear; sometimes it is positioned in my left; and other times, like now as I write this, it is more in the right ear than the left but there's a penetrating constant dog whistle like sound at the back of the head which feels like naad is penetrating the entire head (strongly at the back of the head). Should the focus be placed in the right ear where there is the constant buzzing sensation or at the back of the head where the vibration is more like a constant dog whistle? I also find that repeating Om Namah Shivaya mentally on the exhale and Om Tat Sat on the inhale during my meditation helps to deepen my focus on naad--sometimes I slip into a state where I lose connection to the physical body (hopefully that makes sense). I am not sure if mixing the mantras is a good idea, but the need to do it popped in my psyche. I generally do not focus on the coreSelf while focusing on naad, but I will make the attempt.
As for the light, I have experienced a flicker of light in the head--it's not a penetrating single light--it is as if a smokish whitish light flashed (not very bright) in the middle of the head and then disappeared--similar to a lightbulb that flickers in a dark room. I am not sure if this is the same light, but please forgive me if my explanation is confusing as it is oftentimes difficult to explain these experiences. I never made a big deal of the light as the image on the cover of InVision 6 with it's many colors and formations has become a regular experience for me, especially during my morning sessions. I figure that (1) the light may become more apparent with time similar to my experience with the image from InVision 6; (2) it may just be experienced on occasion; or (3) it was a one-time occurrence. I am good with whichever as my goal is to not become addicted to seeing lights during my practice--my focus is to keep the psyche away from attachment to a particular experience since I found that having expectations for an experience and not having that experience creates disappointment in the psyche which ruins my meditation.
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Should the focus be placed in the right ear where there is the constant buzzing sensation or at the back of the head where the vibration is more like a constant dog whistle?
If there are two or more naad sounds, the yogi should determine which is the deepest. That is the one to select for focus with observing where the other sounds are located and what frequency they emit.
I also find that repeating Om Namah Shivaya mentally on the exhale and Om Tat Sat on the inhale during my meditation helps to deepen my focus on naad--sometimes I slip into a state where I lose connection to the physical body (hopefully that makes sense). I am not sure if mixing the mantras is a good idea, but the need to do it popped in my psyche. I generally do not focus on the coreSelf while focusing on naad, but I will make the attempt.
If you were inspired to use a mantra or a combination of mantras, try to determine where the inspiration came from. This is important because in the future there may be other inspirations and identifying these will give you the ability to determine which are reliable and which are not. There are many voices there out in psychosphere. You should know which contacts you and which suggests methods to you. If a certain inspiring force influences you and you find that its advice works for you, then in the future when you are touched by that, you may eagerly accept it. In contrast if another inspirating energy influences and you find that its advice leads nowhere, you may recognize that one as one which you should ignore.
As for the light, I have experienced a flicker of light in the head--it's not a penetrating single light--it is as if a smokish whitish light flashed (not very bright) in the middle of the head and then disappeared--similar to a lightbulb that flickers in a dark room. I am not sure if this is the same light,
It is different to this light(s) you experienced
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Thank you! ??
