by The power of mental sound
When attempting to reproduce sensory perceptions mentally, the ease or difficulty of doing so depends on the state of the connected Element. When one Element is more dominant in a person’s psychophysical makeup, it tends to make related practices easier. However, this excess can create an imbalance in the other Elements, making it harder to engage in sensory exercises associated with them.
If you find a particular sensory exercise challenging to execute, it’s important to persevere. Doing so will provide you with the opportunity to enhance your inner balance by combining this training with techniques such as using a soul mirror, self-suggestion, and the magic of water and food. If you do not establish a balance among the Elements, progressing to the following levels will be difficult.
The association of the sense of hearing with ākāśa (see the paragraph on visual concentration) may initially seem misleading, as we typically connect the transmission of sound with the Air Element. However, it’s essential to understand that air (or a solid or liquid) merely acts as the medium through which sound travels. The real source of sound arises from the vibrations of an object or instrument, such as the vocal cords. These vibrations create pressure waves in the transmission medium, which then stimulate our auditory mechanism, resulting in the perception of sound.
In this context, ākāśa serves as the origin of sound—a space from which vibrations emerge before they manifest as actual sound. Therefore, sound requires not only the presence of space but also a means of transmission and a sensory apparatus to be perceived.
In the practice of auditory concentration, one accesses the essence of sound, the stimulus for sound sensation, without using physical means. The exercise is conducted as follows:
- After taking your usual relaxed position, imagine hearing a simple sound, such as the ticking of a pendulum or the ringing of bells. Since this exercise aims to isolate various sensory perceptions, it is crucial to avoid visualising the object that produces the sound. Your perception of sound should be free from images; if any image does appear, consciously banish it from your mind. Similar to the previous exercise on visual concentration, the sound will initially be clear for only a few seconds. However, as you continue to focus, you will begin to perceive it more distinctly.
- Once you have mastered simple sounds, progress to more complex sounds, including musical instruments, atmospheric noises, and percussion created with various tools. Always maintain a focus on pure auditory concentration.
- The practice concludes once you can maintain the auditory sensation for five minutes.
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