Meta: What is the inner sound and what does it have to do with awakening?
The existence of inner sounds is recognized by nearly every spiritual tradition. For example, across different texts, inner sounds may be called Anahata Nada, Shabda Brahman, sound current, cosmic sound, unstruck sound, divine ear, Aum, and other names, depending on the source. It is said to be the constant background noise of all things, present in every moment, every object, and every experience. Yet, I had never heard of the inner sound until I began hearing it myself.
Given most people, even those who are awakening, do not seem to hear the inner sounds, it is discussed rarely and often mistaken for tinnitus. So, in this article, I’ll share my personal experiences with inner sounds to help guide those who are drawn to the inner sound.
When I Began Hearing Inner Sounds
After reading an Eckhart Tolle book, I began meditating for about an hour per day with a focus on sound—the sound of a tingsha bell ringing into silence, the sound of a train coming and then going, and even the sound of silence. About 2 months later, I noticed my first inner sound—a high-pitched bell-like ringing in my left ear while lying in bed at night. I asked my husband if he heard it and he said no.
Shortly after, I realized I could hear another sound, a medium tone. Then I started hearing a rumbling sound that felt to be coming from lower down. And then, I heard what sounded like TV static coming from above my head. The static sounds like this:
Video: Anahata Nada Sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHShCOYGrQg
As I continued to listen to the 4 sounds, they became ever-present. I can and do hear them anytime I place my attention on them. Sometimes they are so loud that they make it difficult to sleep. And they tend to get louder when both when I’m very relaxed or when I’m very stressed.
Finding Sublter Inner Sounds
As I continued to watch the sounds, I would notice more of them. My favorite sound is the sound of waves crashing, but I have a hard time finding this sound. I also hear the sound that creates egoic thought—right before my mind begins one of its inner monologues, there is a kind of buzz. And, right before I fall asleep, I hear a beeping-like sound that creates the hypnagogic imagery of dream. It jars me awake and disappears as soon as the dream imagery disappears.
It seems that the entire world—including thoughts—is made of sound vibrations. If we are just quiet enough, still enough, and attentive enough, we can hear the entire world.
As I continued to listen to the sounds (in meditation and in daily life), the more vibrational they became. You know like when you feel the base of a loudspeaker vibrating your whole body? It’s very much like that. My whole body now vibrates along with the inner sounds.
When The Inner Sound Finds You
The discovery of inner sounds can be quite a shock—the universe was humming along our entire lives and we simply didn’t notice it! So, many people label their inner sounds as tinnitus and develop a negative relationship with them. Indeed, once we begin to hear the inner sounds, they can sometimes get quite loud and interfere with our day-to-day lives. If possible, try to view these inner sounds as a comforting backdrop to reality rather than an annoying noise that follows you around everywhere.
I don’t yet know where the inner sound is taking me, so for now, I’m just along for the ride.
To read more about the insights I’ve gained on this journey, feel free to explore my blog: https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/blog.html
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