Tuning In: Origins of Naad Yoga

Vedic Roots

Naad Yoga finds its origins in the Vedic period. As outlined in the post titled “Sanskrit Language & Energy”, we have observed the concept of how the Sanskrit language was constructed with energy in mind to invoke specific pathways of vibration with each letter to each word.

The Vedas then are a set of codes with multi-layered significance. The meaning itself it a very small part of the Vedas. The actual sounds and chants themselves and the energy they evoke is a sonic representation of deep truths and structures of the universe. Vedas are referred to as “Sruti” which means “that which is heard”. Interestingly, this word is the same word used to describe a frequency. It is said that these were transcribed by the Rishis who noted down what they heard in deep states of meditation. This makes sense that the thinking is when the Rishis were able to attune themselves to a particular frequency, they were able to receive the wisdom of the universe - and this is the very origin of all of the Vedas, and Vedic knowledge.

Vedas and Tones

As Vedas are chanted to create the experience of universal frequency, they are complete only when chanted. They have complex rules according to the Shiksha or pronunciation of the syllabes, and tonal rules to go with the vyakarana or grammar of the words. The first 3 Vedas use only 3 tones - the middle note being the tonic, the minor second above, and minor 7th below. According to the grammar rules, the tone to be used is specified. These 3 tones represent the three types of energies - Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. They also are meant to resonate in our three granthis, or energy knots in our systems - Brahma granthi, Vishnu granthi, and Rudra granthi. Expanding this, the Sama Veda is the first Veda to expand the tones used to 7 Swaras, where each Swara is linked to a specific Chakra energy center. The Sama Veda is the first use of tone to create almost a vibratory massage in the body at specific energy centers of our body with the intention of orienting the body to the experience of the universal frequency of vibration.

Evolution of the Use of Tones

“Swara” means “self appeared” - meaning, these 7 tones are self appeared distinct notes that establish themselves as anchor points of sound. As “sruti” refers to any frequency of sound, can be numerous, there are infinite frequencies that can be chosen, swaras give us organization for tones.

The 7 swaras with 5 additional notes in between these 7 at specific places form the 12 notes of Raaga music systems. 12 is a very significant number in Vedic cosmology - as it is associated with the Chandas or form of the Gaayatri Mantra, said to be the mother of the Vedas - in that much of the Vedas are written in Gaayatri Chandas. It also has additional significance in that this energy is said to be what is the true reality in the world - while everything else is a superimposition or Maya. An interesting parallel in mathematics is the Ramanujan summation formula - where if all positive integers to infinity are added together, they equal -1/12. Perhaps this has some link to this concept - further research has yet to be done here. There are also 12 notes that appear on the harmonic series in nature that match up to the 12 notes outlined in Raaga music systems.

The Sama Veda is the oldest recorded use of the 7 Swara tonal scale concept. The Raaga music system is the oldest recorded use of the 12 tone chromatic scale, with a complex theory of Sruti to accompany it. This then was expanded into what we know today to be Raaga music.

Raaga music systems began as an offshoot of Sama Veda, almost as a research division of how pure sound affects the human body, mind, and spirit, how it reverberates and integrates with consciousness around us, and how we can harness the power of it to integrate with consciousness. As this research evolved, we ended up with the complex system of Naad Yoga through Raaga music that we have today. This system formed the basis for devotional musical meditation as well that harnessed the power of Raaga in order to facilitate group experiences to evoke and orient towards a desired spiritual energy.