The Power of Sound
Posted on | June 26, 2008 |
Hearing is one of our most powerful — and sometimes overlooked — senses. Our ears are constantly picking up information for our brains to process. Even after our eyelids shut and we fall asleep, our ears are wide open…taking in sound.
People often have strong sensory experiences. The smell of a certain food being prepared can take you back decades, across continents. Unfortunately, a lot of auditory cues end up being negative. Fingernails on a chalkboard, the screech of car brakes in a crowded city street, the sound of glass shattering. But what about sounds that impact us positively?
When I began practicing yoga about seven years ago, I had no real knowledge of what it was about, nor had I ever knowingly heard or understood Sanskrit. One day a new yoga teacher came into class as began the practice with a Sanskrit invocation. Immediately something resonated in me and I felt as though I’d been told something important. Something I knew a long time ago but had forgotten. It was the audio equivalent to the family recipe you grew up with as a child and hadn’t had for a long time.
Pay attention to sounds the same way you’d pay attention to sights, smells, tastes, or touch…don’t just take things for granted. You may find that your ability to appreciate and understand things changes as well.
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From Ohm to Om reflects the opinions of mastering engineer Paul Abbott, owner of San Diego's ZenMastering.
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