The late Douglas Shrader was a SUNY distinguished teaching professor and the chair of the Philosophy Department at SUNY Oneonta. He participated in the SUNY Oneonta Yoga Institute between 2001 and 2007 and helped interview 20 scholars representing various religious and philosophical traditions from all over the world. He also gave a number of talks. One such lecture concentrates on the connection between music, mysticism and meditation.
Shrader believed there exists an unusual connection between music, mysticism and meditation. He believed not only that they are interconnected, but they are each created to enhance the effect of the others. Various cultures have used music to cultivate and enrich meditation. Since there are various types and characteristics of Eastern and Western mysticism, the relationship among music, mysticism and meditation though, complex, is interdependent.
For example, let us take the case of Hinduism as a religion. The practitioners of Hinduism believed their faith started in 4500 B.C.E. when the earliest books of Rig Vedas were composed. Since these books were divinely revealed to certain sages, they were memorized. The easiest way for them to be memorized was when they were chanted and sung at the various occasions. One of the famous mantras in the Vedas is the Ode to the Goddess of Wisdom, or Gayatri. It was chanted in the morning, afternoon, evening and at night. It was regarded as not only auspicious, but also the beginning of meditation and contemplation. When we look at historically, it clearly displays the interconnection of music, mysticism and mediation.
When we listen to different recordings from an assortment of cultures and traditions, we would notice similarities especially as regards mystical qualities and meditative effects. We observe such examples ranging from ancient to modern times, from Plato to William Blake, and from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Daoism to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. There are various forms of meditation such as Vipassana (clear insight), Metta and Tonglen meditation (involving love, compassion and the alleviation of suffering), meditation through Tankas (paintings), the ritual creation of sand Mandalas representing mystical or hidden dimensions of reality, and daily meditation concerning one’s own life and death (utilizing texts such as the Tibetan Book of the Dead). In order to sample the experiential flavor of each form of meditation, we need to do simple daily exercises whether that involves singing or playing music or chanting. Some forms of Yoga follow that path.
Suggested Exercise:
Sit in a lotus position or in an easy posture. With the right thumb, close the right nostril. Breathe in through the left nostril for a count of eight. Retain this air in your lungs for a count of four and then exhale this air out from the right nostril for a count of eight. Repeat this five times. Then do the same exercise by breathing in through the right nostril for a count of eight. Then retain it in your lungs for a count of four. Exhale from the left nostril for a count of eight. Repeat this excise five times and then relax by enjoying your day.