BALANCING VISION AND SOUND

The human species suffers from a pervading imbalance because the eye dominates the ear, which corresponds to male forms dominating the female. Many of our problems, ranging from unrest in our relationships to international conflicts, can be minimized through reevaluating the way we view, utilize, and relate to sound — and, consequently, to the feminine in our lives. The Yoga of Sound can help us find balance for ourselves, our communities, and our world.

Much of the information we rely on comes to us through our eyes. This information can be measured, analyzed, and categorized — all processes of the linear left brain, also known as the masculine brain. To be successful in our society, we develop the left brain — often to the neglect of the right brain, which coordinates the artistic, intuitive, and feminine aspects of awareness. From the time when we wake up on a workday until we go to sleep at night, we must continually jerk ourselves into the analytical, organizing power of the left brain. Like the edge of a Neanderthal's spear, we must keep our left brain sharp throughout the day to provide for our families and defend ourselves from the predators of modern civilization. If we lapse into the artistic feminine brain, we might lose our ability to drive a car, cross a road, get money from an ATM, or communicate in a business meeting. Even our weekends and holidays, filled with the efficient execution of tasks and lists, are dominated by left-brain activities; we are constantly sifting through our options.

The left brain is about doing; the right brain is about being. One of our greatest difficulties these days is getting our linear, thinking mind to take a break. For instance, preoccupation with a problem, anxiety about an approaching outcome, or depression resulting from a difficult relationship can take over our mind and emotions. Harmonizing the flow of our thought patterns creates spaciousness in the mind and gives us perspective on our thought processes.

The main reason for taking vacations is that our feminine mind is starved most of the year. We only rest in the feminine mind when we eat, have sex, or sleep — and many of us have trouble sleeping because the left brain won't let go. The feminine mind relishes experience and takes in the whole rather than objectifying a part. All too often, we find that our thinking, describing mind invades and violates our moments of experiential absorption, diminishing even the short periods we set aside for ourselves.

"Yoga is chitta vritti nirodha," begins Patanjali's famous set of aphorisms known as The Yoga Sutras. In English, this means that yoga is the cessation of the movements and modifications of the mind. Present-day spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, has eloquently demonstrated this primary yogic principle by awakening people to the "off switch" that stops the thinking mind — or at least gives it a short rest. When we turn off that switch, the feminine mind is allowed to function and we find balance in our lives.

Here is another way of looking at these two forms of mind, which are represented by the two hemispheres of our brain. Typically, the left brain is governed by the ego, which is geared toward achievement, success, and doing. The right brain, on the other hand, is governed by the soul, which is engaged in processes for their own sake, without judgment of any kind. Since the right brain is free from the desire for specific outcomes, the soul can delight in the experience of being.

The Yoga of Sound is concerned primarily with the recovery and reconstitution of soul energy. And, as Western yogis seek to develop their own unique identity, the role of yogic music, sacred sound, and mantra is crucial to the soul of yoga as it develops in the West.

STRESS AND THE IMBALANCE OF THE VISUAL

Not only do external pressures cause us stress, but getting stuck in the left brain exacerbates that stress. Unfortunately, for most Americans television has become the standard way to relax and control stress. While television can help us relax and unwind after a long, hard day at work, it also bombards us with a tremendous amount of negative information that concentrates fear and anxiety in our bodies. Michael Moore's brilliant documentary Bowling for Columbine demonstrates how American television creates a culture of fear that is completely out of proportion with healthy caution.

Excessive television watching also reduces our attention span because we become conditioned to expect an unnatural level of stimulus and variety. This becomes a major barrier to spiritual development because the effects of healthy spiritual practice are often subtle and can go unnoticed by someone whose senses are overstimulated. Furthermore, the rapid segues from one scene to another in many television and movie productions, together with the onslaught of aggressive advertising, translate directly into our disembodied, disjointed lifestyles. This lack of continuity in our consciousness contributes to the ease with which we are drawn into the drama of the ego. Layers of stress build on each other, leading us to become quick in our judgments, which then contribute to a deepening skepticism, especially around spiritual practices. Such patterns have got to change if we are to find meaning, balance, and fulfillment in our lives.

Although we do our best to compensate for the imbalance between our left and right brains, we find that unresolved energy tends to accumulate. This accumulated energy can cause discomfort and blockage, or it can spill out in undesirable ways, often embarrassing us and harming our relationships. Many of these energy problems are subtle and unconscious,...