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The Deep Meaning of Music
By Michael Laughrin, Michael@jyotish.ws
Music is the language of the heart, of the soul.
Music, at least to me, more accurately shows us how
the Universe works than all the wordy studies -
philosophy, religion, poetry, etc. - ever engaged in
by the mind of Man. For me, music is largely polluted
by words. Music is the perfect emotional language.
Words just get in the way.
A poem may be given wings by music, but the words
tend to keep music earthbound. One can say that a
poem is a song for those who cannot sing, yet
poetry is perhaps the finest of the "wordy arts."
Why, and how, does music portray reality more
perfectly than "wordy studies?"
- Life is ephemeral. Music is ephemeral. For both of
them, blink and the situation is changed. Art,
architecture, and books give a false sense of solidity,
of permanence that, ultimately, has no basis in
reality.
- For those of us who have not yet permanently
crossed the River of Enlightenment, life is Maya
(illusion). Music gives us the true flavors of that
wonderful illusion while yet touching the Soul with
intimations of liberation, heaven, and/or enlightened
reality.
- Just as the absolute, unchanging aspect of
creation underlies all we perceive, so the notes
accompanying the melody are often ignored. Yet,
they form the structure of the wonderful flights of
spirit by the melody.
- Everything is rhythm -- breathing, heartbeats,
walking, talking, wars, marriage, birth, death, even
the rise and fall of civilizations. Music is the king of
rhythm. Therefore, we could say that all of life is a
gigantic piece of music that, perhaps, only mystics,
seers, (and spaced out musicians!) can perceive.
- Music can be infinitely complex -- just like life
itself. For example, five part fugues by Bach, or
Renaissance pieces for two choruses, organ and
orchestra.
- Music is perfectly orderly and mathematical, yet
it is the most perfect means of soul expression ever
invented. One might say, "Aha! Then mathematics is
the real ultimate reality." Perhaps, but you stick to
your numbers and I'll keep my guitar and CD player,
and we'll see who is more emotionally fulfilled.
- Sound is primordial, according to the ancient
Hindus. The Universe was sung into being. All the
other senses derive from sound. Even books and
philosophy and religion are nothing but frozen
sound.
- Name and form -- there is a word in Sanskrit:
Namarupa. It means name and form. The idea is that
the true name of an object (in Sanskrit) has the
same vibrations as the object itself. That implies that
just saying the name of a thing will give you the
essential energy of the thing itself.
- Applying this to instrumental music, I have come
up with the idea that each note creates a "thing" in
the subtle worlds. Therefore, a well composed piece
of music is actually a whole small universe unto itself.
Perhaps this means that to create music, or even
just to play good music, takes us closer the Creator
than, perhaps, any other activity, as we become
creators (or, if playing someone else's music, "re-
creators") ourselves. Herein, perhaps, lies the
profundity, the joy, and the uplifting quality that
music brings.
Concerning music and astrology, both are
mathematical and rhythmical. There are seven true
planets in traditional astrology and there are seven
notes to the scale. There are twelve signs of the
zodiac and there are twelve notes to the chromatic
scale. Each planet, and each note, has its own
unique flavor, its own special color that musicians
can taste and see. The laws of physics and the rules
of musical composition seem to suggest each other
to the wise.
To me, astrology is the music of the spheres -- but
one must have the ears of spirit open to hear it.
Thanks to my spiritual teachers for inspiration.
Thanks to music for a taste of reality.
(c) copyright 2007 Michael Laughrin.
(This article was published in the February/March 2007 issue
of Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter. Click to subscribe to this free Jyotish newsletter.
)
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