Nad Yoga, sound current meditation, attunes the mind to the resonance of the divine sounds coursing through creation. The practice of the simple meditation makes tremendous expansion of the mind possible, enabling the practitioner to experience the presence of multi-dimensional forces within each person’s being.

This meditation is best done lying down. Thus, it is necessary that you be alert enough to prevent drifting off to sleep. It can be done sitting, but the effect is not as profound unless you are relatively advanced in the practice of meditation. Lie on a firm, flat surface with no pillow. Keep the legs straight and uncrossed, and the arms at your side with the palms of the hands turned upward. The body should be as relaxed as possible. It is very important to be in a quiet, dark place and best if practiced at night or in the early morning when the rest of the world is still. If noise is a problem, earplugs may be used.

With the eyes and the mouth closed (this is important), turn all your attention to the inside of your head, and begin to listen carefully. Concentrate on the right side of the head, near the inner ear. There will be a sound of some sort. Perhaps you will hear a light ringing sound, a soft buzzing sound, or something akin to a faint rumble. Listen as closely as possible to whatever sound it is that you are hearing, with absolute attention—as though you were trying to hear someone in another room who is speaking in a whisper.

As you listen, the sound you her will grow louder, and you will start to hear other sounds. In fact, so many sounds may start to swell at once that the original sound may be lost. As the sounds become louder, focus your attention on just one, as if you were trying to single out one instrument in a symphony. Concentrate intently on that one sound. It will become louder and louder, and you may in time experience the sensation of having your whole body resonate with that sound. As you listen the sound may stop and turn into something else—more refined and vibrant. Go with that, and by all means keep the attention as focused as possible.

There are many sounds you may hear; bells, flutes, falling water, the sound of the ocean, the singing of birds, and more. As you practice this meditation regularly, you will hear subtler sounds that are somehow more brilliant in their tone. If the attention begins to wander, however, they will fade.

The regular practice of this meditation provides a sense of being at one with many vibrations. The whole body may often feel completely immersed in the current being heard while the higher senses are awakened.

When you meditate on the sound current that flows through the entire universe, you tune your attention to the source of the flow. As you become one with the sound, you may experience many other planes of awareness and change your entire perspective on life. Begin practicing Nad yoga for at least 10 minutes, increasing the time to as long as you want.

By Chris Kilham, Yoga Journal, September/October 1981