Thesis on Kundalini

[Guest guest]

You mention violin, but are you suggesting like Swami Agehananda

Bharati that spiritual experience, like proficiency in music, is

available

only to people genetically programmed for it? It is an interesting

argument.

 

Another problem is ontological. To the spiritually awakened soul,

the

experience of the whole world is supposed to undergo a remarkable

transformation. But ontologically, this cannot be defended. How do

we

reconcile these two perspectives scientifically?

 

Rajendran

 

 

Dear Rajendran,

 

On one hand, the violin analogy is simply that: a good analogy for

the spiritual life. It includes technical elements, requires a

certain level of committment, years of study, and has the ultimate

aim of Music---something powerful, well-known, yet mysterious.

 

My musical studies began with the Suzuki method which has a central

teaching that all children can learn music in the same way that all

children can learn their mother tongue language. In this light

then, everyone who has a functioning set of ears is genetically

qualified for music. The spiritual life is similarly available to

everyone.

 

On the other hand, as you know, India resounds with the songs of its

saints, Vedic chanting, kirtans, and other sacred music. The sounds

of the syllables and the meanings behind them are complete in

themselves, and yet, in India---more than anywhere else it seems---

they are also set to the most captivating melodies. In fact, it is

even said that simply repeating the words of the saints and singing

their songs is a complete sadhana in itself. The sadhana of

chanting is also considered the easiest and the most universally

available sadhana that anyone can try. From this one can conclude

that Music is something very close to the soul.

 

* * * * * * *

 

Could you elaborate on how the transformation of one's inner life

cannot be defended ontologically? I believe you are saying that

since an aspirant's life becomes transformed, he/she no longer

shares the same frame of reference as a "normal" person, and this

creates the problem?

 

 

---Matt