Healing Sounds

As we approach the crossroads of our evolutionary development, which many of the various sacred traditions tell us will be occurring in the near future, we find that different models or archetypes must emerge. The current archetypes that we have dealt with in our psyche, and have manifested in the physical for many thousands of years has resulted in war and suffering. We suggest it is possible to choose a different model based upon harmony, balance, cooperation and compassion. This model exists in the various myths, legends and spiritual texts of the planet representing both strength and goodness. It is not necessary to be weak in order to be kind, although currently, we often confuse and equate these two adjectives.

The model of Tantra of Sound is one that is balanced and aligned with the harmonious integration of the masculine and feminine energies within each person. When these energies are embodied they create an egalitarian relationship with our selves and with others. This relationship is not controlling nor is it in competition with the participants involved—it is cooperative and it is compassionate. It is balanced and it is harmonious.

Despite seeming to be new to many, this archetype has existed since the beginning. Balanced relationships have manifested through many of the divine beings in different cultures who generate loving kindness, from Shiva and Shakti in the Hindu tradition to Avalokitesvara and Tara in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and to Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the Christian tradition. These energies may be understood as being divine entities and their consorts, or priest and high priestess who work together in the sacred loving unity of the Divine. These male and female energies are found within us individually, and also created through partnership. We are not talking about gender separation here, but rather about the balanced energies of the internalized masculine and feminine.

The uniting of masculine and feminine energies is found in tantra, which utilizes the symbolic male/female union within as a meditative form to assist in achieving enlightenment. A tantric practitioner concentrates on expanding all levels of consciousness in order to unveil and experience the supreme reality of God. This is done through symbolically uniting the two opposite energies of the male and female (in Sanskrit, the “Siva-Sakti” energy). Through tantra, one can overcome the “maya” or illusion of separateness, which manifest in lower levels of consciousness creating the polarity of male and female. True reality—the Absolute—is non dualistic. It encompasses unifying the masculine and feminine aspects within our selves so that we may transcend into the oneness of the Divine.

We believe that this paradigm of harmonious and balanced male/female energy is necessary for our continued journey down the evolutionary road. We have reached the place in our development where the use of our technology must be tempered with the wisdom of loving kindness.

Tantra of Sound assists in the integration of this important paradigm of relationship for the benefit of both personal and planetary acceleration.

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One of the highest levels of tantric practice involves resonating and harmonizing oneself with sound! This is done in order to enhance and energize our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual essence. Both the Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist Tantra stress the power of sound. Sound, in fact, is the basis of much tantra—through working with advanced sound techniques, tantric practitioners are able to harmonize themselves in body, mind and spirit.

It was through our work at Healing Sounds, exploring various sonic practices from the Eastern traditions that we came upon the concept of TANTRA OF SOUND. We have discovered, through years of working together using sound, easy methods of achieving this harmonizing effect that the Eastern mystics described. This desired harmony and balance of body, mind and spirit can be both safely and efficiently practiced by utilizing specific techniques and exercises.

Our primary goal in sharing this work is to assist you in reaching deeper states of consciousness and self awareness; first with yourselves, and then, if appropriate, with a partner. We are currently at a crossroads in our evolutionary development. One road leads to an extraordinary new world of hopes and possibilities filled with love and compassion, caring and kindness. The other road does not.

This first road offers the potential of us becoming the true, extraordinary humans that so many of the mystics and spiritual teachers throughout time have suggested that we can be. In order to do so, we must indeed be able to achieve harmony and balance within ourselves and then with each other. In order to do so, we must be willing to gaze into the window of our soul, acknowledge who and what we are, and then agree to love and honor that being.

Jonathan Goldman is author and sound healing musician: The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing & Holy Harmony

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“Tantra” is Sanskrit, the ancient language of the Hindu tradition. Like many other sacred languages such as Hebrew or Tibetan, there is frequently not simply one singular meaning that can be applied to the words which we translate. Thus “tantra” is often translated as “continuum” or “unbroken stream” and indicates a flow of consciousness from ignorance to enlightenment. The word also translates as “web” or “warp” and encompasses all that is. Tantra represents the interconnecting energies between all things in this and other planes of existence. Other words used to describe tantra are: leading principle, essential part, model, system, framework, doctrine, rule, theory, scientific work, order, chief part, rule, authority, science, mystic works, magical formulas, means, expedient, stratagem, medicine.
The etymology of “tantra” comes from the combination of two words “tattva” and “mantra”. “Tattva” is the science of cosmic principles, while “mantra” refers to the science of mystic sound and vibrations. In the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, tantra is sometimes referred to as “Secret Mantra”. This may be to distinguish it from being confused with Western concepts of neo-tantra. A definition of the meaning of Secret Mantra from the Tibetan Buddhist standpoint is as follows: `Secret’ indicates that these methods should be practiced privately. `Mantra’ means `protection for the mind’ and often utilizes sacred sound to do this. Thus, the function of Secret Mantra is to enable us to progress swiftly through the stages of the spiritual path by protecting our mind against ordinary conceptions through the use of sound.

My book Tantra of Sound emphasizing the science of sound healing for relationships and personal growth.

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TANTRA.  The very word conjures up exciting images of incense filled rooms, full of throbbing bodies pulsating and vibrating in various degrees of orgasmic ecstasy.  Indeed, if you were to do an Internet search with the word “tantra”, you would find over a million and a half websites devoted to that word.  Almost all of these sites focus upon sex.  Sex is huge.  Sex sells.  We are a sex obsessed planet. And to many people, sex and tantra mean the same thing.  This, however, is simply not true.

There is great confusion today about the word tantra, and understandably so.  Depending upon the culture, tradition, viewpoint, teacher and level of awareness, “tantra” can mean different things to different people.  At healing sounds we’ve investigated numerous sources and were astounded by the variety of meanings that were applied to the word tantra and the teachings behind it.

Not surprisingly, here in the West, the meaning of tantra is almost always synonymous with sex and sexual yoga, taken from specific paths and teachers in the Hindu tradition.  Yet, in the Buddhist tradition—particularly Tibetan Buddhism, tantra has nothing to do with sex—at least not from the physical aspect of sexual relationships.

An internet search for the word tantra, which found over a million and a half websites advertising aspects of tantra, revealed that the vast majority of these sites centered upon sex.  We speculated that at least 90% – 95% of the sites we visited involved some aspect involving sexual relations—with everything from sexual aids to sexual surrogates beings advertised. Many times these sites offered techniques for improving sexual capability in sexual relationships.  Many times, however, these sites were not nearly that subtle.

Yet, in our research we also discovered sources that were of seemingly pure tantric traditions, and they were almost all adamant that tantra had little or nothing to do with sex as it is currently perceived of in the West.  In Fact, the word “neo-tantra” frequently emerged when talking about these newer perceptions of tantra which many authorities considered a corruption of the word.  What then, is tantra?  I will share the meaning of tantra in my next post.