We have all heard, “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend,” but have you heard that RAV is a yogi’s best friend? Yes! And if you ask how, let me take you on a little journey into the topic and find out together how music affects a person to achieve a higher state of mind during yoga and meditation.
Basics of Yoga
To understand the topic thoroughly, we should first know what yoga is. The word “yoga” comes from Sanskrit and means “to unite.” And to simply put, yoga is a practice of the mixture of both mind and body. It has three key elements:
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poses (asana)
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breathing (pranayama)
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meditation (dhyana)
Let’s explore these concepts a little. The first one, asana, means “pose” or “posture” in Sanskrit. The term is used for the poses that we strike during yoga. They are practiced for lots of different reasons, such as to ease your acute pain, to increase your flexibility, or to learn to control your breath.
The latter concept, pranayama or breathing, looks quite simple, yet to practice it correctly is really hard. Being mindful of your each breath, filling your lungs, and inflating your diaphragm while trying to relax can be uncomfortable and tricky. But worry no more! That is why we practice both yoga and meditation.
The last concept, dhyana or meditation, will be explained later in the text, but for now, I can say that meditation is important for everyday life, whether you do yoga or not. Meditation allows us to rest physically and mentally by controlled breathing and thoughts, reducing stress and elevating our spirits. Also, keep in mind that yoga and meditation go hand in hand!
You may want to practice yoga for several reasons: to move your body, gain flexibility, control your breath, or better your mental health. It doesn’t matter because in the end, you will realize you actually achieved all of them.
Background of Yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice. It is estimated to be between 2,500 and 5,000 years old.
“The earliest images of yoga are soapstone seals from the Indus Valley archaeological site of Mohenjo-Daro (3rd millennium B.C.E.) depicting a yogi in a cross-legged posture, the Lotus pose.” (Pandurangi et al., 2017)
With the history of yoga being told, it’s time for another crucial term used for the people who practice it: yogi.
The word yogi (masculine) and yogini (feminine) originate from the word "yogin" in classical Sanskrit, which means a practitioner of yoga. Although both words still preserve their meanings, the term yogi is used to refer to both masculine and feminine nowadays.
Let us circle back to the action itself for a moment.
Yoga, this calming experience, allows its practitioners to calm down, rest from the stress of the mundane world, and relax. While doing this exercise, we become one with our soul, body, and mind. It is not just a physical exercise; we also connect with our emotions and thoughts. To achieve this elevated state of consciousness as much as possible, we use meditation during the exercise.
What is meditation?
Meditation is a practice that uses different mental and physical techniques. There are many reasons why a person meditates. It can be
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to calm one’s mind,
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let thoughts flow without judgment,
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ground oneself in reality,
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or even just exist without thinking of anything or anyone for five minutes.
It is up to the person to decide what they want to achieve through meditation. But at the core of it, there is a simple truth, and that is to just “be.”
Be in the moment, be present, breathe in, and breathe out.
Music in the Brain
Now that we know what meditation is, let us move on to the musical side of it, the rhythmic part.
Have you ever turned on music to get your feels up when you were not feeling good and needed to energize?
Suddenly, your foot is pulsing with the rhythm of the music, your thoughts go silent, and boom! you start dancing.
As Alex Doman, music producer and author of Healing at the Speed of Sound, states:
“Listening to music has a positive impact on our health, by helping us recover faster when we experience stress and through the reduction of stress hormone cortisol, to help us achieve a calm state or homeostasis.”
Or in another scenario, you are feeling good, but suddenly a really sad song starts playing, and your whole mood is ruined. You are devastated!
Exactly! That is the power of music. It affects us. Both positively and negatively, depending on the song. Thus, it is important to be aware of what you are listening to, as it goes straight into our minds and affects our mood.
During his TEDx talk, the neuroscientist and musician Alan Harvey says, that music has an extraordinary power to stimulate our emotions and stimulate our memories.
The lyrics and rhythms we hear, and the vibrations that we feel, they all get to us. But we have the advantage of using that to our power. We should choose carefully what to listen to and be aware of the lyrics to avoid being affected by them. (Or simply be ready to get under their spell!)
Music is one of the foods of the mind, soul, and body; it is essential. So, we use it during meditation as well.
Music and Meditation
While you are in a calm state of mind, still and present in your mind, there is a peaceful silence. However, sometimes it is really hard to maintain this silence, so to elevate that state, we use different instruments during the sessions.
Musical Tools in Meditation and Yoga
The first one is the famous bowl called the ‘Tibetan singing bowl.’ They are different-sized bowls that produce soft sounds and are said to have healing energy. The bowls are mostly metal, but you can find crystal bowls as well. What differs them is, the metal ones are more budget-friendly, while the crystals are high in cost. It’s up to your taste! Still, I would say the metal ones are the best, since they are authentic.
These bowls may vary in shape and size, but at the core, they share the same idea and offer the same result.
The aim is to create smooth notes that will help you:
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reduce your stress and anxiety,
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enhance calmness,
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and balance chakras.
The second instrument is the meditation bells/chimes. Their job is to make sure you are in the moment during meditation. To increase mindfulness, the player rings the bell on a rhythm to keep practitioners focused. This not only helps you to stay in the moment but also helps you control your breath.
The positive outcome of using such musical tools during meditation can be explained with a sentence by Erin Seibert, an expert in music therapy,
“Music is one of the longest standing self prescribed therapy in history.”
RAV in Meditation
Just like a singing bowl, RAV Vast is also a helpful musical tool in meditation. It produces soft and natural sounds that will cool you down.
When you are tapping your hands against its deep indigo blue, your whole body will be one with the music.
You will move with the notes that are springing from your heart.
Your mind will be at peace, and your thoughts will sing to you.
And if you want a special RAV Vast for your meditations, we have just the right one for you! It is the one and only 432 Hz frequency RAV Vast.
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But what is the 432 Hertz frequency?
It is the frequency related to the Earth itself. It is the vibrations of Nature.
It is for everyone: musicians to understand their instruments, yogis to meditate with, and people with anxiety, it doesn’t matter! Because studies have shown that people listening to 432 Hz have lower anxiety levels and that their cortisol levels are reduced.
So, we can say that the earth’s frequency has a way of helping us relax through the natural notes.
Ways of Playing RAV During Meditation
We know that playing 432 Hz RAV Vast will help you focus and control your breath as if you are meditating. And that playing it to yourself will be just like a normal meditation session, but there is another way to benefit from your RAV…
…that is a group program!
Imagine a group of people gathered for the same purpose in a cozy room, lit candles and burned incense, and you all give in to the peaceful sound of RAV 432 Hz, which elevates your vibrations through its natural frequency.
You let go and just float in your mind.
That is the beauty of this meditation, powered by 432 Hz frequency. Improving your focus and mindfulness, helping clear your mind and focus on what is important: yourself.
In a Nutshell
To sum up, dear reader, as a living being, it is your responsibility and privilege to take care of your physical and mental health. There are many ways to achieve that, whether by practicing yoga, meditation, or playing an instrument. It is purely your choice. Trust me when I say it, the outcome will only be positive.
So, even when things are hard and life is tough, you should not give in to bad thoughts and hand them the key to ruin your inner peace. You should remember that it will all pass and that you are in charge of your thoughts and actions. So, breathe in and out and be present. And as they say, seize the day.
