Article: ‘In Tune: A perspective of Music & Wellness’

W ORLD YOGA FESTIVA L

www.yogafestival.world

‘In Tune’: A perspective of Music & Wellness

by Jesse Bannister

Sitting and singing in my garden under a temple of trees in 2020, the outer world had gone silent and nature was free to sing, I had sensed the pure sound of Indian rāga and I felt moved to follow this mystical sound to its depths and find my own inner wisdom, strength and love through the creation of music from its universal source. 18 months on and I realised this with my album, ‘In Tune,’ recorded on a 19th century Steinway grand piano, where the notes talked to each other with beauty and harmony once I had retuned it to the healing tones of Indian music, called ‘shrutis’.

For many hours I immersed myself in this pure sound and conceived of an introspective collection of piano pieces that shift through diverse colours and textures, from Indian rāga to the sound worlds of Erik Satie and Arvo Pärt, to instill a tuning of mind, heart and body.

My tradition and practice is rooted in the idea that spiritual means natural. My sacred higher self is connected to my earthly self through breath, yoga, prayer, healing, music and movement practices.

My musical practice is embedded in the aural tradition of Indian Music, where the soul can be brought closer to universal sound. The creative imagination acts as a messenger to the higher realms. We can find sacred freedom in the unfolding of a musical creation. With the scientific Vedic concepts of rāga (melody), sargam (notes) shruti (tuning) and nād (sound) we can merge into natures calling and find the rasa (emotion) of these sounds. This conscious way of making music can aid our wellness. We can sing or play a rāga that brings joy (hasya), or purifies a negative thought pattern through bravery (vira) or simply brings us back to peace (shanti).

The beauty of rāga for the listener is that one can be transported to a mystical or natural realm. The advantage of rāga knowledge for the musician or yogi is that the system is very scientific and thorough, and it can serve as a guide for wellness for all of us. One needs to first master the notes, sargam, sa, re, ga ma, pa, dha, ni ‘sa. Then one masters the various combinations of ascending and descending phrases, which define the angs, limbs of a rāga. Then an intrepid rāga musician can relate the ragas to a collection of creative experiences of vibration, nature, humanity and spiritual experience. In the hands of a master a rāga can evoke the most divine of beings and feelings. Initially and for now rāga can be used as a way of tethering the thoughts and disciplining the physical voice or hand on an instrument. The notes show the way and note combinations create harmonious geometric designs. These designs can then be enhanced with special decorations that beautify the main notes of a rāga. In a way we are creating a hierarchy of notes in a specific time frame, and when we accept the rāga form, the rāga plays us and we can then truly feel the sound vibration of the elements around us, inwardly and outwardly.

Bringing all of these gifts and practices together in an organic way I am moving forward, with many others, into a world where music is a supportive aid in our wellness. I began a 4-year research PhD at York University with leading composers, research doctors and music psychologists to uncover the benefits of creating and listening to music based on rāga tunings. Already through listener’s responses, the effect and benefits to people’s wellness has been profound, and I continue to uncover more and give to the listener in the form of sound meditations.

Ram Banerjee, the festival co-founder, is an experienced Advaita Vedanta teacher. He is running his popular introductory online course in Advaita Vedanta as an immersive weekend.

Vedanta for Beginners - open to all: Friday 3 Sept 2021 8pm – 9.30pm Saturday 4 Sept 4pm – 5.30pm & 8pm-9.30pm Sunday 5 Sept 4pm- 5.30 pm & 8pm-9.30pm Ram specialises in introducing beginners Online Zoom sessions £36 for the to the course Vedas

ADVAITA VEDANTA

CLASSES WITH RAM BANERJEE

E m a i l : c o n t a c t @ y o g a f e s t i v a l . w o r l d t o r e g i s t e r

Other weekly classes starting in September 2021: Bhagavad Gita for Beginners: Every Thursday 8pm – 9.30pm starting 14 Sept Mandukya Upanishad: Every Sunday 10am – 11.30am starting 19 Sept Classes cost £6 per class.

Classes held throughout the week, including: Hatha Yoga • Youth Yoga for Teens • Meditation Classes The Traditional Yoga Association Workshops • Gong Baths The Luci Trendle Yoga Studio: Amners Farm, Amners Farm Road, Burghfi eld, RG30 3UE Close to A4 & M4 • Set in a peaceful, tranquil farm setting