Sound of Existence: Ahh

(gentle waves crashing) So friends, welcome back. In our previous episode we looked at one of the primary sounds, the vowel uh as a short sound. Now every vowel has different durations. You can have a short sound, and a long sound. The longer vowel intensifies the effect of the previous vowel, of the short vowel.

So we looked at the effect of uh as being pure existence. It helps us connect to the absolute existential nature of ourselves. Not we will explore the sound, ahhhhh. I invite you to explore the sound fully in your mouth. So open your jaws nice and big, and then make the sound, ahhhhh.

Do it now, just to feel the difference. Do it in the way you would normally do it, with the smaller opening as an uh, or ah, and now exaggerate it with your mouth and do it as an ahhhhh. Did you feel the difference? It changes the amount of air that goes into your body, first and foremost, but it also has a more expansive effect on your environment. So, the sound ahhhhh is the sound of existence in its expansion.

So to start with, I invite you to play with the sound. So sit comfortably, close your eyes, and just with the sound ahhhhhhhhhh. Yah? How did that feel? What kind of action did your body feel like making with the sound?

We'll do it once more. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and do the sound ahhhhhhhhhh. The sound ah corresponds to our absolute existence in its expansion. And therefore, one way of expressing it is by extending your arms into infinity. So just let your body expand to as far as it can go into both directions.

And as you do the gesture, sound the ah and see what it feels like. So let's do it together. Close your eyes, take a deep breath. (breathes in) Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Once you finish the sound, don't be in a hurry to come out of that mode.

Allow that sound drop that has fallen in your consciousness to create its ripples. And watch those ripples settle down, and see how it touches the different parts of your being. The sound ah in its expansion also corresponds to an experience of bliss. So, what is special about the sound is that it is almost like our identity card in sound. The way we make our ah reveals a lot to us about the inner space of our being.

I'll give you an example. Now if you hear a sound, ah, which is (weak) Ahhhhh. You automatically get an image of the space through which that sound is emerging. If you hear another sound which is (strong) Ahhhhh. Immediately you have a very different capture of the space from where it is coming out.

And if you hear another ah which is (high-pitched) Ahhhhh. It gives another idea of the space, right? So the sound ah can play a diagnostic role in telling us what kind of space is there within us. And the good news is you can also use it as a therapeutic sound. Because, my friends, one thing that we need to remember is that these sounds exist in the universe independent of us.

When we make these sounds, we are allowing our beings to become like channels of these sounds emerging from us. If that channel is constricted, the sound that will emerge will be... Of a, of a what do you say, how would you say it? It would be of a constricted nature. Whereas if the sound is open, or if the space within is open, then the sound that will come out will be more free, and more, uh, more full.

So what I would invite you to do, is to accompany the sound with a certain visualization. So close your eyes. Imagine that you're standing on top of a mountain. And that there is nobody around you. If you're on top of a mountain and you're afraid of heights, you can shift to a space where you can feel absolutely free.

So feel free in an open space, keep your arms outstretched, and make the sound ah. Make the sound ah to express the joy of your living. And remember one thing. In your visualization, you're not adults. You're little children, free of any responsibilities.

So get this image as concretely as you can in your mind. Yes? You're on top of the mountain, as a little child, with the arms outspread, expressing the joy of your existence with the sound ah. Take a deep breath, and make the sound ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. When you're by yourself, you need not feel constricted to stop.

Allow the sound to come out as freely as you can. And then observe. Observe what happens to your breath. Observe how your posture can also change. Enjoy the sound ah.

Open up your being. Feel free in yourself. The sound has the power of revitalizing your you. It has the power of relaxing you completely. What more do we want at the end of the day but just to be ourselves?

So play with the ah, and discover who you are. Namaste.