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Post by zendancer on Sept 8, 2013 14:22:21 GMT -5
This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, without success. I've always called it "universal sound" because somewhere I came across that phrase, and it seemed to be referring to what I hear any time I turn attention to non-conceptual listening. Recently I asked several people if they could hear the sound, and only one or two (out of nine or ten) seemed to know what I was talking about.
The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. It is always present, and it can be heard any time attention is turned to it. It is not an objectionable sound, and in the past I've used it as focus of ATA. After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, but without having a simulation of the sound available as a recording, there's probably no way to know for sure. Most people who suffer from tinnitus consider what they hear highly objectionable and oftentimes debilitating.
I became aware of the sound after I started meditating about thirty years ago, and I assumed that most people could hear the sound if it were described, and they listened for it, but apparently this is not the case. Today, Carol suggested that I ask the forum for some feedback, so I started this thread in an attempt to determine what other people experience in this regard.
Hindus sometimes use the word "om" or "aum" as a symbol of universal vibratory sound, but I was unable to find anything specific that tied these words to a description of the sound itself. This is pure speculation, but perhaps the roaring sound that people hear when they hold a large seashell to their ear is what I call "universal sound" echoing in the shell and becoming magnified. Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound?
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Post by tzujanli on Sept 8, 2013 14:37:40 GMT -5
Greetings.. This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, without success. I've always called it "universal sound" because somewhere I came across that phrase, and it seemed to be referring to what I hear any time I turn attention to non-conceptual listening. Recently I asked several people if they could hear the sound, and only one or two (out of nine or ten) seemed to know what I was talking about. The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. It is always present, and it can be heard any time attention is turned to it. It is not an objectionable sound, and in the past I've used it as focus of ATA. After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, but without having a simulation of the sound available as a recording, there's probably no way to know for sure. Most people who suffer from tinnitus consider what they hear highly objectionable and oftentimes debilitating. I became aware of the sound after I started meditating about thirty years ago, and I assumed that most people could hear the sound if it were described, and they listened for it, but apparently this is not the case. Today, Carol suggested that I ask the forum for some feedback, so I started this thread in an attempt to determine what other people experience in this regard. Hindus sometimes use the word "om" or "aum" as a symbol of universal vibratory sound, but I was unable to find anything specific that tied these words to a description of the sound itself. This is pure speculation, but perhaps the roaring sound that people hear when they hold a large seashell to their ear is what I call "universal sound" echoing in the shell and becoming magnified. Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound? It is the frequency of all that 'is', happening.. the still mind hears/feels/senses it.. Be well..
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Post by silver on Sept 8, 2013 14:48:19 GMT -5
This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, without success. I've always called it "universal sound" because somewhere I came across that phrase, and it seemed to be referring to what I hear any time I turn attention to non-conceptual listening. Recently I asked several people if they could hear the sound, and only one or two (out of nine or ten) seemed to know what I was talking about. The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. It is always present, and it can be heard any time attention is turned to it. It is not an objectionable sound, and in the past I've used it as focus of ATA. After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, but without having a simulation of the sound available as a recording, there's probably no way to know for sure. Most people who suffer from tinnitus consider what they hear highly objectionable and oftentimes debilitating. I became aware of the sound after I started meditating about thirty years ago, and I assumed that most people could hear the sound if it were described, and they listened for it, but apparently this is not the case. Today, Carol suggested that I ask the forum for some feedback, so I started this thread in an attempt to determine what other people experience in this regard. Hindus sometimes use the word "om" or "aum" as a symbol of universal vibratory sound, but I was unable to find anything specific that tied these words to a description of the sound itself. This is pure speculation, but perhaps the roaring sound that people hear when they hold a large seashell to their ear is what I call "universal sound" echoing in the shell and becoming magnified. Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound? I've wondered if it's for real, or if it's an offshoot of some emotional trauma or joy - psychological phenomenon or something like that...there's just so much in the way of anecdotal tales that point to there being some sort of a real reality with this auditory presence that's 'there' when we tune in, whether by accident or deliberately. My own personal experience - as a child, after a traumatic incident - it sounded like how a tv show portrays what it sounds like to an astronaut in outer space. Since then, I haven't paid much attention to that, but whenever I see videos or pictures of outer space look like, and especially looking at Earth, I get incredibly emo and choked up. This topic brings to mind a true story I saw on tv ages ago, narrated by David Carradine, about the Dogone tribe and how they knew of a certain planet - forgot its name - but they were aware of its existence - it showed one of them whirling a long, flat stick on the end of a thin rope, creating some sort of vibration of their own...I could/should probably see if I can find anything like that on youtube..
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Post by nowhereman on Sept 8, 2013 14:50:17 GMT -5
This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, without success. I've always called it "universal sound" because somewhere I came across that phrase, and it seemed to be referring to what I hear any time I turn attention to non-conceptual listening. Recently I asked several people if they could hear the sound, and only one or two (out of nine or ten) seemed to know what I was talking about. The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. It is always present, and it can be heard any time attention is turned to it. It is not an objectionable sound, and in the past I've used it as focus of ATA. After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, but without having a simulation of the sound available as a recording, there's probably no way to know for sure. Most people who suffer from tinnitus consider what they hear highly objectionable and oftentimes debilitating. I became aware of the sound after I started meditating about thirty years ago, and I assumed that most people could hear the sound if it were described, and they listened for it, but apparently this is not the case. Today, Carol suggested that I ask the forum for some feedback, so I started this thread in an attempt to determine what other people experience in this regard. Hindus sometimes use the word "om" or "aum" as a symbol of universal vibratory sound, but I was unable to find anything specific that tied these words to a description of the sound itself. This is pure speculation, but perhaps the roaring sound that people hear when they hold a large seashell to their ear is what I call "universal sound" echoing in the shell and becoming magnified. Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound? Hi ZD, At first I also thought it was a form of tinnitus as it was always present. However this sound was not disagreeable for me, it was just there all the time. Many years ago I was involved with Surat Shabda Yoga Kirpal Singh. This form of yoga works with what is called " the audible life stream" or simply sound current. During those years of practice I found this sound to flow from high pitched crickets, to humming of bees, and at moments a sudden sharp thunder like sound( though rarely). Try this
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Post by nowhereman on Sept 8, 2013 15:05:01 GMT -5
Some of those sounds that I always hear are in this video Check it out Nowhereman
Solfeggio Master Frequency 1122 Hz
1122Hz is a synthesis or "meta" frequency derived from calculating the output function of the first 12 direct solfeggio tones. As an output function, the essence of each of its tributaries are brought together in the summation of its collective center point, sonically suggesting the integration and synthesis of complete solfeggio spectrum. Great care and attention to detail have gone in to the construction of this track, infusing the Golden Proportion in to virtually every aspect of it; including tempo, duration, carrier tone to entrainment program ratios, the entrainment deceleration process, as well as the peaks and troughs of the music itself. The entrainment program in this track decelerates to an alpha level at 7.91Hz on a 93.5Hz carrier tone, making this track ideal for active morning meditation, study, and creative visualization. This track can be used for further actualizing the benefits of the previous solfeggio frequencies, or as an entry level tool for solfeggio meditation. This track is great for both beginning and advanced meditators, as either a neuro-acoustic or bio-acoustic healing tool. Please use stereo headphones.
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Post by ???????? ???????????? on Sept 8, 2013 15:15:43 GMT -5
Mine is "excellent". When the sound was winding down I got some really weird rollercoaster type of sensation. Probably has to do with the fact that in the ear there is some stuff responsible for balance and coordination and whatnot.
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Post by ???????? ???????????? on Sept 8, 2013 15:16:47 GMT -5
Bobby, I also hear a "seashell" type of sound. The way I see it is that it has something to do with physiology and not some universal objective thing. I would compare it to how when I close my eyes I don't just see a totally black uniform picture, instead it's a lot of shades of black constantly shimmering/fluctuating.
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Post by zendancer on Sept 8, 2013 15:35:10 GMT -5
Nowhereman: Thanks for the links. I had come across the shabda yoga folks, and suspected that they had some sort of interest in this, but I couldn't understand what their practices entailed. I suppose we ought to add a warning that if people are prone to seizures precipitated by repetitive sounds, pulsating sounds, or sounds within a certain frequency range, they might want to avoid some of the soundtracks that can be pulled up on the internet. In the past I had heard of photic seizures, but only recently learned that there are also seizures triggered by certain kinds of auditory input--especially input that pulsates.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2013 15:35:24 GMT -5
This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, [...] The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. [...] After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, [...] [...] Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound?I just tried some searches and I don't see much about it either. But I think I know what you are talking about, and I do hear it. I don't think it's tinnitus either. One way to describe it might be "fuzz", "white noise", or "pink noise", but at a very low volume so it's not irritating or getting in the way of normal sounds. Hard to hear it right now because in my environment it's hard to find perfect outer silence. I have no expertise on the topic, but my guess is that there are some biological things happening... 1) Noise in the sound perception system, just like you get "noise" in any electrical circuit. Some nerves are firing when they "shouldn't" be. 2) You can hear blood (or lymph?) circulation. I've sometimes heard my heartbeat. 3) The nervous system, when it's experiencing relative silences, is turning up an internal amplifier/volume. Sort of like pupils dilating and other parallels. I notice a similar thing with the eyes -- there is noise in that system too, because even in total darkness with eyes closed I see some vaguely colored fuzz. Robert
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Post by zendancer on Sept 8, 2013 15:48:16 GMT -5
Bobby, I also hear a "seashell" type of sound. The way I see it is that it has something to do with physiology and not some universal objective thing. I would compare it to how when I close my eyes I don't just see a totally black uniform picture, instead it's a lot of shades of black constantly shimmering/fluctuating. I agree. I'm not suggesting that this is any kind of woo woo thing. One friend suggested that the sound is generated by neurons firing in the brain, but I sort of doubt that. If so, the firings must be pretty constant as the sound remains pretty constant. Occasionally during meditation I have heard the heart beating and a pulsing/whooshing sound that I assume is related to blood flowing through veins in the ear, but this is nothing like that. I was just curious how many people hear this sound. Recently I talked with someone who dislikes meditation and can't do visual ATA, but he was able to shift attention to this sound fairly easily. Rather than doing ATA listening to external sounds this was a way he could shift attention away from thoughts using an internal sound. I have no idea what would happen if he pursued that activity, but I suspect that it would function equivalently to any other type of ATA and lead to a greater degree of freedom from thought.
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Post by zendancer on Sept 8, 2013 15:53:45 GMT -5
This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, [...] The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. [...] After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, [...] [...] Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound?I just tried some searches and I don't see much about it either. But I think I know what you are talking about, and I do hear it. I don't think it's tinnitus either. One way to describe it might be "fuzz", "white noise", or "pink noise", but at a very low volume so it's not irritating or getting in the way of normal sounds. Hard to hear it right now because in my environment it's hard to find perfect outer silence. I have no expertise on the topic, but my guess is that there are some biological things happening... 1) Noise in the sound perception system, just like you get "noise" in any electrical circuit. Some nerves are firing when they "shouldn't" be. 2) You can hear blood (or lymph?) circulation. I've sometimes heard my heartbeat. 3) The nervous system, when it's experiencing relative silences, is turning up an internal amplifier/volume. Sort of like pupils dilating and other parallels. I notice a similar thing with the eyes -- there is noise in that system too, because even in total darkness with eyes closed I see some vaguely colored fuzz. Robert Hi Robert: I hadn't thought about it, but you're right; it is very much like the white noise produced by those sleep-assisting noise machines. We have one of those machines, and we always select the white noise option, which is very similar to this. Tonight I'll listen to it more carefully and see how closely it mimics the internal sound.
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Post by vacant on Sept 8, 2013 16:09:31 GMT -5
This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, without success. I've always called it "universal sound" because somewhere I came across that phrase, and it seemed to be referring to what I hear any time I turn attention to non-conceptual listening. Recently I asked several people if they could hear the sound, and only one or two (out of nine or ten) seemed to know what I was talking about. The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. It is always present, and it can be heard any time attention is turned to it. It is not an objectionable sound, and in the past I've used it as focus of ATA. After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, but without having a simulation of the sound available as a recording, there's probably no way to know for sure. Most people who suffer from tinnitus consider what they hear highly objectionable and oftentimes debilitating. I became aware of the sound after I started meditating about thirty years ago, and I assumed that most people could hear the sound if it were described, and they listened for it, but apparently this is not the case. Today, Carol suggested that I ask the forum for some feedback, so I started this thread in an attempt to determine what other people experience in this regard. Hindus sometimes use the word "om" or "aum" as a symbol of universal vibratory sound, but I was unable to find anything specific that tied these words to a description of the sound itself. This is pure speculation, but perhaps the roaring sound that people hear when they hold a large seashell to their ear is what I call "universal sound" echoing in the shell and becoming magnified. Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound? There was a time when it was one of my meditation techniques to plug my ears with my thumbs to listen to that sound. I did so much of it that to this day it is a sound I hear any time that I pay attention to it even though I lead a city life. Just writing about it now it "rings" most evidently. But when I sleep high up in the mountain, no kidding, it is so loud!!! Probably because of the naturally silent environment. The comparison to putting a sea conch to your ear is a very valid comparison in terms of the "texture" of the sound. I agree that there is not much woo-woo about it, maybe it is just a function of our hearing system going into default mode when there is nothing to hear (I don't know) but I certainly experience a sense of pervading peace when sticking with it. Not saying anything more "spiritual" hehe.
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Post by vacant on Sept 8, 2013 16:19:06 GMT -5
I forgot to add. Listen to that sound never fails to improve my relaxation when playing (as a musician) and inspiration when composing, I tend to attribute that to the un-defined character of the sound, opening possibilities.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2013 18:05:19 GMT -5
“Parambrahma [God] causes creation, inert Nature (Prakriti), to emerge.
From AUM comes Time; Space; and the Atom (the vibratory structure of creation).
The Word, Amen (Aum), is the beginning of the Creation. The manifestation of Omnipotent Force (the Repulsion and its complementary expression, Omniscient Love, [or] the Attraction) is vibration, which appears as a peculiar sound: the Word, Amen, Aum. In its different aspects Aum initiates the idea of change, in the Ever-Unchangeable; and the idea of division, in the Ever-Indivisible.
The Four Ideas: the Word, Time, Space, and the Atom. The ensuing effect is the idea of particles—the innumerable atoms. These four—the Word [Universal Sound], Time, Space, and the Atom — are therefore one and the same, and substantially nothing but mere ideas.
This manifestation of the Word [Universal Sound] (becoming flesh, the external material) created this visible world. So the Word, Amen, Aum, being the manifestation of the Eternal Nature of the Almighty Father or His Own Self.
See Revelation 3:14; John 1:1,3,14.
"These things saith the Amen (AUM)[Universal Sound], the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. "
"In the beginning was the Word [Universal Sound], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... .All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”
Excerpt From: Yukteswar, Sri. “Holy Science.” iBooks.
Thats an excerpt from a 100 year old book that I thought you might enjoy Zendancer.
Was written by the teacher of Prahamsa Yogananda, and a big part of the book is comparing Biblical passages to old vedic scriptures and other "spiritual" phenomena on this path, which is something that I've seen you have an interest in.
I like the way he describes the vibratory nature if the universe 50 years before quantum mechanics and string theory etc were even thought of.
Basically, those old Vedic Scientists are saying that in the emptyness a vibration is created between the maifestation of attraction and repulsion, and that this root vibration is the Universal Sound of Auuuuuuuum....(Which to me sounds like an electric transformer, or kinda like a big industrial air conditioner running in the background in the walls.....a low to mid pitched hmmmmm)
Its interesting to note that astro physisists have discovered that the Universe is both contracting and expanding at the same time, which kinda fits into those old vedic guys view that simultaneous attraction and repulsion are the basic states of manifested existance, and that the vibration of attraction/repulsion interacting with each other is the source of all manifestation, and that an adept can and does hear this vibration as a "pecular sound" ......kinda cool
In our electronic age, a noise that sounds like an HVAC system in the background, or a big electric transformer, is not all that "pecular", but think how pecular it must have sounded to guy before those kinds of sounds were coming from modern electric driven machinary.
Its also cool how he talks about everything fundamentally being just an "idea", and that the Idea of self stems from Universal Sound.
In the beginning there was the Word, and that Word is God...That Word is AUM [or its varients like AMEN, MU, or HUUU]
That WORD is the Universal Sound...All of which is a mere idea, just like all of existance.
Thats the old Vedic view anyway.
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Post by laughter on Sept 8, 2013 18:24:00 GMT -5
This afternoon on the internet I checked out "universal sound," "transcendental sound," "background sound," and other combinations of words that might be used to signify the sound that can be heard behind all other sounds, without success. I've always called it "universal sound" because somewhere I came across that phrase, and it seemed to be referring to what I hear any time I turn attention to non-conceptual listening. Recently I asked several people if they could hear the sound, and only one or two (out of nine or ten) seemed to know what I was talking about. The sound might be described as the sound of a thousand tiny crickets blended together into a continuous hum. It is always present, and it can be heard any time attention is turned to it. It is not an objectionable sound, and in the past I've used it as focus of ATA. After reading about tinnitus, I do not think it is a form of that affliction, but without having a simulation of the sound available as a recording, there's probably no way to know for sure. Most people who suffer from tinnitus consider what they hear highly objectionable and oftentimes debilitating. I became aware of the sound after I started meditating about thirty years ago, and I assumed that most people could hear the sound if it were described, and they listened for it, but apparently this is not the case. Today, Carol suggested that I ask the forum for some feedback, so I started this thread in an attempt to determine what other people experience in this regard. Hindus sometimes use the word "om" or "aum" as a symbol of universal vibratory sound, but I was unable to find anything specific that tied these words to a description of the sound itself. This is pure speculation, but perhaps the roaring sound that people hear when they hold a large seashell to their ear is what I call "universal sound" echoing in the shell and becoming magnified. Can anybody shed any light on this phenomena? How many people hear this sound? It's something I used to hear alot as a child. The volume of it never really changes, but the relative volume of actual sounds being made seems to go down with attention to it. What I notice over time is that if I want to listen to it (like right now, not only does Sue got some music on pretty loud but there are crickets right outside the window) ... it matters less and less how much foreground noise there is. Not something I hear when lost in thought. You could talk to this guy about it too ... he'd been a TM practitioner for decades and then had a sudden realization on the nature of identity when he read The Power of Now.
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