sudarshini Blogs

Music for Life

Music molds mood, and when paired with meditation, it becomes a potent tool on Earth, just like an armor (Kavacham) in the battle of life. It aids us in navigating the field of society and interpersonal dealings with grace, ensuring that we do not harm or hurt others, but instead, allowing us to flow smoothly and safely, fostering happiness all around.

The combination of music and meditation has the power to transform our surrounding environment, creating a pleasant and joyful atmosphere in our homes.

Music and Meditation:

We can utilize background music while meditating to help focus the mind and prevent it from being diverted by other thoughts. Music can be used effectively to evoke emotions in various situations during our daily activities, aiding in achieving healthy and smooth communication and enhancing focus and concentration in both adults and children.
In particular, music has a positive impact on children by helping to balance their psychological and social needs. They can benefit from activities such as writing song notations and listening to music, which improve self-expression and communication skills. Moreover, it enables them to identify their strengths and maintain a sense of self-confidence.

Strengthening the Mother-Child Bond:

Lullabies have a unique and powerful way of creating an effective bond between a mother and her child. The gentle melodies and soothing rhythms not only provide comfort and reassurance to the child but also allow the mother to express her love and care.

Music Therapy:

“Many healing benefits are associated with each Raga, as each one has a unique energy frequency that can heal a particular organ or body part. These healing effects extend not only to the physical body but also to the mind and soul, making it a holistic approach to healing. Numerous published articles substantiate the beneficial effects of Raga and music therapy, and many hospitals are already incorporating it into their treatment plans. Additionally, this therapy is not limited to humans; we can also observe animals experiencing a sense of peacefulness when exposed to specific Ragas, making it effective in healing them as well.”

Melodies Mold Nature:

When music intertwines with nature, a remarkable symphony unfolds. Soulful melodies have the power to mold and influence the natural world around us. In the mystical realm of Amritavārshini Raga, the rain responds to the heartfelt tunes and soulful music.

A Path to Experience Divine:

The main way through which devotees primarily communicate with the Divine (such as Annamaiah and Thyagaraja, the music masters) is by utilizing music, as it creates a deep bond between the devotee and the Divine, leading to an experience of Divine love.

Meditation in combination with soft instrumental music in the background or raga alap while doing meditation can be termed Music Meditation. Nowadays, lakhs of masters are enjoying the great benefits of music meditation.

Music as a healing support:

Music has a healing effect on the human body, mind, and soul. The harmonious relationship between the musical notes and the rhythmic patterns helps in balancing the mind, which in turn, helps the meditator to easily focus on his natural breathing. The external noises in the environment generally become a barrier while doing meditation. To combat that noise we need soft and soothing sounds which influence our mind, nervous system, and the internal organs in our body, then the person can easily go deep into meditation. Music creates healthy vibrations in the environment.

Music for peace:

Music and Meditation go hand in hand. “sAdhana” is the utmost important factor in understanding and performing both the acts. Now-a-days, Music Therapy has become an established Health Profession. Music and right meditation have become a part of curing long-term illnesses. Bedridden patients, who are suffering from severe illness, are strictly advised to listen to soft instrumental music and meditate daily for hours together. It is always recommended to have soft background music at home, while children playing or in any other gatherings. The younger generation should learn the science of music & meditation and should take up their careers related to the enlightenment path.

Music for better concentration:

Music majorly affects the emotional part of the person who sits in music meditation. In the initial stages, he gets carried away by music rather than focusing on natural breathing. Then music helps in cleansing the emotional blocks in him and slowly helps to get a relaxed position. Later, he can easily focus on the natural flow of breath and gets an empty state of mind. That’s the state where he starts enjoying the fruits of meditation, in which music flows as an aid in the background by encouraging him in whatever he is experiencing. The selection of genres of music is also very important. Indian classical music is a wonderful genre and helps in going to very deeper levels in meditation.

Music as a tool for enlightenment:

The music itself is a very vast and unending subject. There are many facts that the highly accomplished musicians attained a different state and saw many visions while singing or playing music. That happens only when they become one with the music. The well-known Indian Karnatic music composer Sri Tyagaraja says “nAda lOludai brahmAnanda mondave manasa” (O manasa, attain the eternal happiness by enjoying and becoming one with music). So everybody should learn music and meditation. After entering into the spiritual path through meditation, those who had a childhood passion to sing should definitely start learning music. It mainly helps them in their counseling sessions. Singing helps in activating the Visudha Chakra, thus helping in reducing many health problems. Thus, Music has a very important role to connect in deeper levels in meditation as well as in daily life.

In this context, we need to pay our higher tributes to the Great Music Composers and the Great Spiritual Scientists, Saints, and Masters who attained their consciousness expansion and enlightenment through Music and Meditation.

Just question yourself and right in front of you dances the answer!! The most interesting thing is, we find the answer from a very unexpected source. It might be a fly, a flower, or any nonliving object, or most commonly and directly a person.
One important thing is we should be ready to receive those answers. Recently I was wondering and accepted with my mind that “I never understand the “why” of anything. But slowly I realized – one should play till that end of the broken bridge, only then he can start knowing how to enjoy the play of getting to the other side.
Deeply digging into one’s self is always good.. Then only the seeds can be sown deep and a strong-rooted plant can be grown. Finally enjoying the fruits of the result. 
Let me share a few interesting things… 
– while you are working on a very important thing without any break..then a small fly comes and starts playing around u… Just don’t get frustrated but try to observe and understand what is not directly explained. There u get the answer and your work might get easier, interesting too…
– if you keenly observe, you find a few things very repeatedly and daily. If we make out a list of those things and try to work on them, eventually there lies a very interesting answer.
Maybe this is one of the ways how few people practice intuition??
A small trail to share the first gear views of my life journey.. 😉

“Music” – who is not aware of this word? Right from a mother’s lullaby to  a music maestro’s hum… Right from the sounds of rhythmic wind to the sounds of sprinkling rainy water…Any sound which is pleasing and rhythmic to hear is music!!

“Language” – In simple terms, it is a mode of expression of emotions, views, thoughts of all the living beings on the earth. It need not be only a verbal (spoken or written) form but can also be a nonverbal (sign language) form of expression.

“Universal Language” – One of the dictionary meanings of this term is Any kind of expression that is used and understood everywhere.

Everything in the world expresses in its own way. It depends on us to keenly observe, understand and perceive. Not only visual signs speak but also audio/sound signs speak. The horn of a vehicle, a school bell, the tick-tock of a clock …what not, everything speaks. The human mind can create wonders, no doubt!!

All the Nava rasa’s can be expressed through musical sounds. If we keenly observe the background music in any film or any visual program, the viewer first understands the situation in tune with the music… Might be for romance, comedy, fear, or happiness. The best example is the background score of news channels’ breaking news item :-p Not necessary to know the meanings of the dialogues!

Emotions can easily be expressed through music. Need not be a lyrical composition, just the play of musical notes that express emotions. In fact, it’s the strongest way to express. Thus music is set to tune with the lyrical expression and sometimes perfect lyrics set in the expression of tuned music.

I feel lyrics help in understanding and perceiving the true expression or emotion of a composer whereas in a nonlyrical composition,  to some extent the true emotion can be perceived and on the other hand it entirely depends on the emotional status, perception, and imagination of the listener.

Thus I opine – Yes, Music is the Universal Language !!! The language of the World !!! The language of God !!!Unknown at 10:24

Close your eyes. Just imagine the bluish long neck, small face with tiny round eyes and sharp beak, having its colorful tail opened in a half-circle backdrop, with a beautiful body and thin legs dancing in happiness knowing that the clouds in the sky are going to sprinkle water on to the earth.  Yes the beautiful Peacock, The National Bird of India, is really a lovely sight to see and imagine. It is closer to poets and artists than any other birds.
It is said that the sight or imagination of a peacock rejuvenates self-esteem levels!! While feeling blank or blue any time, just imagine a peacock and it puts you in a proper mood and you’ll really feel high.

The name peacock is generalized in usage. But the male one is called Peafowl and the female is Peahen. The male bird is good-looking, found in blue and green colors, has a long glittering tail. We can see many eye-shaped designs on its feathers. They are in fact called as eyes on their tail.  Whereas the female looks a bit ugly and dark grey in color. Peacocks prey on small plants, insects, snakes, etc.  
Peacock was given high importance spiritually in many cultures and religions. Mayura (Kannada) or nemali (Telugu) is associated with a number of Hindu Gods. It serves as a conveyance to Lord Kartikeya, Goddess Saraswati, and Goddess Kanya Kumari. We all are very familiar to see Lord Krishna beautifully depicted with a peacock feather on his crown.

 It is also said that this bird is the possessor of the most admired human characteristics. It symbolizes Nobility, Royalty,  Holiness, Guidance, Protection, Watchfulness, Glory, kindness, compassion, good luck, patience,  Vision, Awakening, Refinement, Immortality…
This graceful bird also has a great history in Asian, Greco – Roman, Babylonia, and Persian mythologies.
The peacock feathers are said to be the bearers of good luck, fortune, love, and positive energies. The ash of peacock feathers is used for healing the ill health of humans related to respiratory and sexual weakness problems.
One can see a peafowl dancing with its opened tail in anticipation of rain and to attract the peahen into courtship. These peahens are like those male partners who have a thick plumage.

Peacock is a sign of beauty (as it is beautiful) and knowledge (the hundred eyes on its feathers). With keen observation-only man acquires knowledge. So it shows Knowledge without love is lifeless.
There is something to talk about this bird in Astronomy. In the southern hemisphere, the Astronomers recognized a group of stars forming in a peacock pattern. It was named Pavo (Peacock)  Constellation. Spiritually, a peacock symbolizes rebirth and regeneration.

 The Alchemists treat the view of this bird as a good omen in their spiritual growth. In the five-stage process of an alchemist’s spiritual growth, the peacock omen is the third, crucial, and turning point stage. It signifies the entrance into the inner experience of the astral world and the next level of consciousness. 
Mmm.. my work is done now, to show my gratitude for this great omen. So, it’s your turn now!! 🙂

The 7 concepts, one of the interesting concepts, I would like to explore on. Being born on the 7th, I have developed a deep interest in this number. It is indeed a very powerful number. There is a lot to know about this number. Starting with 7 musical notes (sa ri ga ma pa da ni), 7 colors of the rainbow (vibgyor), 7 chakras or energy centers in our spinal cord, 7 wonders of the world, 7 days in a week, 7 steps in Hindu marriage, 7 continents, 7 seas,  7 hills, 7 skies, 7 heavens,7 climes, 7 dwarves, 7 sins and many more. Even becoming 7 years old is considered to be a turning point in a child’s development.

We all know the importance of the spinal cord in the human body. This ‘7 in spinal’ article is just about a few well known interesting facts regarding the importance of 7 in our spinal cord

There are seven main chakras or energy centers and they are located along the spine extending out the front and back of the body. They are

1.  Root Chakra / Muladhara                –     “Sa”   –   R (red)          

2. Sacral Chakra / Svadhishtana.          –    “Ri”    –   O (orange) 

3. Solar Plexus Chakra / Manipura       –     “Ga”  –   Y (Yellow)

4. Heart Chakra / Anahata                     –     “Ma”  –   G (Green)

5. Throat Chakra / Visuddha                  –     “Pa”   –    B (Blue)

6. Third eye Chakra / Agna                    –      “Da”   –    I (Indigo)

7.  Crown Chakra / Sahasrara                –      “Ni”    –   V (Violet)


These chakras are sacred centers and directly influence our physical and emotional life. These energy centers relate to seven energy fields. 
They are said to be balanced if they are vibrating at the required frequency- opened, bright and clean. When the chakra gets blocked, then it affects our physical and mental health. 
Scientifically and spiritually gaining knowledge about these chakras and then imagining the healthy spinning of these chakras through meditation will definitely help us in maintaining good and vibrant health… 🙂

 “”””All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All those times never even knowing Just how blind I’ve been
Now I’m here, blinking in the starlight
Now I’m here, suddenly I see Standing here,
it’s oh so clear I’m where I’m meant to be……..

 And at last, I see the light
 And it’s like the fog has lifted And at last, I see the light
 And it’s like the sky is new
 And it’s warm and real and bright
 And the world has somehow shifted
 All at once, everything looks different
 Now that I see you….”””””

 Here I can see the clarity a person achieves in life when the dreams come true… Till then a little (but stronger) HOPE helps to move towards living his dream.
 Yes… I see the light… This little light of mine, am going to let it shine…

A Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose…

After listening to that line.. pondering on it. I felt, probably the poetess tried to explain the beauty of a rose and ended up explaining what it is.

“ It is what it is”…

If we go further it explains, things are what they are… A big thought.

Beautifulness is what a rose is. Happiness is what a rose is. Lovefulness is what a rose is. Rosefulness is what a rose is. Redfulness is what a rose is.

Drawing a Rose is one of the starting lessons to learn for an artist, it is a smiling gift on our sweet hearts’ lips. It’s a beautiful comparison to the softness of a female.

 A garden full of roses is a blissful view.

I just wanna close my eyes and enjoy the view…

As a bud, it hides all its beauty. Day by day it blossoms into a flower looking up for what’s life is going to offer. Enjoys its presence and shares happiness all over.

Its stem has thorns… but up there the rose says slowly come up through those thorns u find the beauty, u touch the happiness.. don’t go back just by touching the thorns. Please move on, there is something in store for you.

Nature has all the answers for the innocent questions we have..   just a heartful look deep into nature is what is needed and it is so very simple just as asking our fellow beings.. 

“So follow the rose way and enjoy the causeway of life..” 
(just trying to sound poetic.. 😉 try to get my view in that line)
Inspired by a rose…

Graceful Kathak…

Fine Arts plays an eminent role in everybody’s life. The man turns himself towards the arts in search of happiness. They act as resources for revitalizing one’s self. Music, dance, theatre, painting, sculpture, architecture, poetry are called fine arts among 64 arts. India is endowed with a rich treasure of fine arts. I feel Blessed to be a human and proud to be an Indian.

Kathak, one of the eight Indian dance forms, mesmerizes me. Such a graceful dance it is. Grace and aesthetics are the basic qualities every art form possesses. But my fascination is towards the graceful kathak among the other dance forms. I just adore this dance form. The footwork, expressions, body movements, beautiful spins, costumes, ghungroo (ankle bells), jewelry, and the dancer… All these together contribute to the gracefulness in it.

When I was 15 years old, for the first time I got introduced to this dance form. Thanks to the idea of the CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training) to conduct workshops with an intention of “Unity in Diversity”. In these workshops, all the young students receiving Scholarships in their respective art forms, from all over India, meet at one place. As a young and upcoming music scholar,  I got an opportunity to know about this dance form through these workshops. From then on my fascination developed towards this graceful kathak.

Out of interest, I searched on google and got to know that Kathak traces its origins to some group of people known as KathAkArs or storytellers from ancient northern India. That is why it is named ‘Kathak’. There is also an interesting fact that it has absorbed certain features of Persian and Central Asian dance forms in the period of Mughal’s rule. One can find similarities in the footwork used in kathak with that of Persian dance.

To discuss body movements is beyond my level of expression. One should just watch and enjoy the beauty of those movements. The footwork and spins are the highlights of this dance. The costume, a lady dancer wears, is an Anarkali dress. I just love the umbrella shape formed while spinning. Spins done in faster rhythms look wonderful. I find lots of expertise in that rhythmic spinning. The ghungroo to the ankles, sounding in response to the rhythmic beats of tabla, is one of the factors I just adore. Facial expressions along with the steps are another interesting thing one shouldn’t miss.

Finally, I am done with expressing and sharing my views on graceful kathak dance as my second attempt to write. Feeling happy. 🙂

Keep reading and do encourage me.