"One night in 1433 AD, the Tibetan lama Je Tzong Sherab Senge, awoke from
a startling dream. He had head a voice in the dream unlike any voice he knew. It
was a low voice, unbelievably deep, sounding more like the growl of a wild bull
than anything human. Combined with the first voice, there was a second. This
voice was high and pure, like the sound of a child singing. These two voices, so
totally different, had come from the same source and that source was
himself.
In this dream, Je Tzong
Sherab Senge had been instructed to take this special voice and use it for a new
chanting style that would embody both the masculine and the feminine aspects of
the divine energy. It was a tantric voice, a sound that could unite those
chanting it in a web of universal consciousness.
The next morning, Je Tzong Sherab Senge began to chant his daily prayers.
The sound that came out of him were the sounds he had heard in his dream –
unearthly sounds, tantric sounds – and he gathered his fellow monks together to
tell them of his dream."
That year, 1433 AD, more that 500 years ago, the Gyume Tantric Monastery began in
Lhasa, Tibet. The monks of this monastery learned to chant in the same voice
which Je Tzong Sherab Senge have heard in his dream. It was a voice that enable
each monk to chant three notes at the same time, creating the ”One Voice Chord”.
Within that same century, another monastery in Lhasa, the Gyuto Tantric college,
was founded.
In the western world Throat singing is also called overtone singing, harmonic singing, or harmonic chant. The most known Throat singing is the Tibetan and Mongolian chanting but also many other regions in the World are practicing a similar type of singing, that manipulates the harmonics resonance's created as air travels through the human vocal folds and out the lips.
The harmonic frequencies created by the human vocal apparatus are harnessed in throat singing to select overtones by tuning the resonance in the mouth. The result of tuning allows the singer to create more than one pitch at the same time, with the capability of creating six pitches at once. Generally the sounds created by throat singing are low droning hums and high pitched flutelike melodies.
Michaael Mosley has mailed me following comment:
"The story of the monk having a
dream and singing is a nice story, and may actually have happened, but the Tibetans
encountered khoomei {throat singing} much earlier. Their spread of Tibetan
buddhism led them into Mongolia and Siberia where khoomei was
already an old practice of nomadic herdsmen. From time out of mind shepherds and
cowboys have sung to their herds to keep them calm at night - to let them know
they protectd and can sleep deeply without worrying about predators. The
combination of needing harmony for the song and the attempt to mimic natural
sounds as sacred to the animistic religion of the area, led to discovering the
ability to sing harmony with one's own voice.
I myself did this as a child, so it's not that improbable. I did not, however,
realize any real importance in such a thing until I re-learned it as an adult
through time spent with Jonathan Goldman and Jill Purce, who was Jonathan's
teacher. There are many people in the west who can do polyphonic chant, not
just Jonathan. It is a rather simple process, more hearing and practice than
technique. The technique is a two minute lesson."
Since I wrote about the Tibetan "One voice
chord" and Mongolian chanting, Hoomi singing, I have received several mails
from Westerner practicing singers, who teach and perform throat singing, and
they all tell me, that the technique actually is easy and do not require deep
studies of Buddhism still less spiritual enlightment, in order to perform the
deep chordal chanting.
They point out that Western musicologists and scholars in their research of
Tibetan chanting are infatuated by a well meaning but often incorrect
fascination of the mysticism of the chanting monks.
Concerning the widespread propensity to mysticism among Western scholars of Tibetan chanting I will quote a mail from a well known practician, Steve Sklar, who is a longtime student, performer and teacher of Tuvan Throat-Singing and Tibetan voice. He has a much more down to earth approach. He has even made on-line lessons in Throat Singing. Steve Sklar wrote:
"Since
our earlier correspondence, I've tried to further investigate this issue of the
monks' voice. I have indeed received some criticism for saying that there is
indeed a technical basis for their peculiar chant voice. My point is that the
voice can be understood and that there is no need to perpetuate myths about it.
The Tibetan voice is a powerful and beautiful thing, valid in its own right, and
not in need of romanticizing.
The actual technique simply involves the use of the ventricular folds in
addition to the vocal folds, and often a lowering of the
larynx/trachea, enhancing the deep sound by lengthening the air column of the
vocal system.
Conversations with Tibetan monks and ex-monks still point to learning by
exposure to and imitation of the elder monks. Some can produce the sounds as
young boys, prior to joining the monasteries. Some, including some very highly
regarded monks, cannot chant in the low chordal voice.
The Tibetans DO sometimes mention a reincarnational propensity towards various
practices, such as memorizing texts or being good at chanting. Some have
mentioned a belief that I may have been a monk in a prior life, hence my skill
at producing the tones and teaching."
This "clash" of cultures, the ancient, esoteric tradition
against the Western democratic, practical way of life, is indeed refreshing and hopeful.
(This remind me of a similar story: The outstanding Chinese martial arts
fighter, Bruce Lee, developed from the secret tradition a new style in USA available
for anyone, not only for the initiated Chinese.)
Unfortunately, I am not able to perform polyphonic chanting myself, so I am
limited to second hand information, which I in the following have clean out for
most of the wail of mysticism.
However, I am aware of the law of being: a lower
being can not recognize a higher being. Hence, their might be a world of
difference in level of being and conscousness, concealed in the different
traditions.
One thing is the actual technique of producing the chordal voice, which many has
shown is relatively simple. There might be other more subtle shades in the voice,
which only can be produced by beings of a certain level. It is my belief, that the sound one emits is
a reflection of ones being. This does also applies to the states where something
bigger than oneself is taking place and one experience oneself as a channel or a
vessel for something more sublime and mighty. The ability to be a channel is
also a reflection of a clean being.
This is not meant as sitting in judgment over monks versus secular singers. The
benefit from the chanting can be of great value for anybody, who want to work on
themselves and explore the power of sound. In
The
Power of Harmonics I have tried to elaborate on that subject.
Religion is sound. This is how the
high priests of Tibetan Buddhism describe the importance of music in their
worship.
The goal of Buddhism is to reach enlightenment by practicing
the path to liberation. To this end, the life of a Gyuto monk involves
practicing compassion for all people with the studying and memorization of
sacred texts at the core of this practice. This
memorization is carried out by constant oral repetition to the tune to which it
is later chanted. One important reason for the vocal recitation is the fact that
Tibetans believe that gods and spirits live in trees, houses, rocks, etc. By
speaking aloud, these entities can hear and benefit from the Buddha’s
teachings. Once these texts have been committed to memory, chanting
is continued as a form of worship. It reminds one of the Dharma, the truth or
right path, as well as making positive karma.
In 1950 Communist China invaded Tibet and began a brutal colonization with the aim to destroy the powerful and deep rooted religious life. Dalai Lama and several of his monks escaped to India, where they continued their tantrum rituals. In addition they began to communicate to the free Western world with the aim to find a way for a return of Dalai Lama and a possibility to practice their religion in their homeland.
The Tibetan chanting was first experienced by Western listeners in 1967, but since then, the monks have traveled around the world, performing in such prestigious places as Carnegie Hall and The Sydney Opera House. A number of CD's with Tibetan chanting has since been released. On the Web there are many sound samples of Throat singing.
Tibetan multiphonic chanting has its own characteristic sound. Gyuto monks are able to chant in three octaves simultaneously. The sound has been compared to the Australian digeridoo or resonance of a drum. The chants are usually metrical, in both symmetrical and anti-symmetrical measures, and the chant is produced by a close-throated, constricted style, deep in pitch. The chants can be monotone or a pattern of three to seven notes and glottal slides are sometimes added.
Another interesting feature of Tibetan chant is the insertion of meaningless syllables between the main syllables. This was done to prevent uninitiated outsiders from hearing the sacred texts. This practice is not unique to Tibet however, it was also done in sacred Hebrew and Byzantine texts. Other words are mumbled or omitted because they are part of secret mantras that novices must work they way up to.
Single monks can perform chants as a form of devotion, or a choir of monks may chant as part of a liturgical ritual. Studies measuring the frequencies of the throat singing and the brain waves of the monks have shown synchronicity in the brain, causing it to emit similar waves to those found in studies of silent meditation.
The Tibetan monks believe, that in the creation of the 'One
Voice Chord', the monks do not 'make' the sound.
Rather, they become a vehicle through which the sacred sound may manifest. This
is a basic principle contained in the Tibetan Buddhist teachings of sacred
sound. The chanting of the Gyuto and Gyume monks embodies this understanding of
sound and their powerful multi-phonic chanting exemplifies the application of
this principle. The harmonics which they create are a result of their becoming
one with sacred sound.
Comparisons are often made between the ’One Voice Chord’ of Tibetan chanting and the Hoomi or throat-singing style found in the Tuvic region of Mongolia. This is natura1 since these two traditions are foremost in their use of harmonics as an integral part of their sacred sounding. The ’Kargiraa’ style of Mongolian overtone chanting is characterized by an extremely low fundamental pitch sung with much resonance deep in the chest. Using vowel sounds, singers produce the low pitch and create harmonics two and a half to three and a half octaves above that note.
Before Buddhism became the religion of Tibet, the religion of the country
was an animistic shamanic practice known as 'Bon' (a Tibetan word meaning 'to
chant'). Most likely the Buddhists has been inspired by the much older Mongolian shamans
tradition. Little information exists about the exact nature of the Bon chanting
techniques, but there are indications that it was similar to chanting styles
utilized by Mongolian shamans in which open vowels were used to create
harmonics.
The Tibetan Buddhist path to self-realization involves the understanding
of the Three Mysteries. These are the Mysteries of Body, Speech and Mind, whose
experience has been condensed into the mantric formula OM-AH-HUM. Speech is the
interconnector between the Mind and the Body. Speech is the understanding of
sound as the creative force and incorporates the knowledge of using mantra as a
sacred tool for summoning up the appearance of gods and the forces of the
universe. Through the creation of several tones at the same time, the 'One Voice
Chord' may be a further condensation of the Three Mysteries into an expression
of Body, Speech and Mind as pure tone.
As earlier stated by Western practician such as Steve Sklar, "the actual technique simply involves the use of the ventricular folds in addition to the vocal folds, and often a lowering of the larynx/trachea, enhancing the deep sound by lengthening the air column of the vocal system."
However,
to obtain the sound a "harmonic transmission" is needed. The student
have to be in directly vibratory presence of an expert in order to transfer the
power of sound.
The way the Tibetan monks learned to create this
voice was by being in the presence of other monks, who already had the voice.
As Steve Sklar points out, it is not a condition of creating the sound, that
one is a Buddhist or mastering deep meditation. Some have the ability, some have
not in spite of being a life long Buddhist monk.
I
have, however, come across other statements from scholars, who claimes that "only those who have reached a certain stage
in this meditation can become open enough to be vessels of this sound." Do
not take such type of statements too literally. Find someone who can perform the
chord and try.
'Mantra' is a
Sanskrit word meaning 'the thought that liberates and protects'. Mantras are
sounds or words which when recited have the ability of changing the
consciousness of the reciter. In the Hindu tradition, there are literally
thousands of mantras, each with a different purpose and intention. Some mantras
are designed to unite the reciter with a particular deity or energy form. Other
mantras are designed to empower the reciter with specific 'siddhas' or powers.
Still other mantras are utilized to resonate and activate the chakras of the reciter.
Chakras are energy centres located along the centre of the body. Clairvoyants and others with the ability of seeing these subtle energy centres are able to view them as vortices of shifting colors, sounds and densities. Indeed, the meaning of chakra (a Sanskrit word) is 'wheel', and they are seen as spinning wheels of energy. Knowledge of chakras is by no means limited to Eastern traditions, though it is from the Hindu and Tibetan systems that the greatest information about chakras has come. Many esoteric and occult traditions talk of energy centres along the body and it seems that anyone with real sensitivity can sense.
Subtle energy
is energy that seems to bypass the normal measurable aspects of energy such as
heat which can easily be measured by a thermometer. Subtle energy may be
electro-magnetic in nature or it may be something else. It is, for the most
part, energy that cannot be easily seen, felt or perceived either by normal
people or instrumentation. However, individuals with heightened sensitivity can
perceive this energy and new scientific instrumentation is being invented which
can now measure this energy.
Nearly fifty
years ago in Russia, Semyon and Valentina Kirlian were experimenting with
photographic plates which were exposed to high-frequency electrical fields. They
observed that when a subject placed a finger or hand on the plate, there
appeared some unknown substance surrounding the physical organ. This substance
often varied in brightness, depth and size, depending upon the health and
vitality of the subject. The Kirlians speculated that they had found a way of
measuring the 'aura' of the body, long claimed to be visible by psychics, seers
and sages.
Chakras seem to
be the focal point of manifestation for energy which makes up the subtle body.
From the chakras, the energy is thought to become more dense, first appearing as
the points utilized in acupuncture and then, as they become even denser, this
energy actually makes up the physical body. In most traditions, there
are seven major chakras which are centrally located along the front of the body.
7. The CROWN chakra or HEAD chakra is positioned at the top of the head. It is associated with cosmic awareness, highest spirituality, and complete integration with Source.
VIOLET is the color of the crown chakra and the musical note is B. - 123.47 Hz (the note B is also called H)
6. The THIRD EYE chakra is located in the center of the forehead. This chakra is also called the AJNA center. It is associated with intuition, understanding, visualization, and inner vision.
DARK INDIGO BLUE is the color of the third eye chakra and the musical note is A. - 110.00 Hz
5. The THROAT chakra is positioned in the base of throat. It is associated with communication, expression and speaking one's truth.
AZURE BLUE is the color of the throat chakra and the musical note is G. - 98.00
4. The HEART chakra is positioned in the center of the chest, usually shown to be even with the nipple line. The heart is associated with compassion, friendship, empathy and the ability to give and receive love.
GREEN is the color of the heart chakra and the musical note is F. - 87.31 Hz
Sometimes the heart chakra is shown as pink, especially in relation to sending love out from the heart.
3. The SOLAR PLEXUS chakra or THIRD chakra is located midway between the end of the breastbone and the navel. It is associated with issues of personal power, emotions (especially blocked emotions), passion for living, and the ability to protect oneself from being the target of negative or aggressive emotions.
YELLOW is the color of the solar plexus chakra and the musical note is E. - 82.41 Hz
2. The SACRAL chakra, also called the SECOND chakra or the SEXUAL chakra, is positioned in the area between the navel and the pubic bone. Depending on which sources you read, it can be shown to be centered on the navel itself or to be aligned with the sexual organs - ovaries in women and testes in men. It is associated with creativity, sexuality, relationship, and reproduction.
ORANGE. is the color of the sacral or second chakra and the musical note is D. - 73.42 Hz
1. The ROOT chakra, also called the FIRST or BASE chakra, is located at the base of the spine. It is associated with issues of survival, drive, ambition, grounding one's energy in the physical dimension, your life forces, and balancing experiences that create "fight or flight".
RED is the color of the root chakra and the musical note is C. - 65.41 Hz.
(by permission of Hugo Hein, engineer & inventor)
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The Creation of Musical Scales