Customer Reviews

The Mysticism of Sound and Music (Shambhala Dragon Editions)

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Other reviewers already dealt with the music side of the book, so i won't elaborate on that. There is in addition the purely sound-related aspect of reality. All words, thoughts, and emotions, carry on some power due to their vibratory nature. Everything, whatever it is can be seen as a wave. So don't think it is just about what you hear. All there is can be described in that way.

This book is of interest not for its esoteric nature, but rather to give the reader an intuition of what mystics perceive of reality, which is everything but magic. Science is currently concerned with a part of reality, namely those frequencies that can be detected and thus measured through physical (material) instruments. But the vibratory nature of the world goes beyond that. You as humans have access to more than the physical realm (mental, emotional, and let's say "spiritual" to give a rough picture). This books hints at those aspects captured by the concept of "sound", that are of utmost importance for all humans to uncover the possibilities life has given them. Everything you think, say or feel has an impact on you and your surroundings, so reading this book can help you to realize how important every single event of our life has, through its wave-like aspect. This book is about your very life.

The challenging part about reading a book by an enlightened being is that the author is writing from an experience of consciousness (non-duality) that is impossible for the ego (duality) to comprehend. However, Hazrat Inayat Khan's writing is easily understood and could be valuable to both spiritual aspirants on the path to enlightenment and/or musicians looking for deeper levels in their artistry. This is a book to be studied, not just read. In it are keys to understanding the mysticism of sound, music, color, words, and silence.

This book is a compilation of the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan, a Sufi mystic from the early part of the Twentieth century. Born in India, Khan was thoroughly familiar with both Hindu beliefs and Islam and he also knew Christian scriptures well. In this book, Khan explains the central tenets of his Sufi sect. He begins with the belief that vibration is the ultimate connection to God, and states that this belief is found in Christian, Muslim, and Hindu scriptures by reading "word" as sound, and sound as vibration. All else flows from this. Khan finds spiritual direction through seeking harmony with all and finding and matching the appropriate rhythm of things. Music, (of the serious type, not jazz, for instance) provides a means of worship and union with the Almighty. But the highest form of sound is abstract, a topic whose details are reserved for Sufi initiates because others might misuse such knowledge.

The book contains chapters on topics such as: the music of the spheres, color and sound, music in Indian culture, music of the dervishes, dance and music, music and psychology, the healing powers of music, memory, will, reason, intuition and dreams, the Ego, inspiration, and the value of repetition. It also contains short collections of aphorisms and phrases to be repeated. The editing of the volume is exceptionally well-done. Khan did not write these selections as a book; instead, they were collected and organized from various lectures and articles that he prepared dating from about 1913 to 1926. The editors have managed to create a cohesive text from very disparate sources. Some ideas are presented repeatedly, but unlike so many similar compilations of articles by other authors, the presentation of Khan's ideas in this book are consistent each time they are mentioned. The original sources and dates for each chapter are listed at the end of the book. The book contains an index, but no glossary.

I picked up this book because of the picture on the cover of Khan playing the vina. As a struggling student of Indian music, I hoped that Khan might say a word or two about the vina. Indeed, he does, explaining how the quiet sounds of the vina make it ideal as an instrument for mediation, but not for playing large public concerts. Much of my previous reading about Indian music has been by authors who seek to present strictly objective information about the music and culture of India, but in taking such a secular approach, they miss the whole feeling of the topic. Reading this book has given me a much greater understanding of and appreciation for how music is central to Indian religious practices and beliefs, whether among the Hindus or the Sufis, or even among members of the Indian Muslim community, such as musicians. Nevertheless, one point remains unclear- -harmony. In Indian music, harmony seems to play a much smaller or very different role than in Western music. Throughout this book, Khan speaks of harmony and its importance, but what kind of harmony is he speaking of? The kind of harmony that results when two differing notes are played simultaneously with an agreeable affect? Or is he talking about vibrations joining to create a repeatable, predictable pattern? Or lining up rhythmic cycles so that the beats fall together in a pattern? He wasn't specific on this point, and I'm not sure that the concept of harmony carries over with the same meaning across musical cultures. Harmony is clearly important in the East as well as the West, but the word may refer to very different phenomena and so his message could potentially be interpreted differently according to the culture of the reader.

This book is one of the clearest on Sufi beliefs that I have found. I appreciate Khan's scholarship and his open-mindedness regarding all religious beliefs. He never preaches that one must abandon one's own religion, but instead tries to show that the core beliefs of all religions reach ultimately to the same source. In this light, the book is full of little surprises, like when Khan points out the etymological relationship between our Christian word Alleluia, and Muslim Allah. Points to ponder leap from every page, such as "It is never too late to go onto the spiritual path, but it is never too early." Khan is exceptionally clever at using metaphors for explanation. I'm not ready to take everything he says at face value, but he's given me a lot to think about.

This book has honestly changed my life. I have always felt close to God; this book has brought me even closer. I can see more clearly now the obscure in the ordinary and a fascination with the familiar. I would reccomend this book to anyone who interested more in the inner journey. This book has filled me with music and tuned me to the music of the universe.
Sai Ram

I must admit I had heard of Hazrat Inayat Khan a long time ago and been a little sceptical of his works as they were mostly popular amongst the 'supermarket spirituality' brigade. You know, the kind who have a copy of Gibrans "The prophet" under their arms and Moroccan incense burning at home.

I was surprised when reading this book however, to find that it is an insightful study into the spiritual meaning of music. Anyone who plays a musical instrument regardless of if they are religious or not will know how the sounds and rhythm of the music can move both them and those who listen, they will know how different sounds can have different effects, how a song can move a person to tears of sadness or joy while another can move one to anger.

This book details the effects on both the heart and soul of music and how music as understood my more 'ancient' peoples was a sacred thing. How music is used by Sufis in their rituals and the meaning behind it. Religious conservatives have always tried to ban music especially from religious rituals while failing to understand the powerful effects that music has on the heart and soul and how music is just as if not more powerful than the word.

A wonderful book that should be read by any musician and/or follower of religion.

This is indeed one of my most treasured books and very close to my heart. Khan's words flow easily as balm from Heaven to the ear and to the mind and heart. Understand how our thoughts and words affect the world... their intent, sound and vibration have far reaching results. "The music of life shows its melody and harmony in our daily experiences. Every spoken word is either a true or a false note, according to the scale of our ideal." The prose of Khan's words flows as beautifully as a concerto and straight to the heart.

great book, inspiring and enlightening, I enjoyed every page of it. I would recomend this any musician and any body who's interested in the eastern philosophy of how laws in music are so supernatural and connected to life.

Hazrat Inayat Khan's teachings awakened me to a new level of awareness of how my own
simplest, most natural perceptions, are amongst the most profound, and ancient teaching guides for finding the way to a mystical dimension.

I was turned on to this book by a friend who is also a musician, and seemed to always find a way to not be frustrated by the world around him. Inyat Kahn was a great musician who wrote on how he related Sufism to the playing of his instrument and the world around him. I don't think there's a page in this book you can read and not find something that applies to an area of your own life. Give it a try.

This book has fine tuned my perception, realligned my focus and I can feel its results every morning when I awake with a song in my heart. Buy it, Read It 'n' Suck It Up!!