Importance of Sound in Kriya Yoga Sadhana
Sound Is Not Just Heard, It Shapes Consciousness
For a yogi walking the path of Kriya Yoga, sound is not merely something he hears. It is a force that constantly shapes his consciousness.
What he listen to, what he surround himself with, and what he inwardly absorb through vibration directly influences the movement of his life force.
For a Kriya Yogi, this is not a philosophical idea but a practical reality that affects the depth and direction of his sadhana.
The ancient Rishis understood this deeply. Long before modern science began to recognize that everything is vibration, they had already realized this truth through inner science. This was not a science based on instruments, but a science of perception, where a yogi learns to see, hear, and know through refined awareness of intuition.
Every human being is constantly receiving and transmitting vibrations, mostly without awareness. This is why some individuals are naturally magnetic, while others repel or leave no impression. The difference lies in the clarity, strength, and quality of the vibrations they emit.
The Nature of Sound and Its Influence
Whenever something vibrates, it produces sound. Not all sound is within the range of human hearing, yet it still exists and carries influence.
There are even theories that sound beyond the audible range can be used as a powerful force of destruction. This principle reveals the inherent power of vibration.
Ancient traditions preserve accounts of highly evolved musicians who could influence nature through sound. It is said that when Tansen sang, he could bring rain even on a hot, cloudless day. Certain ragas were believed to carry specific vibrational qualities capable of affecting the environment itself.
In Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda reflects on the depth and transformative power of the Indian musical system, pointing to sound as a force that can act not only on the human mind, but on nature itself.
Sound has a direct impact on the inner state of a person. It can evoke anger, sadness, sensuality, greed, or elevate one into states of clarity and devotion. Different vibrations generate different mental and emotional patterns, shaping the tendencies of the mind.
Uplifting Sound vs. Downward Pull
Music or chants infused with higher consciousness carry an elevating effect. They create an inner environment that supports meditation and direct awareness toward higher states. Such sound does not agitate the mind but calms it, making it more receptive to deeper experience.
In contrast, music filled with heavy emotional content reproduces those same emotions in the listener. Songs rooted in desire, sadness, anger, or victimhood strengthen those tendencies within. People are naturally drawn to such music when similar patterns already exist in them, as it creates a sense of validation and shared experience.
Music driven by loud, aggressive rhythms and themes of conflict generates forceful and restless inner states. It often creates a collective surge of energy where individuals feel united in expression. In such cases, the vibrational intensity overrides the meaning of the words. One may leave feeling temporarily relieved, having discharged built-up energy through rhythm and movement.
However, during that time, the mind has been immersed in a field of lower vibrational energy. This is a state of active negativity often described as rajasic tamas, a restless yet heavy energy.
Even if not immediately visible, its effect lingers. It will later manifest as irritability, judgment, criticism, depression, or a sense of victimhood etc. The lower latent tendencies within are strengthened and brought closer to expression.
This is one of the ways in which darker influences spread. It is not accidental that such environments are often accompanied by alcohol, drugs, sensual indulgence, and strongly tribal or aggressive behaviour.
The Subtle Trap of Emotional Devotion
There is also a subtler category of sound that requires discernment.
Some music appears devotional and carries intense emotional expression. While the words may be sincere, the vibration often generates a state of emotional fervour, a heightened inner movement that pulls awareness outward.
This outward surge, even when directed toward the Divine, disperses energy away from the center and interrupts the inward movement required for Kriya.
For inner ascent, what is required is not emotional intensity, but calm feelings, a balanced and steady inner state that allows awareness to rise.
Even refined emotions, when they create outward movement, can slow the inward journey.
The Subtle Power of Words and Language
Sound not only acts only through music, it is present in the language we use.
Words are carriers of vibration.
Crude or harsh language is not merely habit; it is vibration aligned with lower tendencies.
When such words are spoken, both the speaker and the listener are affected. The greater impact, however, is on the one who speaks, because the vibration first arises within their own system before it is projected outward.
The one at whom such words are directed may also be affected, but this depends on their receptivity and inner strength. If their system does not accept or resonate with that vibration, the impact is reduced. In this way, the exchange is not merely verbal, but energetic.
There is another dimension to this. Words carry not only the intention of the present speaker, but also the accumulated impressions of countless prior usages. Certain harsh or negative expressions are heavily charged with the vibrations of those who have used them over time. In this sense, they function as condensed carriers of negativity, capable of disturbing the inner balance when used or received.
In contrast, words that arise from clarity, goodwill, and higher awareness carry a different quality. They uplift, harmonize, and can even serve as channels for blessing. When used consciously, such speech has the power to elevate both the speaker and the listener.
For a Kriya Yogi, this makes awareness of speech essential, not only in communication with others, but also in one’s inner dialogue.
Rajarsi Janakananda, also known as Saint Lynn, one of the foremost disciples of Paramhansa Yogananda, was known to be extremely sensitive to vibration. It is said that he would not permit even casual or thoughtless expressions like “Oh Boy!” in his presence, as he was acutely aware of how sound influences consciousness.
This level of sensitivity becomes especially important as one progresses on the spiritual path. As awareness refines, even subtle disturbances become noticeable.
For this reason, a Kriya Yogi must be attentive to the quality of sound at all levels, what is heard, what is spoken, and even what is silently repeated within. Each carries a vibration, and each contributes either to the upward movement of consciousness or to its dispersion.
The Direction of Energy in Kriya Yoga
Any sound that pulls awareness outward or downward moves one away from the path of Kriya Yoga.
A Kriya Yogi is constantly working to direct life force inward and upward, toward higher consciousness. This requires alignment not only in meditation, but also in what one exposes oneself to daily.
Repeated exposure to opposing vibrations strengthens the outward pull. Over time, this can make it increasingly difficult to raise one’s energy, as the downward movement becomes more dominant.
This is because the natural movement of creation is outward and downwards, away from the divine source. The path of the yogi moves in the opposite direction, inward and upward, toward the divine source.
Alignment of Consciousness and Attraction to Sound
One is naturally drawn to the kind of sound that resonates with one’s inner state.
Those whose systems are increasingly aligned with higher realms begin to experience a clear mismatch with sounds that carry a downward or outward pull. Such music no longer feels neutral. It can create inner resistance, irritation, or even a sense of disturbance when exposed to it for prolonged periods. In some cases, the effect is not only psychological but physical, manifesting as disorientation, heaviness, or even headaches. This happens because the system no longer contains sufficient lower tendencies to absorb or harmonize with those vibrations.
On the other hand, those who remain aligned with outward-moving and downward-pulling energies often find refined, high-consciousness music unengaging after some time. They may initially listen, but soon their deeper tendencies draw them back toward sounds that match their inner condition. What feels “boring” is often simply what the system is not yet tuned to receive.
Each person gravitates toward the sound that reflects their current state of consciousness and the direction in which their energy is flowing.
There are also those who sincerely aspire for spiritual growth, but find themselves repeatedly returning to older patterns of sound and stimulation. This is a natural part of the transition. The deeper impressions within the system continue to exert their pull until they are consciously transformed.
For such a seeker, intention alone is not sufficient. There must be application. The principles of self-control, what is referred to as Yama, becomes essential. Through conscious discipline, along with steady and sincere Kriya Yoga practice, the direction of energy gradually shifts.
Over time, lower tendencies begin to weaken and dissolve, making space for higher, more refined inclinations to emerge.
As this transformation deepens, one’s natural attraction to sound also changes. What once pulled the consciousness downward loses its hold, and what supports inward and upward movement begins to feel natural and sustaining.
From Outer Sound to Inner Sound: The Perception of Aum
As one advances in Kriya Yoga, the relationship with sound undergoes a profound transformation. The yogi gradually becomes aware of inner sound, the subtle vibration of life force within.
A critical aspect of this journey is the ability to perceive this inner vibration as Aum, the primordial sound of creation. Along with it, there arise subtler expressions, the distinct vibratory tones associated with different chakras. Each chakra has its own characteristic sound, which is not heard through the physical ear, but through the inner ear of intuition.
As awareness deepens, these individual sounds begin to unify. What may first be perceived as subtle and distinct eventually merges into a continuous, all-encompassing vibration, experienced as the vast, resonant sound of Aum, the underlying current of creation itself.
This marks a reversal of the outward journey. Instead of being drawn into external sound and multiplicity, the yogi begins to trace sound back to its source. The perception of inner sound becomes a guide, leading awareness inward and upward toward its origin.
For this reason, it becomes essential to reduce exposure to discordant and outward-pulling sounds. Such vibrations create inner noise and disturbance, making it difficult to perceive subtler realities. By aligning oneself with refined, uplifting vibrations, the system becomes quieter and more receptive.
In that stillness, the inner sound of Aum gradually reveals itself.
A Conscious Choice of Sound
For this reason, a Kriya Yogi must become deeply aware of the sounds he allows into his life.
Sound is not neutral. It either supports the inward ascent or strengthens the outward pull.
The journey of Kriya moves against the current of creation. To progress steadily toward the source, one must consciously choose vibrations that support this return, not those that scatter awareness into restlessness and outward movement.
For those following the lineage of Paramhansa Yogananda, a safe and powerful guide is found in his Cosmic Chants. These were not composed and tuned by the guru himself to carry higher vibrations. They provide a simple and direct gateway to higher vibrations and to attunement with the guru’s consciousness.
What we listen to, over time, becomes what we feel, what we think, and ultimately, what we become.
Amrita Ghosh
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