A Sound Meditation

Swami Madhuram Puri is a sannyasi, which means he is a renounced monk in the Hindu tradition. He dedicates his life to yoga practise and teaching, and follows the philosophy of by his spiritual master, Vishwaguruji Paramhans Maheshwarananda. Madhuram became a significant figure in the international Yoga in Daily Life community, helping establish ashrams in the UK and later continuing his work in New Zealand, where he is now based. In 2013, he formally embraced monkhood in a traditional ceremony in India, committing his life to service and spirituality. Madhuram is known for his involvement in Nada Yoga, the yoga of sound, using music and sound to aid meditation and spiritual growth.

One day, Madhuram surprised me by sharing two audio tracks. One featured his acoustic guitar, and the other featured the bansuri, a flute from India. As soon as I heard the first notes, I was impressed by how heartfelt and musical Madhuram's performance was. It really connected with me.

To make this performance a complete myNoise soundscape, we needed to add eight additional tracks. It took a while to find the best sounds that would work well with the original tracks without overpowering them.

I read that Madhuram grew up exploring the vast mountains near his hometown in Slovakia, and this connection to nature has deeply influenced his spiritual journey. Therefore, I began by adding nature sounds. The calming sound of water symbolizes purity and renewal. As a natural white noise, it easily draws us into a meditative state and clears the mind. Bird songs uplift the spirit, signaling new beginnings and the presence of life around us. They inspire joy and freedom. These iconic sounds remind us of the beauty and harmony of the natural world.

I then incorporated gongs and bowls, traditionally associated with meditation music. I used larger ones, to produce lower tones, allowing the bansuri flute to maintain center stage. These background instruments can help fill the quiet moments when the guitar and flute are not being played. You can raise the first sliders to hear those.

The soundscape, which was initially called "Coming Home," has been reimagined as "Home Again" to convey a sense of returning. The term "home" can be interpreted in various ways. It may refer to the physical location we come from, or it could symbolize our fundamental values as humans in a world that is changing, not always for the better. Furthermore, "home" might represent a spiritual realm, a place we return to after life. I imagined a cycle of reincarnation, much like in Hindu beliefs. For the missing tracks, I sought sounds that were surreal and beyond our acoustic reality. I decided against using synthesizers, as they wouldn’t fit the soundscape. Instead, I aimed to create otherworldly sounds, which led me to develop the three Ethereal tracks, muted by default. These tracks offer an experience of their own, especially when paired with the natural sounds.

I invite you to immerse yourself in the diverse realms of this soundscape through the available presets. Allow yourself to pause and reflect your home and where you truly belong.

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