Profiles

Normal.dotm
0
0
1
974
5555
Ruska
46
11
6821
12.0

0
false

18 pt
18 pt
0
0

false
false
false

What is Samadhi
and what it has to do with sound?

Samadhi is a Pali word that may be roughly
translated as Concentration. Some people and Buddhist followers may argue the
correct translation has always been meditation. But it does not really convey
the actual meaning (1). People use it out of habit and for lack of under
standing. Some scholars instead say there is no actual word able to translate
the meaning because there is no actual practice of samadhi in the Western World. To create a proper set of words we
have to include bhavana (meditation
and development of the attitude) and kammatthana
(the subject of meditation and the exercises used to practice it). When we play,
we listen, we compose the mind has to focus on one point: sound. If the mind
does not concentrate it will be difficult to understand what we are talking
about, to comprehend the subject! Bhavana
stands for the attitude we need to adopt when our mind needs to develop, to
grow, to cultivate a wholesome quality. There are two kinds of meditation:

1)           
Tranquillity
Meditation (SAMATHA-BHAVANA)

2)           
Insight
Meditation (VIPASSANA-BHAVANA)

While the first is aimed at developing inner
peace, the second cultivates a deeper form of knowledge, which enables us to
see the true nature of all the things (sound included) and to understand that
they all are impermanent as far as they arise, proceed and dissolve. Sound is
no different from all the forms so it follows a metamorphic process and evolves
according to cause and condition. Human beings dealing with sound nowadays are
forced to know this truth, which we call musical insight.

The mind of a musician should stay steadfast
therefore tranquil, smooth and strong, focused on the sound and only it.  Centred on the true listening of sound
the mind should stay object-stable, at ease, not distracted, not agitated:
firmly grounded. When the mind contemplates the sound no other thoughts should arise.
In these times in which musicians keep on worrying about pay per day, or
rehearsal times the mind should go back to his original one point focus: the sound.
In these times in which conductors do not want to disappoint audiences and
artistic directors do not want to disappoint conductors everybody disappoints
the composers who desperately try to please everybody but not their inner urge
of focusing on the “ars maieutica” of creating the revelation of the real
nature of sound! When the mind can stay with the object of its choice (sound in
our case), we are in Samadhi. To really understand the meaning of these
practice we really should go back to it may be better to place a proper
emphasis on the benefits of such an action.

1)  
A
concentrated mind is a mind that has power to be and create: it has a lot of
energy and owns a proper vision of the object in itself

2)  
A
concentrated mind is lucid- like clear water. It enables us to see things with
clarity. This second point is conducive to wisdom and deep comprehension of the
true nature of sound.

3)  
When
the mind is calm with nothing to disturb ut, is not confused with urges of
power and success, applauses and glory, the mind is stable, not agitated. It is
a positive mind and communicates and transfers its happiness.

Now we would like to examine more
deeply these three aspects of the Samadhi practice with particular attention to
the real benefits this Buddhist practice would like us to pursue.

1)   Mental Energy :

Buddha
teaches:” Like a river from the mountain
in a long stream, its swift current drifts away anything that it can carry
along. If we close up the openings on both sides of the river, the current in
the middle will not spread out, wobble, or go off its course. It will flow
speedily and will carry along with it whatever it can sweep away. “

We
may use this strength to fortify our creative offspring’s: the sound, the
tensions and release that creates the flowing of the structure, to vehicle the
emotions trough the composition. In parapsychology many studies nowadays prove
how mental energy can influence the emotion of remote objects (psycho kinesis)
or how looking at one point far away we may experience clairvoyance and hearing
remote sound have clairaudience. This kind of benefits are only a first step in
Samadhi practice and if we focus on the sound experience we may easily deepen
and strengthen non only our perception of sound itself but also our ability of
transmitting it as pure energy to other people being they fellow musicians,
performers or audience.

2) 
Serenity and
tranquillity

Buddha
teaches:” The development of Samadhi,
when well cultivated and regularly practiced, will conduce to a full life here
and now . When free from desires, unwholesome states, one enters the Absorption
(in the real beings)”.

In
present day societies, where emotional problems prevail, are we able to be here
and now and to enjoy what we are playing and producing allowing the sound to be
what it really is a pure definition of the present in an artistic and creative
way. The structure of the musical environment is based on competitions,
contests, struggles for benefits and power, fear of failure. Musicians minds
are always tense and in time suffering arises. How many professional performer
are depressed or under medical treatments simply because they can’t keep up
with failures or tensions?

Some
even teach that a proper performance comes out from a master tension, nothing more
false, a proper performance springs out from serenity as a proper plant rises
from a well fed ground. The more a society is materially developed, with prizes
and recognitions, the more people in that society suffer and hate each other. A
solution of the troubled mind is Samadhi which may lead to a proper attitude
which reveals the real value of things and the true meaning of what we are
searching and striving for.

3) 
Clear mind and
Development of wisdom.

Buddha
teaches:” Like water reservoir stays
clear, not muddy, a person with good eye sight standing on the shore will see
snails, mollusks, stones and pebbles, even fish that are swimming or lying
still in the reservoir. With a mind which is not muddy, we will know what is
beneficial, and useful to other people, we will be able to realize a superior
intuitive attainment beyond our normal person’s capabilities. Vision trough
wisdom leads a person to become a noble being.”

The
mental phenomenon of wisdom comes directly from a lucid and clear mind. Samadhi
brings to the mind serenity and than clearness. A steadfast mind will reveal
things as they really are. Samadhi is the real aid to developing and increase
the ability of really listening, hearing, memorizing the aspects of sound that
seduced us when we were kids and has lead us towards the interest in the world
of music.