Stages of Anahat Nad: How Inner Sound Evolves in Meditation

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🎼 Stages of Anahat Nad: How Inner Sound Evolves in Meditation

Hearing the Anahat Nad (अनाहत नाद) — the unstruck divine sound — is not a one-time experience. It’s a progressive inner journey, unfolding in subtle layers. Each stage opens a new dimension of consciousness, taking the seeker closer to their true Self (Ātman, आत्मन्).

This post explains the typical stages that aspirants experience in the path of Nada Yoga (नाद योग) — the yoga of sound.

🌱 1. Physical Sound Awareness (Vaikhari – वैखरी)

In the initial stage, the mind is conditioned to external noise. To move inward, we first sharpen our awareness of gross sounds — breath, heartbeat, ambient sounds.

🔹 Practice: Sitting quietly and listening to farthest and nearest audible sounds.
🔸 Purpose: Trains attention and begins inward turning (pratyāhāra, प्रत्याहार).

This helps to reduce restlessness, preparing us for subtle perception.

🌊 2. Subtle Inner Vibrations (Madhyama – मध्यमा)

Here, the practitioner begins to hear internal sounds like:

  • Ringing (like a bell)

  • Humming (like bees or tanpura)

  • Chirping (like crickets)

  • Wind or flowing water

These are not imagined sounds — they arise when the senses turn inward, and mental activity quiets.

This stage is fascinating, but also distracting. One may get attached to certain sounds or try to chase them. Patience is key.

🧘 Tip: Let the sound come and go. Just witness it without grasping.

🔥 3. Spontaneous Sound Expansion (Pashyanti – पश्यन्ती)

At this deeper stage, sounds begin to arise on their own, without any effort. They become:

  • Rhythmic

  • Multi-layered

  • Surrounding or all-encompassing

You may hear celestial music, conch blowing, bells, drums, or OM-like resonance.

This stage often brings awe and surrender, and may be accompanied by:

  • Vibrations in spine or head

  • Loss of body awareness

  • Expansive inner space

🌟 This is where Anahat Nad starts becoming truly experiential.

🌌 4. Pure Soundless Sound (Para – परा नाद)

This is the final and subtlest state, experienced by advanced meditators:

  • No distinct sound

  • No source or direction

  • Just a sense of vibrational silence, or the sound of silence

  • Blissful, timeless awareness

It is called Para Nada (परा नाद) — the supreme sound beyond perception.
In this stage, ego boundaries dissolve, and the meditator merges with pure being.

Words cannot describe this fully — it is a state of inner absorption (samādhi).

🔄 Summary of Stages

StageSanskrit NameExperience
PhysicalVaikhariOuter sounds, conscious listening
SubtleMadhyamaHumming, ringing, basic inner sounds
ExpansivePashyantiMultilayered, mystical, involuntary
SupremeParaSilent vibration, blissful stillness

🙋 Common Questions

Q: I only hear a faint ringing. Is that Anahat Nad?

Yes, it's a beginning. Stay consistent. Over time, deeper layers unfold naturally.

Q: Can the sound change daily?

Yes. Sounds may change as your awareness deepens or as inner cleansing happens.

Q: Is hearing OM or bell a sign of progress?

These are milestones, but not the goal. The aim is deeper stillness and union with the source of sound.

✨ Niran Bodhi Reflects

In my own practice, I began by hearing a faint flute-like tone. Over months, it became layered — bell, tanpura, and finally a kind of vibrational silence that was not heard but felt.

Each stage dissolved more of "me" and revealed more of the mystery within.
Don't try to control the journey — just tune in and trust the current.

📗 Learn More in the Book

These posts introduce key insights, but to truly understand and practice, you need a step-by-step approach.

Explore my book:

🕊️ Awakening with Anahat Nad: A Practical Guide to Inner Sound Meditation
By Niran Bodhi

📘 English Edition → Buy on Amazon
📕 हिंदी संस्करण → Amazon लिंक

Includes technique, experiences, questions, and deeper insights into Anahat Nad meditation.

🪔 Coming Up Next

Next post will explore:
“Common Mistakes in Anahat Nad Meditation (And How to Avoid Them)” – A practical guide to help you stay on track.

I'm Niran Bodhi—meditator, writer, and explorer of the sacred sound within. I’m the author of Awakening with Anahat Nad: A Practical Guide to Inner Sound Meditation, a book born from decades of personal practice, silence, and listening to the unstruck sound known as Anahat Nad. This blog is a heartfelt extension of that journey. Here, I share the teachings and techniques of Nad Yoga, meditative tools, reflections from my path, and inspiration from mystic traditions around the world. Whether you're just beginning to sit in silence or are deep in your practice, may these writings support your unfolding. The inner sound is always playing. The question is: are we quiet enough to hear it? �� With love and inner peace,

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