“Sound has the ability to restructure and reconfigure our consciousness. Sound is the repository of consciousness.” Russill Paul, Professor

Anyone who has ever been caught in a traffic jam knows the visceral power of sound. This noise jars the body and the soul; it fragments the spirit. Russill Paul offered a sublime alternative to the noise that reverberates throughout the modern world. He recently introduced a crowd gathered at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville to “The Yoga of Sound.” Paul teaches sound mysticism at the University of Creation Spirituality and Naropa University, both in Oakland, Calif. Raised as a Roman Catholic in India, Paul has drawn from Hindu and Christian sources in his work.

As the earthy scent of incense filled the room, Paul began to chant a traditional Hindu invocation. The soothing tones of Paul’s voice had an immediate effect on his audience. Tense postures lost their rigidity, and rapid breath slowed as Paul sang. “Sound has the ability to restructure and reconfigure our consciousness,” he said. “Sound is the repository of consciousness.” Hindus believe sound communicates consciousness.

“It is alive,” Paul stressed. Sound can connect humanity to the most sublime aspects of this world and can even hint at the possibilities of the world beyond, Paul said, outlining fundamental concepts in quantum physics. “In order for anything to be, it has to be in motion,” he said. “This is true of everything we experience. If its motion ceases, it ceases to be. It disappears into ... nothingness.” This motion generates a frequency, a tone, Paul said. The sounds of this world emanate from a divine source. In Hindu cosmology, God is understood as the primary cause of the world’s vibration, he continued. “‘In the beginning was the Word ...’” Paul said, quoting the first line of the Gospel of John.

“Vibrations emerged from nothingness to give life.” Sound yoga is an ancient path to the vibratory presence of God. For 3,500 years, Hindu mystics have refined this system’s archetypal language and primal energy patterns to transform their lives, Paul said. Through various postures, breathing techniques and mantras, yoga practitioners have sought to control their minds and bodies to attain uninterrupted union with the divine, Paul said.

“In many ways, mantra is like the soul of yoga,” Paul said. The mantra is the essence of language. These words and sounds communicate the spiritual experience as well as spiritual ideals. As language becomes more abstract, this connection is lost, Paul said. “In the modern world, we can talk about God and not feel God in that moment. We can talk about love and not feel love. We can talk about peace and not intend peace,” he said. “We have lost some sense of the awesomeness of God,” Paul said. “Language no longer touches us in such a way that it actually makes a difference in our lives or causes us to change our thinking.”

Paul encouraged his audience to embrace the sound and spirit of a series of Hindu and Christian chants. He described the prayerful quality of Hildegard of Bingen’s work.Paul recited a piece the medieval mystic had written to Lady Sophia — wisdom personified. “Oh, holy force of wisdom encircling the wheel of this great cosmos. ... Over, under, through all these worlds. Praise to you, Lady Sophia. You are indeed worthy of all praise.” Paul’s chanting continued with the repetition of a single Latin phrase — “Spiritus Santus,” or “Holy Spirit.” He led the audience in this chant; his voice rising to a crescendo and then fading to a whisper. The audience sat in silence for several moments.

Eventually, Paul spoke, explaining that silence is the goal of all traditions.

“Silence is the goal of all religion. It is the goal of all language. ... Comprehension happens in silence,” he said. Comprehension does not occur in the ear drums or in the neurons of the brain. Comprehension occurs with the fabric of one’s being. It is a spiritual experience, Paul explained. The divine presence animates every soul and is intimately connected to every soul. Although humans often fail to perceive this relationship with God, they depend on it, Paul said.

“How is this body held in existence? The breath,” he said, drawing a deep breath and releasing it. “During that little pause, life is on hold. I’m winking in and out of existence right now. I’m not creating my existence. I’m receiving it as a gift.”

Through sound, humanity participates in the creative power of the divine. “Every time we speak, we generate a certain condition of spirit that we impart on others,” Paul said. “The human voice has the power to sculpt consciousness. It has the power to connect us with the divine.” 

Tammy Stamps-Heise

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