Daily Meditation: Sunday, August 15, 2004

Music - importance of the feelings it generates

08/15/2004

Some people claim they cannot listen to music, that they do not understand it. But what does this mean? It is not comprehension that counts in music, but the sensations you experience as a result of its vibrations, of the musical harmony. Do we understand birdsong, the murmuring of springs or streams, or the rustling of the wind in the branches? No, but we are captivated and filled with wonder, and it is this which is essential. For the same reasons, it is always better to sing songs in their original language; even if we do not understand their meaning. There is a relationship between the words and music, which is destroyed in translation. Music is not created to be understood, but to be felt. Even when it is accompanied by words, the meaning of these words is secondary. So study carefully the states which music evokes in you, and use them for your spiritual work.