CLASSIC NAAM SERIES: VOL1 Practical Naam
This 6 track album contains most of the quintessential sounds and feelings of tracks produced by Practical Naam as a production company: beautiful vocal meditation tracks amplified with sumptuous electronic music; haunting, deep, a capella tracks that you can listen to all day long; classical music themed meditation tracks; more traditional, spiritual music such as the Om Atmospheric track, and of course, practical tools to provide specific tracks for specific exercises. Read more about each of the tracks below:
TRACK 1. Wahe Guru 40x.
This track is specifically for overcoming a person's body of pain, the destructive cycle of reaction that keeps us trapped in our own pain, and keeps us actively repeating that pain and passing it to others. This track is recorded in such a way that you are only breathing approximately 2x per minute while you chant. This pattern combined with the mantra Wahe Guru is a powerful activator of the pituitary gland for heightened intuition and glandular health. This is a mantra of ecstasy and liberation.
TRACK 2. Sarbang Bowing
This track was designed originally to provide music for an exercise in The Science of Sound and Light, Volume 1, Kriya #1 by Dr. Joseph Michael Levry which requires rhythmic bowing to the mantra Sarbang Pranang. As one listens to the track, you can hear the kind of otherworldly presence that one experiences through the practice of bowing. It sounds as though you are in the middle of the universe and can hear feel the top of your head open up as the entire universe opens around you.
Try this exercise with the head up on the word Sarbang in a kneeling position, and the head on the ground for Pranang. You will be moving quickly. Find a rhythm that works for you based on your level of fitness and comfort.
TRACK 3. Ra Ra Ra Ra
This fun track was written in about 3 hours. It was composed at the request of someone who needed a way to practice this track before there was a recording. The mantra is: Ra Ra Ra Ra, Ma Ma Ma Ma, Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama, Sa Ta Na Ma. This mantra is used to purify the blood from any type of blood disorder, and to bring protection through a strong auric field. For a power impact, try inhaling 8x for one verse, and then chanting the next verse all in one breath. Continue this way for the entire exercise.
TRACK 4. One Four Two Breath Instrumental
There is a lot that can be said about this particular track. It is a track designed to help people practice the 1:4:2 ration breaths that have been taught by many yogis, and which are found as a basis of advanced Naam Yoga Pranayam series'.
This track is a perfect example of a practical application of Shakti Naam yogic science combined with Chris' background in Classical Music. It has been recorded using a 7 bar pattern in order to accommodate the unique structure of this particular breath ratio. At the same time it literally embodies the 1:4:2 through a traditional 1, 4, 5 chord structure which when rewritten implies the 1,4, 2 chord structure.
Beyond the technical aspects, it is a soaringly beautiful chamber music piece reminiscent of the Rachmaninoff Vocalise, or many modern films scores such as Amercian Beauty that create a feeling of moving beyond space and time. This is one of Chris' favorite tracks.
TRACK 5. Wahe Guru Choir, Single Voice
This track was included here as in introduction to the science of Jaap/Naam Simran, where one repeats the same sounds over and over. Recorded with 7 repetitions of the mantra Wahe Guru Per Breath, in a 4 note pattern, it can be understood in one way that this version turns Uranus into Neptune, or 4 into 7. Try using this track to time your yoga practice, meditate using your mental voice, or sitting in silence and allow the beautiful vocal patterns calm you. If you like this track, you will love the Album: Wahe Guru Simran
TRACK 6. Om Atmospheric
One of the first co-produced tracks with Chris Merrill and Allen Towbin, this unique Om track has an eastern feel to it. It is perfect for sitting in silent meditation for 11 mins, and going deep beyond the physical. Try imagining yourself in a sphere of light as you listen for 11 minutes. Allow the internal stillness to descend, the mind to withdraw and the overtones to stimulate your 6th sense.
NAAM PRANAAM (Released July 28, 2017)
This album is the 2nd in the line of Classic Naam series. It features a combination of percussion, live instruments, electronic and vocals. This is an energetic, invigorating and fun take on traditional mantras in both Sanskrit and Gurmukhi.
The name Naam Pranaam means to bow respectfully to Naam. Pranaam is considered the deep reverence which is the root of Namaste. Namaste is the greeting, Pranaam is the bowing to the divinity. All mantras recorded on this track are salutations to the highest and most Divine. They are uplifting, yet reverential, serious yet fun, and simple yet profound.
TRACK 1: Om Namo Bhagavate Three In One
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Namaha is a timeless piece of Vedic wisdom taken directly from the Bhagavad Gita. This mantra is a Christic mantra, in that it calls on that aspect of the the cosmic force, known in this tradition as the Son of Vasu or Vasu Devaya, It develops the power of higher consciousness within the person who practices it. This particular recording mixes three variations of the mantra, slow, medium and fast, for an overall effect that is sublime as they all come together in the end.
Track 2: Om Satyam
Om Satyam Pranam Dhimayi is a devotional piece of Vedic scripture that calls on Truth to take over in a situation. Those who meditate on this Naam should be prepared for change, as it is truth that is the driving force behind change.
This version is recorded with a heavy set of Drums, representing the implacable march of truth in our lives, and also the futility of standing against the truth as it marches on eventually conquering all and setting one free. This recording tells a story of the truth as it impacts three different scenarios, all related. The first section explains the story of an ancient warlord as he attacks a city, and over the sweeping sounds of the vocals, presents visions of those in the city praying in the temple and in the palace to their Gods. During meditation, a Yogi who lives in peaceful contemplation up on the neighboring mountain sees what is happening and makes his way down, his presence an affirmation of the Love of God in a devastating war. The yogi brings a simple flower to the warlord who, upon receiving the gift and remembering a loved one who passed away, realizes the beauty and fragility of life and recalls his attack. The city rejoices in relief and the yogi returns to his sanctuary
The second portion of the recording explains the story of a rich old king living in the same city, some years later. The king is greedy, egotistical, and values only money and material power. Surrounded by those wishing to cultivate his favor and be close to him for their own benefit. We see the vast castle in which he lives, and all the various lives that are their operating to support him. We also so his wife and family who have been minimized in his eyes yet have engaged a simple yogi to teach them philosophy. The presence of the yogi slowly changes the dynamic and the wife and children pray for the husband to soften his heart.
One night while the king is dreaming, the Yogi appears in his dreams and offers him a rose, reminding him of a time when he was a young man and offered his future wife a rose as a symbolic pledge of his undying love. He is so moved by the kind gift of the yogi that he wakes up in tears, remembering the the true value of that which he had abandoned, Love. The king changes his ways and becomes a beloved ruler in a land of prosperity and peace.
In the third section, the final scene, we see the yogi in deep contemplation of the Divine in his sanctuary, the outer forms of his ritual worship surrounding him. He is in meditation in the astral plane, yet still experiences attachment to the world and the outer forms of worship. In the midst of his meditative dream, Lord Brahma appears to him offering him a beautiful rose. Upon taking the rose, he realizes the error of his ways, that all forms of outer worship are irrelevant, and it is only the true deep offering of the love of God which is the goal of all traditions and which opens the heart. With this realization he is overcome by light and love for this Divine and merges completely with it, expanding into the unity of all things.
Truth and only truth can set us free. At each level of existence the truth changes, allowing one to perceive truths that before did not seem to exist or seemed to be contrary or paradoxical. Ultimately there is but one truth. The only way to find that truth is to merge with Divine Love and Divine Wisdom. Truth without love and wisdom is not Divine Truth. Try chanting this mantra full of love for God, and listening to the mantra full of love for God. There are 15 repetitions of the mantra on this recording.
Track 3: Sarbang Pranang Energy
Taken from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, this powerful set of 8 words was given by Guru Gobind Singh and has been used to bring life where there was none. The only true giver of life is love. This mantra is recorded 12 times using a six repetition pattern, for a total of 72 repetitions. Try this exercise: rub the fingernails of the hands against each other for the entire 11 mins. The recording was specifically designed for this exercise. You will feel a vast improvement in energy, the ability to complete things and according to the yogic wisdom it is a healing balm for the kidneys, hair and youth.
Track 4: Wahe Guru 52x
This meditation is designed to be performed before bed so as to help one achieve higher states of consciousness and awareness in dreams. It requires full use of the breath. To make it through a full repetition in one breath, do not try to make it loud, rather focus on the “humming” quality that one is able to make.
Track 5: Om Namo Bhagavate Live Performance Round
This track is a variation of the first track on the album. It is designed to “teach” students or a group of people how to perform the Om Namo Bhagavate as three parts simultaneously - a round. It teaches each of the three parts by themselves, then merges the first and second, the first and third, the second and third, and then gives all three of them together. At the end the instruments fade out and one is left only with the beauty of the voices as they slowly fade away into the distance. It is reminiscent of a cathedral setting and if one listens to the last three minutes, you can imagine the source of the mantra fading away into space, just the residual power remains.