Nāda Yoga: The Philosophy of Inner and Outer Sound

Every so often, I come across a perspective from another tradition that feels beautifully aligned with what we teach and practise here at Sound Relaxation and the Peter Hess Academy Australia. Nāda Yoga is one of those philosophies. Although it comes from a different lineage, its understanding of sound resonates deeply with the foundations of Peter Hess® Sound Massage and our approach to sound relaxation.

Nāda Yoga (nāda = sound, vibration; yoga = union) is an ancient Indian practice sometimes referred to as “the yoga of sound.” At its heart, it teaches that the entire universe is vibration, and that sound is a powerful bridge between the physical and the subtle realms of our experience.

🕉️ The Essence of Nāda Yoga

According to this tradition, sound is far more than what we hear with our ears. It is a pathway to harmonising the body, mind, and consciousness. When we tune into sound - both the external sound around us and the inner sound within us - we begin to move toward balance, presence, and deeper awareness.

Nāda Yoga describes three key Sanskrit concepts that beautifully capture the depth of this work. I find these teachings both poetic and incredibly relevant to our sound-relaxation practice.

🪷 Āhata - The Struck Sound

Āhata means “struck” or “produced by impact.”

This is the sound we create when something physically vibrates: a Gong, a Singing Bowl, a mallet on a string, even our vocal cords. It is the sound of the outer world - the sound we consciously hear and feel through vibration.

In Peter Hess® Sound Massage, this corresponds to the audible tones of the Singing Bowls and the gentle waves of sound that move through the body.

🪷 Anāhata - The Unstruck Sound

Anāhata means “unstruck” or “unbeaten.”

It describes a subtle inner vibration that arises without physical impact - often associated with the heart centre in yogic philosophy. It is the resonance that emerges within us, the sound behind the sound, the felt sense that lingers when the audible tone fades.

This is very much in harmony with what many clients describe after a sound session: the inner spaciousness, the stillness, or the quiet sense of vibration that remains after the Singing Bowls or Gong have stopped.

🪷 Nāda - The Bridge

Nāda simply means “sound” or “vibration,” but in a deeper sense, it represents the essence of sound itself - the thread that connects outer, physical sound and inner, subtle sound.

Together, these concepts show us:

Āhata Nāda is the audible sound we create.

Anāhata Nāda is the inner resonance that follows.

This distinction is both subtle and profound. And it beautifully mirrors what we explore in the Peter Hess method - the interplay between sound, body awareness, and inner stillness.

🎶 Bringing Nāda Yoga Into Sound Practice

When we work with sound instruments, especially the Gong or the therapeutic Singing Bowls, we naturally engage with both aspects of Nāda. Understanding the relationship between Āhata and Anāhata helps refine the way we play, listen, and guide others.

Here are a few reflections to consider in your own practice:

1. Mindful awareness - the gateway between outer and inner sound

Each stroke creates more than audible sound - it creates a field of vibration.

If we play with force or distraction, the experience remains only external.

When we play with presence and attunement, the sound becomes a doorway to inner resonance.

Play to connect, not to impress.

2. Balancing force and sensitivity

Sound arises through impact - but too much force can overwhelm the nervous system. Gentle, well-guided strokes allow the overtones to unfold, creating the spaciousness in which Anāhata Nāda can be sensed.

Invite resonance rather than impose it.

3. Listening beyond hearing

Sound work is not only about producing sound - it is equally about receiving it.

Deep listening allows the body and awareness to shift from external sound to the inner echo that follows.

In the silence after sound, Anāhata begins.

4. Understanding energetic layers

The Gong especially can carry significant energetic movement. When played without grounding, it may stir too much at once. When played from centred awareness, it supports clarity, spaciousness, and gentle release.

Let your intention be steady, heart-based, and grounded.

5. Allowing integration

Very often, the most meaningful part of sound work is what happens after the sound stops. When the Āhata fades, the listener meets the unstruck sound - the quiet inner vibration that allows integration.

Sound opens the door; silence lets us step through.

In Closing

Nāda Yoga offers a beautiful lens through which to understand the layers of sound - the outer, the inner, and the subtle resonance that moves between both. Although our work at Sound Relaxation and the Peter Hess Academy comes from a different lineage, these teachings echo much of what we experience in therapeutic sound practice.

When we play with presence, sensitivity, and awareness, sound becomes more than vibration - it becomes connection, clarity, and a pathway inward.

From my heart to yours,

Ute 💛