Question
Dear Dr Sushrut, do you remember our journey home from an Ayurveda retreat in Rijeka, Croatia?
There were four of us in the car and after a while we started singing. One song after another. Everyone had something to contribute, and the repertoire ranged from old hits to folk songs. The journey was entertaining, and we were so happy. We enjoyed it very much.
Please explain the effect of singing and sound in general on our phenomenon from an Ayurvedic perspective.
Sushrut´s answer
The great Ayurvedic scholar Sushruta defines health not only as the absence of disease, but in a very comprehensive way. Health explicitly includes the well-being of the senses (Indriyas).
Not only bodily functions, but also how we see, hear, feel, smell and taste determines whether we feel truly healthy.
The sense of hearing, Shrotrendriya, is considered particularly sensitive in Ayurveda and is closely connected to Vata-Dosha and the nervous system.
Through hearing, we not only take in information, but also
moods, atmospheres, security, or threats.
Hard, loud, chaotic noises increase Vata and have an exhausting effect in the long run.
Harmonious sounds, rhythm, and human voices, on the other hand, calm the nervous system, regulate breathing rate and promote emotional stability.
When we sing or listen to pleasant music, our sense of hearing is not overstimulated, but nourished. One could say that the sense ‘feels good’.
Sensory care (Indriya-Prashdana) as part of therapy:
In Ayurveda, there is an important concept called Indriya-Prashadana – the clarification and calming of the senses. This is because the mind is constantly in contact with the outside world through the senses. If the senses are overwhelmed or malnourished, the mind also suffers.
Singing together has multiple effects:
*The sense of hearing receives harmonious vibrations.
*The voice itself produces sound – active and passive sensory pleasure at the same time.
*The mind focuses on something joyful.
This creates a state that Sushruta describes as prasanna – cheerful, clear, content.
When the senses are nourished, the mind follows
According to Sushruta, a healthy person has:
*Prasanna-Atma – a cheerful inner mood
*Prasanna-Indriya – contented senses
*Prasanna-Manas – a clear, calm mind
These three levels influence each other.
Singing nourished our sense of hearing with pleasant sounds, calming and uplifting our minds, and creating a deep sense of well-being during the journey.
Here, health is not reflected in laboratory values, but in an experienced state of vitality and connectedness – exactly as Sushruta describes it.
Our cheerful car journey with singing was not only a wonderful experience, but also a state of health in the true sense of the word:
*the doshas – especially Vata – were harmonized
*the mind became sattvic and clear
*the senses, especially the sense of hearing, were nourished
and the heart and community strengthened Ojas
This experience thus fulfils the holistic definition of health with astonishing accuracy.
Perhaps this is how Ayurveda reminds us of that health often arises in moments when we feel alive, connected, and touched. Sometimes simply by singing a song together on a car journey.
Sound as a bridge between the sensory world and the inner self
In yoga and Ayurveda, the senses are not only considered gateways to the outside world, but also possible gateways to the inner world. Through sound, the mind can detach itself from external stimuli and simultaneously enter a state of subtle inner awareness. This is why nada – inner and outer sound – plays such a central role in spiritual practice.
When sound is harmonious, rhythmic, and carried by joy, the mind follows into an equally harmonious state. In this way, the sense of hearing, which is normally directed outwards, gradually becomes a bridge to the inner world.
The breath is regulated, the nervous system calms down and the heart opens. Community is created
In spiritual practice, this natural effect is consciously deepened.
When we sing mantras or bhajans, the vibration is directed not only towards joy, but also towards devotion, gratitude, and connection with the higher self.
Sound nourishes not only the human being, but also the heart consciousness:
Many traditions say that sound directly touches the heart chakra (Anahata).
This is where compassion, connectedness, and the feeling of being part of something greater arise.
In Ayurvedic terms: Ojas becomes stable in the heart; in yogic terms: consciousness expands.
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