I had a tough day recently. A client of mine who does music for wellness sessions with me began a debate that morphed into an increasingly unpleasant conversation. The client, who had believed in less strict Covid protocols through the pandemic compared to mine, started questioning why my sessions hadn’t resumed physically yet. I politely tried to explain that each of us has a different approach to safety protocols, which may be determined by a multitude of factors including the priorities of the elderly and vulnerable. I tried to urge her to allow space to respect different opinions on this matter. I also assured her that if she found it not okay to continue online, she could take a break and resume in a few months when I would be ready to see her physically. But the lady worked herself up into a rather self-righteous state, trying to make a case that I should go ahead and open up because the law permits it, and my personal comfort is not important in this matter. While I remained politely defensive, I was surprised and disappointed. As I kept hearing her talk, I wondered about the chasm sometimes between the divine space that music brings us into and the harsh reality of the real world. Also how incompatible they sometimes are.
People’s biases, judgements and prejudices form the framework for human interaction in the real world and are the primary cause of our everyday friction and hassles with other people whereas music has a levelling and unifying effect. As I kept wondering about this, I realised I had a scheduled online session with that same client that evening. I was certainly not looking forward to it given the chafing of my emotions that had just happened. But I braced myself, and resolved that I would keep the spirit and divinity of music alive in the session, and hoped that this would allow for a smooth and comfortable session.
What happened later that day was nothing short of spectacular. When the session began, within a few minutes of delving into Raag Chayanat, I saw a complete transformation in the lady. The person I had spoken to earlier in the day melted into a different one; someone humble, compassionate and warm. She even proceeded to assure me that it didn’t matter to her whether sessions were offline or online. She just wanted music to continue in her life and couldn’t imagine a day without it. I was so moved and also very happy to be reassured yet again that music is a superb leveller.
The path from the inconsistencies of everyday real life to the perfect and beautiful divine realm is usually a very long one. It takes years of meditative practice, awareness and penance to be able to experience the divine while still living a real life in the real world. A lot of spiritually learned people will tell you that. But with music, a glimpse of the divine realm is always close at hand. And in the case of the lady mentioned above, delving deep into classical music Raag instantly softened her. It made her compassionate and understanding. It put things in perspective for her. She realised that being in the presence of music mattered most to her.
What is the stamp of divinity on earth? It is seeing compassion, love and understanding among human beings. It is being able to witness the best of human nature play out in the most difficult of situations. It is being able to see diverse people and their even more diverse opinions level into a common space of love and compassion. This is what music also does. When in the presence of classical music, the awesome divine force that underpins the music takes over and people rise to their best. It encourages the best in people to come forth. It is the most effortless and easy bridge to the divine while still sitting firmly on terra firma.
I saw it happen once that day and I’ve seen it happen countless times earlier. Defences lower, ego breaks down and fears vanish in the presence of music. The only thing one is left with is an intangible but powerful sense of being connected through music to higher forces above us, and to everyone around us.
A bridge to the divine is what music is.
The writer is a vocalist of both Hindustani and Carnatic Classical music, with over three decades’ experience. She is also the founder of Music Vruksh, a venture to make classical accessible for its aesthetic and wellness benefits.