About the Sounds of Bells and Gongs By Connie Zareen There is a science to human magnetism, and because of that it is important that a person interested in the spiritual search first concentrate on their motives before thinking about gaining of powers. Otherwise this science can be used simply for personal gain, and to manipulate. One of the misconceptions that have come to the west with the interest in eastern spirituality is that the show of powers is the first important sign of spiritual attainment. But it’s important to understand that the western mind starts from a different viewpoint than the eastern mind. The man from the east was raised in a culture with very strong mystical customs, which instill a beginning attitude of respect and humility. This doesn’t prevent a seeker from the east from abusing powers gained, but is a good starting point for success on this type of spiritual quest. The eastern mystic also lives in a different culture where it is, on the one hand, unseemly for the mystic to be selling his services, and on the other hand honorable for the population to support them. It’s not a prefect situation because it does not lend itself to any sort of innovation or change – because the population is not likely to support someone who is bringing in something new. But, for this discussion, it is important to know that the differences in culture lend a very different attitude towards the creation of magnetic powers in a mystic or shaman who comes from the east, and us who come from the west. The science of magnetism can be used by anyone regardless of their motives. This is well proven in the wild success of the new video, “The Secret” which is sweeping through new age circles. This movie teaches spirituality as a blatant search to get everything you want. It teaches how to gain magnetism for pure economic gain. This isn’t entirely bad, because in the west the mystic needs to have a certain ability to gain wealth in order to be useful to his or her society. But it’s in our best interest to consider these things before beginning a study of magnetism. Purity of motive for the modern western mind comes from two main sources. One is care for the whole. We must cultivate a true and deep concern for something that is larger than ourselves, and since we are so educated we need something really really big to care for. Nothing less than a care for the whole of humanity, the whole of the planet, and the whole of the evolving cosmos will do the trick! The second source is trustworthiness. Us modern new age seekers suffer from a deep case of narcissism. It’s a cultural phenomenon caused by being raised with the idea that we can have, keep and do anything we want. But more, it comes from a deep wound of believing there is something wrong with the world itself. This is manifested in a constant cry of, “Why me?” or more specifically, “Why hast thou forsaken me?” Sufis call this the narcissistic wound. We blame the world itself for deserting us, for not giving us what we want, which means, more deeply, that we see the world itself as untrustworthy. Something must be terribly wrong with the world for me to be treated this way! Some, who were raised with untrustworthy parents, have this wound more deeply than others. The only cure to this deeply set narcissism is to become totally trustworthy. Only through becoming completely trustworthy ourselves can we prove to ourselves that trustworthiness can exist. As anyone can well imagine, this is a huge and daunting task! Yet, it is completely possible to achieve with enough dedication. So first, it is very useful for the modern seeker to work on care for the whole, and total trustworthiness. This quest itself will help us begin to develop magnetism. Once we are firmly established in a conscious cultivation of purity of motive, we can begin the study of magnetism itself. Sound and movement are excellent tools to use for increasing our psychic capacity. Because this capacity is cultivated through relationship, the Dances of Universal Peace are an excellent tool for growth. In the dances we join hands in a circle and, following the leaders instructions, sing phrases from the spiritual traditions of the world, while moving together with simple movements. A well tuned group, and skilled leader, can bring the circle past ego resistance into a space where harmony tunes the many into one voice. The sound, the movement and the companionship of the dances softens the heart, and opens us to divine possibilities. This can be the beginning of a very interesting journey to a far off land! As a person gains more sensitivity, they will begin to notice that sounds in the environment have an immediate positive or negative effect the body and soul. Hazrat Inayat Khan says that this effect is the source of the mystical use of bells and gongs in the spiritual traditions of the world. We can learn a lot from these traditions to keep our environments pleasant with sound. It is also a great idea to manage the fragrances and colors of our environment – but only to a certain degree. In the end, it is the magnetism of the heart that matters. If we think that manipulating our environment so that we feel peace means we have now become a peaceful person, we are greatly mistaken. Getting on board for a full heart/body/mind transformation is where the real juice is!