Ashtanga Yoga Crete
Since there are many ways to explore sound, our focus is on Dhrupad, the oldest form of the yoga of sound, known as Nāda Yoga, using string instruments such as the Sitar, Rudra Veena, Surbahar, and Tanpura.
Meditative music sessions are offered, along with introductory seminars and workshops.
Music and Yoga
Music has a profound influence on our existence, recognized since the earliest days of humanity.
Just as we use āsana practice to cleanse, unblock, and detoxify the body, we also turn to music to nourish the subtler layers of our being.
Through āsana, we cultivate physical well-being. A refined practice brings balance and harmony, just as nature itself does when it is in rhythm and alignment.
To experience peace and joy, we often seek the quality of deep listening.
From the moment we are born, throughout all stages of life, and even at its final passage, music accompanies us like an invisible friend touching the soul.
The impact of sound combined with rhythm is a unique and beneficial experience that accompanies every stage of life.
While āsana works on the body in a direct and tangible way, music operates in a more subtle and spiritual dimension.
An ancient story
An ancient story tells that when God invited the soul to enter the human body, it hesitated due to its limitations.
Then God asked the angels to sing. Enchanted by music and dance, the soul finally entered the body.
Since then, every time the soul hears music even for a few seconds, it remembers that freedom, a journey beyond the limits of the human body.
The yoga of sound through Indian classical music
Indian classical music is rich in lyricism and sensitivity, awakening a deep inner silence in the listener.
It often creates moments of stillness and introspection, even through simple listening.
Although its inward beauty might classify it as entertainment, in essence it functions more as a therapeutic and meditative journey.
For the experienced listener the experience is profound, yet even newcomers can enjoy and benefit from its qualities.
Even during the tuning of the instrument, the atmosphere begins to transform—faces light up as if a painting is being created in that very moment.
Through the natural flow of sound, one may experience a sense of deep bliss.
Intensity, rhythm, and melody gently influence our inner nature, creating a subtle inner vibration aligned with breath and body.
Music invites us to experience the beauty of life in the present moment.
Raga – the soul of Indian classical music
Through the concept of Raga, Indian classical music can deeply touch the soul and offer meaningful inner experiences.
The word Raga means “that which colors the mind and the soul.”
Through specific notes and melodic structures, an inner world is “colored,” like a living painting.
The origin of Raga is ancient India. It is said that Shiva, the great yogi, practiced it in nature.
Each Raga is associated with specific times of day or seasons such as spring, summer, or winter.
Within this tradition, the musician is not merely a performer but someone deeply attuned to nature and sound.
Historically, this music was cultivated by ascetics living in nature, who experienced sound as a path of spiritual evolution.
Although today it is performed in concert halls, its essence remains closer to intimate meditative gatherings known in India as baithak.
Instruments of Indian classical music
Indian classical music is primarily rooted in vocal expression.
Instruments often serve as extensions of the human voice.
The Sitar is one of the most well-known instruments of North India, referenced in texts dating back to the 13th century.
The Surbahar, sometimes called “the sound of spring,” is larger and produces deeper bass tones.
Both instruments originate from the Rudra Veena, considered the oldest and most sacred string instrument.
Tradition associates the Rudra Veena with Shiva and the creation of sound in nature.
The Tanpura provides the continuous drone that supports the melodic structure.
My musical journey
Music has always been a steady companion in my life.
Whenever a sound reached the right place within me, it brought a sense of healing.
In 1995, I attended my first Indian classical music concert in Thessaloniki.
It felt like being inside a temple, where prayer was expressed through pure sound, without words.
The following year I traveled to India and returned with a Sitar.
After initial studies, I realized that to truly understand it, I needed to return to its source.
In 1998 I traveled to Varanasi to study with a specific teacher.
To my surprise, he was the same musician I had seen on stage in Thessaloniki two years earlier.
For the next twelve years I spent about half of my time in Varanasi, studying Sitar and later Surbahar with Rabindra Narayan Goswami.
Music was the reason I went there, but the experience opened doors to yoga, philosophy, and Vedic astrology.
For me, this music has never been merely “Indian.” It is, and remains, a path of inner exploration.
During my time in India, I met many musicians and teachers.
In 2008 I acquired the Rudra Veena and continued my studies at the Dagar family Gurukul.
There I had the privilege of studying with great masters such as Fariduddin Dagar and Bahauddin Dagar.
I was also deeply influenced by musicians such as Pushpraj Koshti, Nikhil Banerjee, and Zia Mohiuddin Dagar.
I see no limits on this path.
I simply continue to experience it and share it with those who approach it with an open heart.
