Question: In what way does music affect our consciousness?

Sri Chinmoy: Our consciousness is like a book. When we play divine music, we will be able to write down something significant in the book. If it is undivine music, we will write down something undivine. The moment we write something undivine we will see that the quality of the book suffers. When we write divine things we will see and feel that the quality of the book is greatly elevated.

There is another way to feel how music affects our consciousness. If we have a piece of paper right in front of us and listen to bad music, we will immediately feel that we have dropped ink on the paper and ruined it. But if we hear good music, we will immediately feel that we have written something divine and immortal on it.

Bad music will immediately affect our consciousness. Consciousness, like water, is neutral. Water symbolises consciousness. What we put inside water is of paramount importance. If it is something harmless, sweet and divine, then naturally we get joy. But if we put something undivine, poisonous and destructive in the water, then naturally when we drink it we shall die. What we mix with the water before drinking it is up to us.