'The mystery of sound is mysticism; the harmony of life is religion. The knowledge of vibrations is metaphysics, the analysis of atoms is science, and their harmonious grouping is art. The rhythm of form is poetry, and the rhythm of sound is music. This shows that music is the art of arts and the science of all sciences; and it contains the fountian of all knowledge within itself.'

'Music should be healing; music should uplift the soul; music should inspire. There is no better way of getting closer to God, of rising higher towards the spirit, of attaining spiritual perfection than music, if only it is rightly understood.'

The Music of Life is the definitive collection of Hazrat Inayat Khan's teachings on sound, presenting the Sufi master's vision of the harmony which underlies and infuses every aspect of our lives. With deep insight and wisdom, he explores the science of breath, the law of rhythm, the creative process, and both the heaing power and psychological influence of music and sound.

'What makes us feel drawn to music is that our whlole being is music: our mind and our body, the nature in which we live, the nature that has made us, all that is beneath and around us, it is all music. We are close to all this music, and live and move and have our being in music.'

Contents

Foreword by Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan
Part I The mystery of sound
Chapter 1 'My sole origin is sound' (vibratins)
Chapter 2 The law of rhythm
Chapter 3 Atmosphere
Chapter 4 Capacity
Chapter 5 'Be, and all became' (the abstract sound)
Chapter 6 Sound, the Creator God (form)
Chapter 7 Sound and light: Two aspects of movement united by harmony
Chapter 8 Music: The mysticism of tone and pitch
Part II The harmony of life
Chapter 9 The word that was lost
Chapter 10 The music of the spheres
Chapter 11 Vibrations in man
Chapter 12 Harmony
Chapter 13 The voice
Chapter 14 Tuning oneself to a desired rhythm (relaxation)
Chapter The silent life
Chapter 16 music: The voice of beauty
Chapter 17 The alchemy of vibrations
Chapter 18 Spiritual development by the aid of music
Chapter 19 The psychological influence of music
Part III The knowledge of vibration
Insight
Chapter 20 Cosmic language
Chapter 21 Insight
Chapter 22 The legend of the past (impressions)
Chapter 23 The voice of thought (vibratory power)
Chapter 24 The life of thought and feeling (elementals)
Chapter 25 The influence of works of art
Chapter 26 The nature of the mind
Chapter 27 Memory
The science of breath
Chapter 28 The secret of breath
Chapter 29 Rhythmic breathing
Chapter 30 The power of breath (breath life)
The power of the word
Chapter 31 The word: The secret of life
Chapter 32 The sound within
Chapter 33 Psychological development by the word (mantrams)
Chapter 34 The echo of the whole universe
Chapter 35 Sound: The main principle in man's life
Chapter 36 Name
Part IV The analysis of atoms (healing)
Chapter 37 Health
Chapter 38 Healing with sound
Chapter 39 The effect of sound on the physical body
Chapter 40 The healing power of music
Part V The harmonious grouping of atoms (art)
The creative process
Chapter 41 the divinity of art
Chapter 42 Inspiration
Chapter 43 The action of God, the reaction of man
Poetry
Chapter 44 The dancing soul
Chapter 45 The poetic spirit
Chapter 46 The mission of poetry
Chapter 47 The Persian poets
Music
Chapter 48 The celestial art
Chapter 49 Music East and West
Chapter 50 Indian music

This book can walk you into a mood of peace and harmony after you've have the most difficult day with your boss or client or spouse or child. Very, very deep and yet so lighthearted, gently, kindly written. ( )