Twenty-first June is also celebrated as World Music Day. What an auspicious date in the calendar to have an opportunity to celebrate two important days – World Music Day and International Yoga Day.

Having said that, what do we really know about music? Is it just the seven Swaras? Or, Indian and western music? Or, the Carnatic and Hindustani forms? Some of us probably only know these terms and we do not really understand them in depth.

Music is a form of learning in itself. It is like meditation. It brings you closer to yourself, makes you aware of the 'YOU', and amplifies your self-awareness. It is certainly not just an amalgamation of the seven swaras, in fact it is a little mathematical too. Fret not, if you do not like Mathematics! Music helps you alleviate yourself in more than one way.

Music can be in any form – vocal or instrumental. Very recently, I read an article that says ten minutes of singing everyday helps reduce stress, improve your mood and makes you live longer. Interesting! Isn't it?

I was introduced to the world of music at a very early stage in life. It is all thanks to my gurus who saw the potential in me to be able to understand the language of music.

The practice of music during Brahmamuhurat is very beneficial to you as a singer or an instrumentalist.

This article is divided into two parts.

The first is about the benefits of Brahmamuhurat and the second is about simple yet easy steps to inculcate in your day-to-day music practice.

Brahmamuhurat is precisely one hour and thirty-six minutes before sunrise. More clearly, this is the last quarter of the night – i.e. anywhere between 3:30 to 5:30 or 6:00 am. 

You many now wish to ask, why is this time of the day so insignificant?

Usually this is the time when your mind and body are at ease and are inherently still. There is little to no distraction around. This is usually also known as “Creators Hour”. 

It is during this time of the day that you can make the wisest decisions, understand yourself better and lo-behold become a much better version of yourself.

Let us now ponder a little bit on the new term we learnt i.e. “Creators Hour”. One may wish to ask, what am I creating at this hour of the day? I would rather sleep an extra hour and feel fresh for the rest of the day. 

I would like to bring your attention to the fact that this is “THE HOUR” when you design your day; plan your tasks, responsibilities, activities and give a structure to your day.

I had the opportunity to attend a book release session of “The 5 AM Club” by one of my favorite authors Robin Sharma. I would like to share the 20:20:20 rule I picked up from the session:

• Spend first twenty minutes of your time excercising.  
• Spend the next 20 minutes journaling.
•      The remaining 20 minutes should be used to plan your day ahead.

This brings me to another very interesting concept of Sankalpa or resolution.

A Sankalpa or a resolution made during the Brahmamuhurat is a sure shot way to success. A written Sankalpa that you can read every single day is a guaranteed recipe for success.

The next logical question would be if I have to wake up at 4 am (or during the Brahmamuhurat) how do I make sure that I go to sleep by 9:30 pm or latest 10:00 pm?

I know we Mumbaikars have a fast life and nightlife as well. Our eyes do not shut before 12 to 12:30 am. We have so many activities to finish, check social media to keep ourselves up-to-date and so on and so forth. However, the little secret ingredient to this is consciously switch off your smartphones an hour before bed.

The first few days will be tough on you. Nevertheless, know that tough people last longer, and these initial tough times will fade away in eternity.

Once you are up at 4 am, a glass of warm water with honey does the trick to flush out toxins from your body. Then, the one-hour routine that I mentioned above will help you transform your life in more ways than one and beyond what you ever dreamt of.

Moving on to the second part i.e. about the practice of music. To begin your practice, you may like to follow some simple steps:

One, start with a 5-minute meditation to help you to be able to focus better.

Two, follow this with another 5 minutes of OM chanting.

Three, do some breathing exercises to help you breathe better while singing at high pitch.

Four, make it a habit to practice alankar every day. It is like a warm up exercise for your throat to be able to sing well as also perform better on stage.

Five, then move on to practice a Raag or a song of your choice.

Six, finish your practice again with two minutes of OM chanting and three minutes of meditation.

Believe me when done at least four times a week it is a sure shot highway to succeed as a good singer and help you become a better person - personally and professionally.

Lastly, what matters to an artist is a happy and delighted audience. In addition, that positive aura is what helps them perform better in their personal and professional lives too.

Wish you a musical day ahead.

Author is a trained Carnatic and Hindustani classical singer with a deep interest in Yoga as well. She writes on Music and Yoga.