Unlocking the Mystery of OM
Om (written as Aum) is the oldest, most sacred sound found in
yoga. Om represents all time: past, present, and future; and is
beyond time itself. Om represents the eternal oneness of all that is,
and thus represents the ultimate goal of yoga: to become unified in
body, mind and spirit.
Chanting the
mantra Om is perhaps the oldest of yoga’s spiritual practices. In the
Mandukya Upanishad we find this beautiful passage: “The body is the
bow, Om is the arrow, the arrow’s tip is the focused mind, and the
ultimate Mystery is the target.” Thus, meditating on Om is used to
guide one to discovering the higher Self, and the true nature of the
universe. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali instructs one in contemplating
the meaning of Om as a direct path to enlightenment. “The repetition of
the sound of Om, along with a deep contemplation of the meaning of what
it represents, brings both the realization of the individual Self
(Atman) and the removal of obstacles that normally block this
realization” (Yoga Sutras 1.27-1.29).
Om is said to be the essence of all mantras, and is used as the
mula-mantra, the root and beginning of most mantras. Om is the bija
(seed) mantra of the sixth chakra or third eye and chanting Om
activates and opens this energy center. Om is also known as the
adi-bija, the primary seed mantra. Om is used within sacred chants to
increase their power and potency as well as to draw the practitioner
into a deep internal state.
It is very important when repeating Om to pronounce the "O" sound
correctly. In Sanskrit, the sound "O" is a diphthong-- a subtle speech
sound that begins with one vowel and changes to another vowel within
the same syllable. This “O” sound begins with an “A” sound as in “law”
and ends with a “U” sound as in “put.” When these two vowel sounds are
combined in this diphthong, it produces a single, pure vowel sound.
Thus, when you pronounce Om it should sound like “home” without the
beginning “h” sound. When pronouncing Om the sound should emanate from
the navel, with a deep and harmonious vibration, and gradually rises
upwards to resonate in the nostrils.
Though indivisible, Om has four subtle sounds that correspond to four
levels of consciousness. The first sound of "A" represents
Vaishvanara, the conscious waking state. The second sound of "U"
represents Taijasa, the subtle, unconscious dream state. The third
sound of "M" represents the Prajna, the casual, subconscious deep sleep
state. The fourth sound is the silence that follows the sound of Om
which represents Turiya, the absolute consciousness that illumines and
pervades the three prior states.
When chanting Om, equal measure should be given to both the “O” and the
“M” sounds, i.e. “oooommmm” and not “oommmmmm” or “oooooomm.” The
mantra Om may be chanted aloud, whispered, or repeated mentally. The
chanting of Om should be easy and natural, without strain. Usually when
Om is chanted out loud it is long and when chanted mentally is it
short, but experiment and do what feels most comfortable for you. When
chanting Om you can also focus your gaze on the third eye center, the
sixth chakra. If using Om as a mantra meditation you may wish to use a
mala to count repetitions of 108.
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