The Meaning of Om

The Meaning Of Om

Om = a sacred mantra, represents the divine and the interconnection of all things in the universe, the creation of the universe came from the vibration of Om, infinity, eternity

It is the natural vibration of the universe from which all other sounds come, represents past, present, future and the infinite ( what has existed, what exists now and what will exist and that which transcends time)

There are 4 parts of Om:  A, U, M, and Resonance in silence

We can chant an audible Om, or chant Om in the mind

To Chant Om:

1.       Quiet the mind as you Concentrate on the 3^rd eye, with thoughts of infinity, spaciousness, connection

2.       Chant an internal om in the mind

3.       Take a deep inhale:

4.       Open the mouth, relax the throat creating the A from the belly

5.       Mouth closes slightly as you transition to U from the throat

6.       Mouth closes completely as the M vibrates from the nasal passages

7.       As the lungs empty and the breath ends feel the peace in the silence after the sound ends

8.       Feel the shift in energy and vibration in yourself and the room from the sacred mantra

The Parts of Om:

A: the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, represents the Awake state, our outward awareness and material world (Vaishvanara) - the past, what has existed – represented by the lower part of the “3”, voiced from the belly with an open mouth and relaxed throat, sounds like the A in “accounting”

U: represents the dream state (Taijasa) an inward focus of the mind - the present, what exists now -  represented by the curl to the right coming from the center of the “3”, sound comes from the throat with mouth closed more, sounds like the U in ‘would”

M: represents deep dreamless sleep or deep meditation (Prajna), - what will exist, the future -  represented by the top of the “3”, the sound comes from the nasal passages with the mouth closed, sounds like the m in “sum”

Resonance in silence: the silent vibration following the M sound (Turiya) is the indescribable state - combination of past present and future, all that has been, is now and will ever be – total peace and enlightenment total bliss, represented by the crescent and dot at the top of the symbol

In Conclusion:
This is just a basic way to explain the meaning of Om
We can try to explain Om in words but it really has to be felt and experienced...
so get on your mat and enjoy your practice!

Article on Om: http://www.arthaonline.com/YogaOm.htm