Most of us are familiar with the mantra OM. We routinely chant it at the end of a group meditation or a yoga class, without thinking much about it. Maybe we use a mantra that begins with OM but what does it really represent, what is the true value of this all-powerful sound?<\/p>\n
The creation of the Universe according to sound<\/strong><\/p>\n Science tells us that the Universe began with a Big Bang, whereas Vedanta says that the \u201cbig bang\u201d is actually a Big OM, which didn\u2019t just happen once but is ongoing. In fact, if the OM stopped for even a micro second, the whole Universe as we know it would disappear instantly! If we understand that Consciousness is primary and underlies all existence, then Pure Consciousness is constantly unfolding as our experience of the Universe.<\/p>\n Imagine, if you can, a time before the Universe existed. Imagine a field of Pure Consciousness, an eternal silence. Not an empty silence but one filled with the potential for everything. At some point, Pure Consciousness decided it wanted to have an experience but, as nothing else existed, it could only experience itself. As all experience is by contrast, Pure Consciousness had to move within itself to experience itself. Now movement creates friction and friction creates noise so Pure Consciousness experiencing itself created a sound. However, Pure Consciousness by definition is silent so this sound had to be forced out of the silence and became what we call conditioned consciousness. That first sound was OM and conditioned consciousness is what we experience as the Universe in which we live.<\/p>\n The idea that God created the world out of nothing is also central today to Islam, Christianity, and Judaism and many references to a god creating the Universe by sound (word) exist. In the Old testament God\u2019s creation was by His word – Let there be Light etc. The Gospel of John says, \u201cIn the beginning was the Word (the sound of OM), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (Oneness).\u201d<\/p>\n The expanding Universe<\/strong><\/p>\n As the initial vibration of OM emerges from the unmanifest, it diversifies into all the different vibrations of the Universe, which manifest as the world we know. One vibration became a tree, another became a flower, another became a human liver and so on. OM therefore contains within it, all the mantras, sounds and vibrations of the Universe. Everything in the Universe is a diversification of OM and ultimately a reflection of Pure Consciousness from which it emerged. OM is the collective sound of the Universe, the Primordial Sound.<\/p>\n In the Secret Doctrine of the Rosicrucians it says, \u201c The One becomes Many, the Unity becomes Diversity, the Identical becomes Variety, yet the Many remains One.\u201d The Gospel of John continues, \u201cThe Word became flesh\u201d (manifest creation). In Egyptian literature the creator god pronounced the names of everything.<\/p>\n Modern science tells us that the Universe is expanding. Vedanta tells us that our Consciousness or Awareness expands as we grow towards Enlightenment.. In the Quran it states, \u201cAnd the heaven (space) We created with might, and indeed We are (its) expander.\u201d If, as Vedanta tells us, the Universe is a projection of our Consciousness then the, so called expansion of the Universe is contingent on our spiritual growth and at the moment of our Enlightenment will also reach the conclusion of its journey and cease to exist as a separate reality.<\/p>\n Vedic references<\/strong><\/p>\n Om is mentioned numerous times throughout Vedic literature, most commonly in its original form of AUM.<\/p>\n There are four principle Vedas, Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva, which expound on the knowledge of the entire creation. It is said that all the knowledge of the four Vedas is contained in the Rig and all the knowledge of the Rig Veda is contained in its first syllable \u201cA\u201d. Thus by fully understanding this first syllable, which is the beginning of the mantra AUM, we can have knowledge of the entire creation.<\/p>\n In the ancient Puranic texts, AUM represents the union of the three main masculine deities and the forces within the Universe: A = Brahma (creation), U = Vishnu (maintenance), M = Shiva (disolution).<\/p>\n In the great Indian text the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna (the Divine) says, \u201cOf words I am OM\u201d.<\/p>\n The Chandogya Upanishad opens with the recommendation that “let a man meditate on Om\u201d, \u201cthe essence of all\u201d. The Chandogya Upanishad also tells us that the gods took the song of Om unto themselves, thinking, “with this [song] we shall overcome the demons\u201d, thus implying that OM inspires the good inclinations within each person.<\/p>\n When speaking of OM, the Katha Upanishad says \u201cthis syllable is Brahman (the Absolute), this syllable is the highest, he who knows that syllable, whatever he desires, is his.<\/p>\n The Shvetashvatara Upanishad asserts that Om is a tool of meditation empowering one to know the God within oneself, to realize one’s Atman (Soul, Self).<\/p>\n Adi Shankara said that if you can only study one Upanishad, it should be the Mandukya, which is fortunate because it happens to be the shortest and is devoted entirely to OM. It opens by declaring, “AUM, this syllable is this whole world, all past, present , future and whatever exists beyond time is AUM\u201d. In other words, everything that exists in manifest creation is contained within AUM.<\/p>\n The Mandukya Upanishad then talks about four states of consciousness:<\/p>\n The \u201cwaking state\u201d, where the senses are turned outward is represented by the letter \u201cA\u201d and we are told that by knowing this, we become masters of our senses, leading to the fulfillment of all desires and the attainment of greatness.<\/p>\n The \u201cdream state\u201d, where the senses are directed inward is represented by \u201cU\u201d and here we are told that by knowing this we master our dreams, become established in wisdom and everyone born into our family is a knower of Brahman (highly evolved).<\/p>\n \u201cDeep sleep\u201d, where consciousness enjoys peace with no perception of external or internal objects is represented by the letter \u201cM\u201d. The Mandukya says that by knowing this we know all and everything merges into ourself. In his Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says that Mmmm is the name of God and in Psalms it says, \u201cGod gives Truth to His beloved in sleep\u201d<\/p>\n The fourth state described in the Mandukya Upanishad is Turiya, which we know as Transcendental Consciousness, Pure Consciousness, Atman, the \u201cgap\u201d between thoughts. Turiya is represented by \u201cAUM\u201d. Though it itself is indivisible it is the combination of three sounds, the silent sound of AUM. The Mandukya tells us that AUM is the very Self, beyond birth and<\/p>\n death, the symbol of everlasting Joy. He who knows it as such, enters the Self with his self. Those who know the Truth become the Truth.<\/p>\n Chanting OM<\/strong><\/p>\n As Om is the total sound of the Universe, it\u2019s always present so technically we can\u2019t chant it. We cannot create OM by a chanting of it, we only produce a vibration sympathetic with the vibration that is already there and is called OM. It is not a chant made by us, created by us or initiated by us but rather we establish a connection between ourselves and the Supreme Reality, which manifest itself as sound vibration in the form of OM.<\/p>\n A alternative way of \u201cchanting\u201d OM is in its separate form. In one breath chant AUM, Aaaa\u2014 Uooo\u2014Mmm followed by silence. The fullness of the \u201cA\u201d sound collapses into \u201cU\u201d then \u201cM\u201d and finally the silence of all three together. The waking, dreaming and deep sleep states merging into the Oneness of the Absolute.<\/p>\n When Om is part of our mantra, such as in Primordial Sound Meditation, we experience the fully expanded level of creation, attuning the individual soul to the Ultimate Reality. The effects of any mantra beginning with OM are greatly amplified by it.<\/p>\n Listen<\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes, if you sit very quietly, you will hear the sound of OM, like a distant cosmic hum. Listen within you, it\u2019s not outside you, it is you.<\/p>\n When the mind is quiet and you listen, you will hear God humming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Most of us are familiar with the mantra OM. 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