Om/ Aum
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What is Aum?
A vibration in the Absolute Consciousness
The awareness of a human being passes through various modes of consciousness. The Mandukya Upanishad is a short exposition on layers of consciousness and their relationship to the Divine Sound. At the beginning if one can demarcate a beginning to the Self-existent universe there was a vibration in the Absolute Consciousness. The vibration was Aum, consciousness itself, for consciousness and its vibration are one and the same.
Sage Mandukya related the Aum to various stages of Consciousness: ` Aa' is jagrat, the waking consciousness; `Uu' is swapna, dream consciousness, the subconscious mind; and `Mm' is sushupta, dreamless sleep consciousness, the unconscious mind.
The silence between two successive Aums denotes the fourth dimension of consciousness, the Turiya, which is the matrix of all sounds and its creations, giving rise to and supporting the other three dimensions of consciousness.
In the waking state we are extroverted; the five senses are active and the mind experiences pleasure or pain in the external world of gross objects. In dream-sleep, the five senses are inactive, but the still active mind enjoys the motion picture of subtle objects of the inner world. In deep sleep, the five senses and mind are suspended and the self sinks down to the deeper layers of the unconscious, deeper than the subconscious and due to its proximity to cosmic consciousness, returns recharged and revived.
If consciousness is graded like the rungs of a ladder, in sleep you sink down from waking to dream to deep sleep and from there may descend inadvertently into collective and cosmic consciousness. But, awareness is lost during this stage, though the sense of `i' is main tained and we say `i had a restful sleep’.
In deep meditation, when the object of meditation, the process and meditator lose their distinction, you climb up the ladder of consciousness, and ascend to the realms above mind to Superconsciousness or Turiya. From there, you soar into cosmic consciousness. Samadhi is an elevated state where the fourth, pristine dimen ion of consciousness, the very ssence, is experienced which rases all samskaras. If sleep is deep unconsciousness, samadhi is heightened awareness. One may awaken refreshed from a deep sleep but not get transformed unless it is aware deep sleep, in which case it is Sushupta Sama dhi, and technically not sleep.
The Divine Mother is the vibration, the energy , of Absolute Consciousness; in fact, the two are one and same. And she holds the jivataman in thrall by the iridescent play of her myriad colourful roles. In deep sleep, she absorbs all colours to appear black and is Kalaratri the deep night of dissolution. Kalaratri is the compassion of the Divine mother as Prajna which forces us to be antarmukhi, introverted, and thus draw sap from the source of life by sheer intimacy , In samadhi, she is Tripurasundari, the exquisitely beautiful form of the Universal Mother, universal energy; as the sovereign Raja Rajeshwari and Mother of the triad of jagrat, swapna and sushupta awasthas, (Tripura Ambika), which emanate from her and are her.
Showering unconditional love, she finally takes us to Oneness with our greater Self, earning the name Kaivalya Pad Dayini, the only One. As Lalita, she is transcendental Consciousness, pervading the universes and yet remains above them, enjoying the delightful play of dualities.The whole of Creation emanates from her effulgence.
The Primordial Sound Of Creation
Anup Taneja, January 14, 2020: The Speaking Tree
The initial creative impulses arose as ‘spandan,’ as thought-vibration of the pure Being. The sound that emanated from the vibration was Aum. Sound is, in all creation, the one, powerful principle that widely influences and effectively brings under control all other manifestations. In its transcendental aspect, it is difficult to establish contact with the Supreme Being. However, the nearest approach is sound, also referred to as ‘Aparam Brahmn’, through which the seeker is able to experience oneness with the Supreme Spirit.
According to Swami Vivekananda, Aum is the basis of all sounds. The first letter, A, is the root sound, the key, pronounced without touching any part of the tongue or palate; M represents the last sound in the series, being produced by closed lips, and the U rolls from the very root to the end of the sounding board of the mouth. Thus, Aum represents the whole phenomena of sound production.
Vivekananda says that repetition of a mantra like Aum is the greatest stimulation that can be given to latent spiritual samskaras. The power of association is so great that even a moment of association with the holy is enough for a ship to cross the ocean of worldliness. To quote him: “This repetition of Aum, and thinking of its meaning, is keeping good company in your own mind. Study, and then meditate on what you have studied. Thus light will come to you, the Self will become manifest.
” Through constant repetition of the holy mantra in meditation, seekers ultimately get connected with the subtle, divine sound of Aum, the Anahata Naad – the unstruck, mystic sound that occurs spontaneously and is not the result of striking or beating certain things. Swami Muktananda, sage of Ganeshpuri, says that Aum is self-begotten and arises by itself out of the upper spaces of sahasrara. When this ‘naad’ is heard in meditation, the seeker experiences ecstasy.
In the initial stages of meditation, the seeker perceives the red aura that represents the gross, physical body through which the waking state of consciousness is experienced with the aid of five senses of perception. The individual soul in the physical body is seated in the eyes and is known as ‘vishva’, which is represented by ‘A’ – the first letter of Aum, the primordial sound.
As the seeker makes further progress in meditation, he begins to perceive the white flame that represents the subtle or astral body of the size of the thumb. The dream state of consciousness is experienced through the astral body that is represented by ‘U’ – the second letter of Aum. The individual soul in this body is called ‘taijasa’ and is seated in the throat.
The next stage in meditation is marked by the appearance of black light that represents the causal body through which the deep sleep state is experienced. The individual soul in the causal body is called ‘prajna’ which is seated in the heart and is the size of a fingertip. It is represented by the symbol ‘M’, the third letter of Aum.
Constant hearing of the Divine Sound of Aum in deep meditation leads the seeker to the ultimate goal of yoga, the supra-causal state, wherein he experiences bliss of the eternal blue of Consciousness. In this state, the seeker’s ego gets completely dissolved in the Light of the Self.
Significance
What Aum signifies
The Times of India, May 30 2016
Vijay Hashia
Every change affects the energy equilibrium till disturbances settle down. The universe is made up of various energy fields and the quantum of Aum' is the base for all energy equilibrium.` While scientists debate the first sound energy ever to occur in the universe, rishis had documented it extensively in the upanishads. Modern physicists believe Aum' is the sound of cosmic creation that ` occurs throughout the universe.
Sound can travel through any medium, collide with molecules and push them closer together. It enters our brain through stimulus of external vibration, created by chanting of Aum. It can stimulate prana, the life source that keeps everything moving. Piaanjali says, Aum is the sound that is identified with the continual omnipresent stochastic energy of zeropoint continuum, which is interpreted as the constant fluctuation of ether present throughout the universe, our physical wave existence. The Katha Upanishad says, it is the goal that all vedas declare, all austerities aim at, and which all desire when we lead the life of continence. This syllable is the best and highest support, adored in the world of Brahmn. Aum is indeed Brahmn.
Aum is considered as third eye chakra, at the centre of the forehead, directly in line with the centre of the brain. In the beginning was the sacred sound of Aum, it was with God and God was Aum. Through this sacred sound all things were made. Aum mantra connects with the ultimate without possessions, relationships and the physical world.
Vedic texts equate Aum with Bhur-bhuvah-svah, symbolising the whole veda. It offers various shades of meaning of the universe beyond the sun and that which is mysterious and inexhaustible, the infinite language, infinite knowledge, essence of breath, life, everything that exists. All Hindu texts recommend Aum as a tool for meditation.Aum is also referred to as letter of the alphabet imperishable, immutable, and Omkara means literally , the beginning of female divine energy .
Aum' chanting will cleanse and heal ` the whole system. It is the seat of intuition and of life purpose; its chanting will attune us to the sound of the cosmos just like a droplet dissolves into the ocean, its resonating will open the ocean of love within.
The upanishads say , time is threefold past, present and future and all these are Aum. The fourth of time is that which transcends time and that too is expressed by Aum. Aum defines four states of Atman, the physical, inner thought, spiritual consciousness and the fourth state if realised with the Self, the eternal.
Aum is four states of consciousness wakefulness, dream state, deep sleep and state of ekatma (being one with Self). Aum is all of knowledge, its first element is A, which is apti obtaining, reaching or adimatva being first. The second element U, is utkarsa, exaltation or ubhayatva, intermediateness. The third element M, is miti erecting, constructing or from minati, annihilation. The fourth is without development, beyond the expanse of universe.
Its chanting sequentially activates the stomach, spinal cord, throat, nasal and bran regions. It activates prana that will move from the base all the way up to the brain, thereby channelising energy and activating the spinal cord and brain. Its continuous chanting will shift the attention and echo the harmonic relationship of every vital organ, our heartbeat, breathing, brain wave pulsing, neuron cells, metabolic, enzymatic and hormonal rhythms, and will bust stress, addictions and improve behaviour. It acts as brain stabiliser, and by practising it, one can enter into one's own natural state.
It is the whole: the imperishable, the shakti the control
Anantharaman, March 3, 2021: The Times of India
Almost all Hindu prayers begin with Aum. In recent times, Aum has transcended the strict confines of the spiritual and has assumed wide prevalence among the world population as a tool for meditation and yog practice. Why does it enjoy such wide currency?
Kripananda Variar, a renowned spiritualist of Tamil Nadu, relates the story of how Kartikeya, the younger son of Shiva imprisoned Brahma for not knowing the real meaning of Aum. It is held that creation began with the use of the Pranava mantra ‘Aum’. Kartikeya was annoyed with the creator for using the mantra without knowing its true meaning and significance. Aghast at his son’s act, Shiva is said to have asked of him whether he knew the meaning of Aum. Kartikeya then explained to Shiva the kernel of Aum.
The Mandukya Upanishad lays out the significance and depth of Aum. According to it, Aum transcends the three divisions and, thereafter, time and is the summum bonum of all that’s divine, imperishable and potent. It’s the Pranava, which means shakti and control. In simple words, it’s the whole.
The shortest of the Upanishads further states that man abides in four states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, deep sleep and turiya. The first three states are denoted by the sounds ‘a’ – as in agnostic – ‘u’, and ‘m’, which when conjoined form the syllable Aum. The silence that follows the syllable is the fourth state and is known as turiya, simply an abbreviation for ‘chaturtham’ which means fourth. This fourth state, according to the Mandukya Upanishad is the Atman. It’s the Atman, which is the continuing witness to other three states of consciousness, which independently are unaware of each other. The Atman as a ‘sakshi’, witness, is the one that’s ever present in all the three states and the Mandukya Upanishad verse 2 avers: ‘Ayam atman brahmn,’ meaning, Atman is the Brahmn, the truth, the one that is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.
The Atman which is signified by Aum is described by positive and negative affirmations. The positives are its quintessential tranquillity, its auspiciousness and non-duality. The negative affirmations are that it’s unseeable, ungraspable, uncharacteristic, unthinkable and indescribable. This Atman is deemed to be the fourth state which has to be contemplated upon and studied.
Thus, the chanting of or contemplation on Aum enables us to relate to the four states of consciousness and takes us to the Truth. The chanting of ‘a’ makes us conscious of our waking state and vibrates the Vishuddhi, Ajna and Sahasrara chakras. The chanting of ‘u’ activates the Manipur chakra and the chanting of ‘m’ acts on the Swadishthan and Muladhar chakras. The chanting of Aum activates and balances all chakras, thus leading to optimisation of the autonomic and limbic systems of the nerves.
On a phenomenal level, it can be noted that Aum can be uttered only during the expiration of breath, probably signalling how human beings have to rid themselves of the various toxins of senses and ego to attain the realisation of Truth.
Benefits of chanting
An upsurge of energy within
Ullhas Pagey, March 29, 2023: The Times of India
Why do many spiritualists exchange salutations with Aum instead of Hi? Why do all Upanishadic invocations begin with Aum?
Aum is a widely used, one-word, divine symbol, deeply embedded not only in Hindu philosophy but with some variations in Buddhism as ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’, in Sikhism as ‘Ek Onkar Sat Nam Sri Wahe Guru’, and in ancient Jain scriptures to represent the five lines of the Navakar Mantra.
In fact, Aum is the centrepiece of the Mandukya Upanishad. Even the first mantra of the Isha Upanishad begins with Aum and its first sentence implies that the whole Universe is Aum. It is believed that the birth of the Universe took place with Naad Brahma, that is Aum. Hence, it is considered to be the primordial sound of creation of the universe. The Mandukya Upanishad describes Aum as having three parts. The first sound in ‘A’ pronounced ‘ah’, followed by ‘U’ or ‘oo’ and then by ‘M’ by sealing the lips. Aum chanting is completed after following brief silence also known as Amantra Aum.
Aum is considered to represent the holy trinity – Brahma the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiv the destroyer of the Universe, because no new creation takes place without destruction of the old.
It also represents the three states of conditioned consciousness – the waking, dreaming and the deep sleep states which we experience throughout our lives. The Amantra Aum represents the fourth plane of pure consciousness, a state where eternal peace and bliss are experienced by the enlightened soul.
Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, talksabout experiencing the state of Aum through regular practice of yoga and meditation. The sound vibration of Aum, along with a feeling for the meaning of what it represents, brings both the realisation of the Self and the removal of obstacles that block the realisation.
Sound, after all, is an energy. Our body apart from being a physical structure is also an energy system with its epicentre at a point near the navel, also known as umbilicus, wherein many thousand Nadis converge. So, while chanting Aum, the sound which essentially originates from the navel, one activates the whole energy system through reverberations of the seven chakras, thereby creating an upsurge of energy throughout the body.
Aum chanting has a tremendous therapeutic value too. The rhythmic breathing associated with it is known tocure many disorders like anxiety, depression, and an internal feeling of constant fear and insecurity.
Research published in the International Journal of Yoga suggests that Aum chanting meditation may help deactivate the right amygdala, a part of the brain associated with negative emotions. So, it also enables easing of negative thoughts, stress and mental agitations.
Thus, the kaleidoscopic view of the mystique surrounding Aum not only helps in its cognitive understanding but also enhances the efficacy of this powerful spiritual practice. And as the Dhyan Bindu Upanishad puts it: Let Aum be the bow, mind the arrow, and Higher Consciousness the target. Those who want enlightenment should reflect on the sound and the meaning of Aum. When the arrow is released from the bow, it goes straight to the target.
The range of experiences of life that Aum contains
Mapping The Universe With The Aum Syllable
Pranav Khullar, Mapping The Universe With The Aum Syllable, Nov 25 2016 : The Times of India
The Mandukya Upanishad maps out the entire range of the ex perience of life in the sound of Aum, the Pranava Mantra. It sketches out the mystery of Brahmn, Pure Consciousness, in twelve short verses by juxtaposing the four states of consciousness with the syllable Aum and alludes to how this sound-syllable corresponds to each of those states.
The opening aphorism sets the tone for an enquiry into the cause of this material-temporal world, by asserting that the Aum principle lies at the root of not only the manifest universe, but is at the heart of the cosmic rhythm itself.While establishing Aum as the sonic measure of the universe, the Mandukya Upanishad equates it with the “fourfooted“ Atman.
A description of the four stages of Consciousness defines the Atman as the jagrat or waking-state; the swapna or dream-state, sushupti or sleep-state and turiya, the fourth, transcendentstate. Analysis of the Self as Consciousness begins with the immediacy of sense-perceptions felt in the jagrat or waking-state where all of us are alive to the body and visible world. Vaishvanara or waking-consciousness, makes us aware of and respond to the external, as we go about our daily lives, operating through `seven limbs' and `nineteen mouths' the five jnanendriyas, five karmendriyas, five pranas and four inner faculties of manas, buddhi, ahamkara and chitta.
Taijasa is the second aspect of the Self, the dreamconsciousness, which interiorises the external world within the mind. Mind creates an entire world of its own, coming alive with the same intensity as one was feeling the external world earlier in the waking-state. This dream-state could be triggered as a result of unfulfilled desi res or by tapping into a subtle realm inadvertently , but the dream-state is as real to the dreamer as is the waking-state to a person awake. The Mandukya Upanisahd indicates that the mind is active in both these states.
When the mind has withdrawn itself completely, arises the sushupti state of deep sleep. This prajna-ghanah, where there is no external or subtle movement of mind, induces a happiness greater than the one obtained through the senses. Ananda, bliss of deep sleep, is a causal state where one is not distracted by desires, a state enjoyed he momentarily by each of us in sleep, and we wake up refreshed and energised.
The Mandukya urges the seeker to refine his consciousness in such a way as to summon up this bliss ful state at will, through yogic sadhana.
Turiya is the fourth state of consciousness wherein thought itself has found its source and has got absorbed in it and the knower and the known become one.
The Mandukya corresponds the turiya state of pure consciousness with the syllable Aum, the primordial Sound of Silence. It then breaks up the syllable Aum into the three mantras of A, U and M, with the letter `A' corresponding to the waking-state of consciousness, the letter `U' to the dream-state and the letter `M' to the deep sleep-state. The fourth letter and state is the sound of Aum itself, from which the manifest universe has burst forth, Sphuta, the frequency at which Primal Energy resonates, into which all sounds of the world get absorbed.When sounds merge into pranava, Atman alone remains.
