There is a high probability that whether you practice Yoga or not, or even have an interest in Yoga or not, you are familiar with the visual symbol of OM:
The visual represents: a deeply sacred sound and has various meanings. The sound of OM has various applications too. It would take a book to do justice to its meaning and application, and the history of its journey from thousands and thousands of years’ ago to the present day…
But one has to start somewhere, so whether you are a Yoga practitioner who chants (OM or other mantras), or are interested in spirituality, I hope this blog post provides some useful and interesting grounding for your understanding of OM.
The Visual (refer to above) – components of the whole
Is composed of a series of curves and a dot. Each element of the visual denotes an aspect of human existence and consciousness:
-the lower left curve: waking state
-the lower right curve: dream state
-the upper left curve: deep sleep
-the crescent (above the right curve): a layer called maya or illusion, which is the obstacle (or gateway to move through) to the highest state of consciousness
-the dot at the top: is called Turiya, quiet, bliss, neither outward nor inward looking, where all states submerge, and where the person is united with the highest state of existence, or God, or the divine
The Sacred Sound – Meaning
Nowadays, across the globe, we hear ‘OM’ chanted in Yoga classes or in sessions dedicated to chanting. In its most basic application, it sets a certain tone of sacredness.
People like to say that the ‘sound’ or frequency created by the chanting of OM reflects the first sound of creation, and/or, the sound ‘of the universe’.
OM is also chanted in Yoga classes as a form of meditation, and even as breathwork (if one chooses to deliberately deepen the in and out breath through the sound of OM), though this is not its original intention.
Through vibrations that the sound OM creates (more on that below), OM is considered to positively enhance the energy of the body and mind, and to help calm a busy mind or make the person feel less fragmented.
There is a common belief in ‘yoga circles’ that the Yoga Sutras (2 BCE to 4 CE)), considered in our modern times a foundational text on Yoga philosophy, states that the chanting of OM connects the practitioner to God and is in fact the highest yoga practice one can do, and is the most effective way of achieving ‘Yoga’ (one definiton of Yoga being ‘uniting with the divine’, or, ‘the individual conscisuoness connected to the conscisouness of the universal’). The Yoga Sutras (attributed to a commentator called Patanjali) does not actually refer to ‘OM’ per se, but it does make reference to ‘Pranava’, meaning sound of the cosmos, and the ‘first sound’.
Today, especially in spiritual places, such as temples and ashrams (spiritual communities in south asia), one will hear OM invoked with different intentions but generally as a way of connecting to God, or something considered divine.
Be it under a tree somewhere exotic, in a room with deities, a yoga studio in west London, or while sitting at your desk, creating the sound ‘OM’ and focusing on it helps the mind come to one pointed focus. The feeling of the vibration of OM in the body can also help bring the person into a meditative state. These are the principle reasons OM has come to be part of Modern Yoga which emphasizes dialling down mental energy.
But if you really want to understand OM, then know this…
That the first invocation of OM, which comes from the Vedas, is for: preparation for a good death, and to liberate you from the karmas of this life and your previous life. The Vedas (which date from 1200 to 200 BCE in the part of the world we now called north west India) are a broad collection of spiritual teachings. They could be considered the oldest of philosophical texts we know of, or even, the origins of philosophy itself.
The Sound of OM
The singular syllable OM can be expressed in various ways. However you chant or invoke OM will influence its effect within you. As always, intention comes into it: our intention influences the effect of anything we choose to engage with.
Here are the main ways OM is expressed;
-vocalise it, externally, through making the sound AAAA – OOOO – MMMM (on your out breath); this is why you might sometimes see OM written as AUM. Expressing OM audibly in this way is the most common occurrence in modern yoga
-mutter it (called Japa practice) – you say OM under your breath, such that it sounds like a muttering rather than a vocal chant
-hear it internally (not audible), your own inner voice, softly speaking it in the heart/chest space
Silence is Part of OM
However you invoke OM, it is important to note that ‘silence’ is a part of this symbol, ritual and meaning.
This is different to saying ‘silence’ is required after the chanting of OM – though this is also important, i.e. whether you say OM out loud or silently, after expressing it, allow for a moment or period of silence so that the energy of it can be absorbed within.
The meaning here though is that ‘silence’ is inherent in the expression of OM. You need silence in order for the syllable to come into being, and to then evolve into that Turiya state. If you don’t know what on earth I’m talking about, don’t worry. It is through the practice of OM that the meaning of silence being a part of it will be understood.
Here are ways you could bring OM into your life:
-chanted – audibly, for sound healing, meditation, ritual, connection
-chanted through Japa, as a form of meditation, or commitment to the divine
-expressed to initiate a sacred practice
-expressed to close a spiritual practice
-expressed with others in a group, to create harmony and set a feeling of calm unity
-writing the symbol down, many times, like free writing, to create meditative and spiritual energy within
-chanted or thought about to connect to Mother Earth
-chanted or thought about to connect to God or whatever you consider all knowing or the ultimate protector
-whispered internally silently for inner strength and inner soothing
-whispered or silently contemplated upon to pay respect to that which we revere and honour
-chanted to help you move from individual self/ego mind to something bigger and beyond the self
OM in a decolonised and often Secular World
Purists might say that the chanting of OM is the pathway to God.
Scholars might say it is for Liberation, and for preparation for mortal death.
Yogis might invoke it for ritual.
Meditators might say contemplating OM is the highest way of honouring its meaning.
People might simply enjoy chanting the sound as it calms their mind.
It being 2024 (well, as I write this), I say: we can welcome each of these different ways of bringing OM into our lives, and in the practice we will know what feels real to us.
And as an Indian myself (living in the West), who loves Yoga and the ancient texts but also believes spirituality belongs to no-one and is therefore everyone’s, I say: through a sincere practice of OM, you will find your own connection and reasoning for practising it. Ultimately, that is OM’s ongoing gift to humanity.
-If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to receive an email when new blogs are published, drop me a message with heading ‘blog please’ to: divya@yogawithdivya.co.uk
-picture credits: freepiks and kreativekolors, main image: Rohan Reddy
