The Meaning of Om (or AUM)

Alright folks, it's time for another 'Meaning Of...'

This time it's the commonly referred to or chanted OM, also known as AUM.

Eco Village & Tibetan Lantern Aums

I prefer to spell it AUM as the simplest way for me to explain it is: 

Aum represents the entire universe coalesced into one single sound 

- A - U - M - beginning, middle, & end.

It's a sacred symbol representing the 3rd eye & the mantra of our intuition.

It is the sound of connection, bringing us together to recognize & honor the light within us all.
It is believed to be the all-encompassing sound of the world and to contain all other sounds; the sound of the universe.

'The vibration produced by chanting Om in the physical universe 
corresponds to the original vibration that first arose at the time of creation. '

'Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us - that the entire universe moves - the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb & flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant aum, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.'

For fascinating info on how OM coincides with Einstein's revelation of E = mc², click here.

Play Do Aums-- They're Everywhere!

Factual OM info according to the collective knowledge of Wikipedia:

'Om (written universally as ॐ; in Devanagari as ओं oṃ [õː], औं auṃ [ə̃ũ], or 'ओ३म्' om [õːm]) is a mantra and mystical Sanskrit sound of Hindu origin (geographically India), sacred and important in various Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism,Sikhism and Jainism.'

*you can also see here many of the different ways in which this symbol is drawn.

There's a lot of theory behind the origin of Om. But as with most things yoga, it can mean so many different things depending on the background, the usage, and the individual.

For me, Om is something that I love to chant. It allows me to feel connected, belonging, and a sense of something much deeper and more profound than any one thought or belief. I also really love the breakdown of the actual symbol:

'The Aum symbol design can be seen as a symbolic representation of the various psychological compartments of the psyche; an inner dimensional map of the various compartments of the human consciousness and the relationship each has to the divine within.

The long lower curve represents the dreaming state.
The upper curve stands for the waking state.
The curve emanating from the center represents deep sleep, beyond dreams.
The crescent stands for the veil of material illusion.
The dot is the transcendental self.'

What does AUM mean for you?

Play around with it! 

Sing it while walking, chant it loudly while meditating.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and just let it come out in a soft whisper.

Or find a friend &/or yoga class to experience this mantra in unity.

*For more chanting and mantra immersion, 
Join me in this weekend's Moon Meditation at Mountain Yoga (locally in Bozeman). 
For more info or to sign up, click here!*

Namasté y'all!!!