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OM in Numinosity Mandala |
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OM Symbol |
In Sanskrit, this sound is called Anahada Nada (also called Anahad Shabd in Sikh scriptures). Literally, this means “sound produced without striking.” It is an unstruck sound, which unlike ordinary audible sounds is not produced by two things striking one another.
The hand strikes the guitar strings to produce sound, the wind brushes against leaves producing a rustling sound, the saxophonist’s lips press against the reed to produce a musical sound, or the most obvious the drum stick strikes the drum. The unstruck sound occurs without a striking force, as vibrational atoms of the universe produce this sound through their pulsating “dance,” which is the sound of the primal energy of the universe.
AUM represents this sound in its fullness from creation to eventual destruction.
The “A” represents the beginning, start, an emanation of the universe and life. A is an open sound formed with open lips and it resonates in the front of the mouth. It represents creation and Brahma is the Hindu god of creation.
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Four Faces of Brahma |
Brahma sitting on a lotus indicates that he is always rooted in the Ultimate Reality, that despite manifestation, the Transcendent remains hidden beneath surface awareness. The four heads of Brahma represent the manifestation of Consciousness as mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), ego (ahamkara) and conditioned-consciousness (chit). Thought functions within them but Consciousness is a transcendent Witness to everything.
“U” is produced from the back of the mouth with closed lips. It represents the sustenance of the universe and it is the middle between creation and destruction. Vishnu is its principal deity, often worshipped as ten different incarnations, including Krishna.
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Vishnu |
“M” is produced with closed lips and it resonates forward in the mouth and buzzes throughout the head. It represents the ending, destruction, and death of life and the universe. Shiva is the Hindu deity that represents this stage.
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Shiva |
He is often depicted with:
- A third eye, which looks beyond the illusionary nature of manifest reality (Maya)
- The cobra representing death and Shiva’s conquest of it, and dormant energy, Kundalini, often pictured as a serpent at the base of the spine
- The crescent represents his control over time
- Ashes on his body demonstrate that death is beneath all life
- Besides the Hindu trinity, Om can also represent psychological states of consciousness.
“U” represents Dreaming Consciousness (Swapna) with the subconscious mind predominating awareness. Dreams at this level can either be stimulated by nerve cells firing as our conscious mind loses awareness, or they can arise from deeper levels of the psyche and hold deep often symbolic meaning. The primary quality that represents this state is of sloth, ignorance, and darkness (tamas), since in this state we are allured by the universe.
“M” is associated with Dreamless Sleep (Nidra), which is a deep sleep state without any disturbance of dreams. The unconscious mind holds sway at this level. This state of mind is often experienced by people with deep spiritual advancement. The ego has been left aside and a connection is experienced with the atman (soul), which gives a special experience of bliss. Sattva, purity, serenity, and light is the main quality at this state.
After the “M” we have silence, often called turiya, which is the transcendental fourth state of mind (called chautha pad in Sikh scriptures), where non-duality is experienced as our being is no longer disconnected. Superconscious mind predominates in this state and it is similar to what is often called cosmic consciousness.
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OM with 4 Levels |
In Sikh scriptures, the oneness of God is emphasized through Ik Onkar. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, used the word Onkar (literally “OM-maker”) to state the concept of a monotheistic God rather than the Tri-deity concept of AUM in Hinduism. By placing “1” in front of Onkar, he stated that the creative, sustaining and destructive energies are all embodied in the One Supreme Being.
While Hinduism at a popular level does represent these aspects through three distinct deities, yet Hindu philosophy also emphasizes that all aspects are interrelated. So for example destruction is necessary for creation to begin anew. Therefore, creation-sustenance-destruction are part of one continuum, not separate processes.
OM symbolically connects the individual to the cosmos through a sound that represents all aspects of the creative energy from its inception to destruction. The hidden sound of silence hints at transcendent awareness hidden from conscious awareness through egoism and illusionary nature of the phenomenal world. For these reasons, the Om sound has become an important aspect of sound meditation and chants.
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