Pandoraspace

Aummmmmmmmm

Alya, one of my Yoga teachers, said that if the universe had a sound, it would probably be Om.

At the beginning of each Yoga class, we sit in sukhasana (similar to lotus-style sitting) with palms pressed together and thumbs resting on our sternum. With eyes closed and our minds emptied of everything except the here and now, we take a deep breath and on an an exhalation say “Om.”

Out of curiosity, I Googled, “Om” and was surprised to learn that, like Yoga, this two letter word with a three letter sound (”a”, “u”, “m”)  has many nuances across many religions, philosophies and life practices. Reading about it got me all confused and made me doubt my gutt feelings about this word. I later realized that, it is best not to over analyze this word.  Like Yoga, I think the best way to understand “Om” is to say it rather than to read about it. 

Looking back at my experience in saying “Om”, I recall that in a class, when my mind was clear, I said “Om” very quietly but I felt the sound resonate within me. The feeling of something inside me radiating a pleasant buzz was amazing.  It made me feel calm and peaceful.  While I said that reading about “Om” is not the way to go (I sometime contradict myself), I did find an article that best explains how I felt during that class.  The article from this website reads -

“During meditation, when we chant Om, we create within ourselves a vibration that attunes sympathy with the cosmic vibration and we start thinking universally. The momentary silence between each chant becomes palpable. Mind moves between the opposites of sound and silence until, at last, it ceases the sound. In the silence, the single thought—Om—is quenched; there is no thought. This is the state of trance, where the mind and the intellect are transcended as the individual self merges with the Infinite Self in the pious moment of realization. It is a moment when the petty worldly affairs are lost in the desire for the universal. Such is the immeasurable power of Om.”

I keep trying to replicate that experience but I have not been able to.  Maybe it is because my mind is cluttered with so many thoughts that are best left outside Yoga class like things I have to do for work.