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AUM - The Basics of Power Mantra

Aum, also written as Om, is considered the primordial sound and origin of all other sounds according to Hindu scriptures. It is comprised of three phonetic components - A, U, and M - which represent the three stages of creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe. As the most sacred mantra, chanting Aum is believed to help one meditate and connect to the divine. It appears frequently in ancient Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain texts and rituals to symbolize the abstract principle of Brahman or ultimate reality.

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292 views10 pages

AUM - The Basics of Power Mantra

Aum, also written as Om, is considered the primordial sound and origin of all other sounds according to Hindu scriptures. It is comprised of three phonetic components - A, U, and M - which represent the three stages of creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe. As the most sacred mantra, chanting Aum is believed to help one meditate and connect to the divine. It appears frequently in ancient Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain texts and rituals to symbolize the abstract principle of Brahman or ultimate reality.

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AUM – The Universal Mantra

SCOPE OF TODAY’S SESSION

A FEW INSIGHTS INTO THE WORD


AUM

MEANINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS

SYMBOLISM

AUM AS A MANTRA

OM IN ANCIENT SPIRITUAL TEXTS

BENEFITS OF CHANTING AUM

AUM CHANTING BENEFITS

AUM MEDITATION (PRACTICAL)


We all have some knowledge of the word Aum (Or OM)

Lets first get a picture of what you think Aum stands for -545
INSIGHTS INTO THE WORD
AUM

AUM, also written as OM is called Pranava Mantra or


Omkara.

It is considered the origin of all sounds, as well as the


creation.

It neither belongs to particular religion nor does it refer to any


God in particular.

It is considered as the cosmic sound associated with the


creation of universe.
MEANINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS

There are numerous meanings and interpretations of the word OM. The
most common interpretations of syllable AUM is as follows:

A – Represents Creation

U – Represents Preservation

M – Represents Destruction

And the nasalized consonant in the mantra, which follows, is the silent
syllable that signifies “beyond creation.”
What is a Mantra?

A sacred word, sound or a phrase.

Has a spiritual and psychological power.

“Mananaat Trayathe iti Mantrah” – which means, that which takes you beyond by constant repetition is Mantra.

Mantras are referred to as “tools of thought” in Sanskrit.

Mantra is used in meditation as a tool to control and focus the mind.

During meditation a mantra is repetitively chanted to allow the mind to enter into a meditative state.

Helps the meditator to connect to the divine within.

Mantras are very powerful tools, which can even change the vibration of the person and the place, thereby evoking a
higher level of consciousness in oneself as well as positivity the surroundings.
Why do we call OM the universal mantra?

OM or AUM tri-syllabic, the waveform of Om mantra is made up of 3 phonemes


“A-U-M.”

These three syllables are basic sounds that a human voice box can create

All the other sounds can be created with the variation of these three sounds,
that is why AUM is considered the universal sound or the origin of all sounds.
OM in ancient spiritual texts

Some philosophical texts recommend syllable Om as a means for meditation and many affirm that the
syllable is the essence of life, Brahman, consciousness, Atman, Self-knowledge, and the ultimate truth.

OM is often chanted either independently or before a mantra. The OM sound or mantra is the primordial
sound and hence it is also called the Shabda-Brahman (Brahman or Ultimate reality as sound vibration).

AUM is part of the iconography, which is found in ancient and medieval era manuscripts, temples,
monasteries and spiritual retreats in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

The symbol has a spiritual meaning in all Indian texts. It is considered one of the most spiritual sounds in
Hinduism.

It can be seen at the beginning and in the end of chapters in the Vedas, the Upanishads, and other Hindu
texts. OM is chanted in almost all the puja’s, prayers, ceremonies such as wedding etc. in Hinduism.

In fact, the syllable is used in other religions as well, which includes Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
The Origin of OM

The Origin of Aum is in the Vedas.

The syllable Om was first mentioned in the Upanishads, the religious texts analogous to
the Vedanta philosophy.

In the Upanishads, the syllable OM symbolizes abstract spiritual concepts. However, in the
Aranyaka and the Brahmana layers of Vedic texts, the syllable stands for the “whole of
Veda.” For example, the Aitareya Brahmana of Rig Veda, advocates that the three phonetic
components of AUM communicate the three stages of cosmic creation, and whenever it is
chanted or simply read, the mantra celebrates the creative powers of the universe.

The Sama Veda, on the other hand, delineate Om to the audible. It aims to extract musical
meters from the numerous variations of the syllable such as Oum, Aum, Ovā Ovā Ovā Um,
etc.

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