Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Meditate with OM

I usually meditate with my eyes closed sitting up. Taking very deep breaths and holding it. I sit in quiet from 10 minutes to a half hour depending on my time available.
Do any of you meditate using the OM sounds? I've read about it.

The Power of Om
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. </span>

The Music of Om

Om is not a word but rather an intonation, which, like music, transcends the barriers of age, race, culture and even species. It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, aa, au and ma which, when combined together, make the sound Aum or Om. It is believed to be the basic sound of the world and to contain all other sounds. It is a mantra or prayer in itself. If repeated with the correct intonation, it can resonate throughout the body so that the sound penetrates to the centre of one's being, the atman or soul.

There is harmony, peace and bliss in this simple but deeply philosophical sound. By vibrating the sacred syllable Om, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Ultimate Personality of Godhead and quiets his body, he will certainly reach the highest state of "stateless" eternity.

Om is the one eternal syllable of which all that exists is but the development. The past, the present, and the future are all included in this one sound, and all that exists beyond the three forms of time is also implied in it.

Vacationing in Hawaii this week. We went on a cocktail cruise and were fortunate enough to see Whales. The Captain told us that it was late in the season to see these magnificent creatures. We also saw dolphins in the tanks at the Hilton. They are also able to swim to a man made sandy beach. People are able to walk down to the beach, but with a rope preventing you from walking down on to the sand. I chose to walk down the steps to the closest place where I could get better photos of the dolphins.
I stood next to the rope and began chanting OM. I do not know what possessed me to do this. My husband, sister and cousin were standing up above on the path watching this. My sister told me later when she heard me doing this that I was going to get the dolphin to talk to me. My husband had no idea what I was doing. After a few OMs one of the dolphins swam over to me and rolled up on the sand and made their clicking sounds. I was an incredible experience. I could have done that until I had all 4 dolphins over there next to me. When I turned back around to walk up to my family I saw there were a few more bystanders watching me and the dolphins. Danny wished he had the camera to take photos of me and the dolphins. But I was the one with the camera.






Om