1. AUM
Consciousness is within all of us. It is that which sees and we are what we see.
Our biggest challenge is to recognize and allow this consciousness to live through the vessel of our being. When we limit ourselves by identifying with the small bit of earth that makes up our body, we prevent the direct experience of pure and supreme awareness. We are made up of so much more than the material body. We are The Universe and The Universe is us.
Aum is said to be the sound of all sounds, the primordial sound and the birth of existence. Aum envelopes the 4 states of consciousness beginning with the sound Ahhh which is the waking state,the oo represents the dream state, and the mmm is deep sleep beyond body and mind, and the 4th state is pure silence, that vast space that all creation arises from. The silence is that from which it came and from which it returns. The silence transcends the concept of time where as the Ah OO and mmm represent past present and future. By chanting Aum we open up to this vast realm of truth beyond time and presents us with the totality of who we are.
Sound as medicine heals and purifies our body mind and breath. Let go of judgement or perfectionism. Allow this mantra to be a portal to pure existence being. The practice of mantra is equallly about listening as it is about the expression. Be receptive and Listen deeply and allow the effort to be an offering. This is a continuous process. There is nothing permanent about sound it is ever changing always coming and going.
Vikalpa, breaking it down:
AAH begins at the back of the throat and arises from deep within, it wakes us up, hence representing the waking state of consciousness. It is manifestation and creation.
OOH fills the space of the mouth, It is the preservaton of everything that makes up the world. It is what makes up our dreams, stories, and inner experience.
MMM is felt at the tip of the lips and nose and represents dissolution. It is the ending and the completion of that which was created. It dissolves into the silence in order to begin again
The silence is the space that allows us to begin again.
Samkalpa, bringing it together;
Each time we chant aum we live a life from birth to death and into all that lives beyond the realm of time.
So take a deep breath and drop into your seat and into the center of your being with a long exhale. Listen to the sound of aum and feel it arise without effort and move through you over and over again.