AUM

DEFINITIONS OF AUM Following are five primary meanings and usages of the word Aum, or Om. Aum is... ONE OF THE NAMES OF GOD Aum is one of the oldest names of the Divinity.

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A UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS PHENOMENON

The phenomenon of Aum is encountered within by saints and mystics of many religions, and described by them in various terms.

Saints and mystics of varied religious traditions have encountered the inner Om, and they refer to it by different names. In Hindu Yoga it is known as Om, Aum, Omkar, and Omkara. It is also called Pranava (the "unstruck sound.") Pranava can refer to either the spoken mantra "Aum" or the actual inner sound. The enigmatic Word of Christian scripture, as well as Amen, are considered by many to reference Aum.

Buddhist mystics refer to it as Transcendental Sound of Avalokiteshvara and in Theravada Buddhism it is the Sound of Silence. Tibetan Buddhist scriptures have named it the Roar of Dharmata.

The Sikhs have a great deal of knowledge about the Holy Sound. Sikh masters from Guru Nanak on down have many terms for it, most notably The Shabd, Nam and "Bani" -- divine inner music. The sound of aum also figures into the shamanic lore of Native Americans. It is easy to recognize it in the Oglala Sioux medicine tale of "Jumping Mouse," in which the sound is likened to a rushing river.

IDENTIFIED WITH GOD

Mystics intuit that Aum is God Himself, and that in the form of this Sound, He creates, sustains, and dissolves the universe. Aum is the original vibration, and all other forms of vibration, including light, come from Aum. Yogic sages state that Aum, whether recited or heard within, is synonymous with God, or "non-different" from God. This is one of the great spiritual mysteries.

The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali, authoritative text on Yoga, states that "Aum" is the "designator" of the Divine Personality, or the one original Purusha who creates universes. (Called Isvara in the Yoga-Sutra.) This means that Aum is not only His primordial name; it is actually Him. It states that Isvara, Aum, is untouched by affliction or sorrow.

THE PRIMORDIAL SEED MANTRA
Aum is one of the purifying mantras recommended in scripture, putting the meditator in contact with the Divinity. Yogic authorities state that all mantras emanate from Aum, as well as the entire material and non- material creation. A beginner in meditation can chant the Pranava out loud or inwardly as a mantra. When the inner Aum begins to be heard, he can switch to simply listening to the actual Aum. Thus the aspirant can merge with Aum. This is the eternal path of the saints.

DIVINE INNER SOUND

Meditators who quiet the mind and turn the life-force within hear divine inner sounds called nada. Aum is a form of nada, or divine inner sound. But Aum is called the Maha Nada, or Great Inner Sound. It is also known is some traditions as the Anahata-Nada. Mystics hear the sound of Aum in several forms. All other nada are considered to be elements of Aum.

So Aum is an actual transcendental sound heard within by yogis or yogesses who become inwardly qualified. In a purified yogi practicing sexual restraint, Aum can actually be heard as a sound and felt in  the physical body as a noticeable vibration. That inner sound -- "free of sorrow" --  is all-satisfying and becomes a potent meditation vehicle because it attracts the mind more powerfully than earthly things. It attracts the mind so powerfully because it is the actual source of all forms of happiness; it removes all afflictions and gives all powers and satisfactions -- both inwardly and outwardly. The yogic sages say that the restless "deer" of the mind is finally "trapped" by it's attraction to pranava, and thus samadhi is attained through the stilling of the mind. Samadhi is the goal and culmination of yoga and religious development.

Hearing Aum

There are five preparations that make it possible to hear the inner Aum. In order of importance, they are:

 Devotion, Initiation, Celibacy, certain Meditation Techniques and other Austerities.

To learn more about of how to hear the Pranava, download the Ebook "Gifts Of The Mystic" by Julian Lee.

The Aum heard within is blissful and satisfying. For the successful meditator, once heard, it becomes a  potent point of focus for the stilling of mind and attainment of samadhi. It draws the mind more powerfully than worldly thoughts and objects, and thus the mind settles down.

By listening to Aum, one meets God directly. The world loses its hold on your mind, and the extroverted mind turns within to the mind's Divine Source. By listening to the perfect and sorrow-free Aum the yogi's  physical and astral bodies are purified and perfected. His karmas are destroyed, and all attainments vouchsafed. He becomes a true blessing and comfort to the world.

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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEDITATION, THE INNER SOUND, AND SECRETS OF THE MYSTIC LIFE,
DOWNLOAD THE E-BOOK BY JULIAN LEE: "GIFTS OF THE MYSTIC."