We Are Vibration : The Benefits Of Daily OM Mantra Practice
Over the years, I have explored and studied many different belief systems and spiritual literature to help answer some core questions about our True Nature that most of us, since the dawn of time, naturally feel inclined to do. It was during a recent visit to the Montreal's Planetarium when they were projecting a short film about the origin of man, from a purely scientific standpoint, that I felt deeply moved on a soul level. The film teaches about how "We are all ultimately made of stars'', taking you through the evolution of life from the initial supposed ''Big Bang'' up to our current human existence on planet earth. It essentially shows, through various snippets of the movements of the Universe, that we are indeed made of the same fundamental elements and energy as the stars, as well as everything else contained within our known reality.
What struck me most of this poetic acknowledgment, was that it made me remember (I want to say on a cellular level) that we are forever part and influenced by this cosmic dance - in fact, WE ARE the dance. Furthermore, we are the music that leads this dance into being. And when you begin looking at the quantum level of things (I have no formal advanced education in physics, but certain notions and concepts I can wrap my mind around), you can really observe this constant state of motion - these waves and forces beyond matter that give it its various shapes. You can come to understand that, in our purest form, we are VIBRATION. This would mean that even your thoughts and emotions are vibration, and basically everything else that manifests in your life. Vibration, then, gives form to matter. How, then, can this powerful Truth then serve us in living a a more fulfilled life?
In Ayurveda, a science that acknowledges and works with this Truth, we learn about the many ways in which you can tap into the self-healing mechanisms in your body by influencing the path of these fundamental vibrations. When your body undergoes stress of a state of dis-ease, we can say that there is disruption in the harmony of these waves and vibrations and that we must be somewhat to be fined-tuned back to optimal ''frequency''. One of the ways to help reestablish a healthier state of frequency is by the chanting of mantras - Mantra is a Sanskrit word that translates as a sacred text, sound or formula. It is repeated a certain number of times during prayer and meditation to manifest its healing potency - or in other words, healing vibration. Of course, in order to experience its full potency, it must be supported by pure intention and genuine kindness. Also, it is said that special attention must be brought to correct pronunciation as the mantras are highly ''sound sensitive'' which, again, can affect their potency.
One that I love incorporating in my daily practice, and one that you may have chanted in closing your yoga practice, is the Om (or Aum) mantra - also known to be the Fundamental, Primordial or Original Sound born with the universe. Its purpose is to bring you to the feeling of eternal oneness with the universe, the interconnectedness with All That Is, including your True Nature. It also means "the infinite language, the infinite knowledge", or "essence of breath, life, everything that exists". By allowing this vibration to fill you, you are also welcoming healing within your body, mind and spirit where it needs it most. If nothing else, chanting this mantra will bring a great sense of calmness when you feel like the day has been hectic or to simply bring your focus inward to center and make space within yourself. This practice is so simple to perform yet so incredibly powerful!
If you would like to experience this healing potential of this mantra for yourself, here are just a few simple instructions:
OM MANTRA MEDIDATION
1: Choose a calm and inviting space in your house or a quiet and inspiring place outdoors where you will not be distracted. Ideally this is performed either around sunrise (before breakfast) or sunset. In all cases, be mindful of chanting on an empty stomach where your body does not need to invest its energy in the digestion of food. If you feel you need to set a timer, do so now. (with a non aggressive ring tone!)
2: Sit on the ground cross-legged, or any position where you are comfortable. Hold your back and neck straight, imagining that a thread gently pulling upwards from the top of your head. Close your eyes and set the inward gaze towards your third eye (the space right in between your eyebrows). Rest your hands on your knees and place fingers in Gyan mudra (to learn more about mudras, visit my post here), or simply keep rested and relaxed.
3: Take a few deep and slow breaths to completely calm and center yourself. Then take a moment, eyes still closed, to set an intention for either yourself, a person you know that may need healing, or the world as a whole. Then let your intuition guide you into what ''OM'' means or represents to you.
4: Always keeping the eyes closed and maintaining the third eye gaze, take a deep inhalation. Upon exhalation, proceed to chant the OM mantra (pronounced AW-M), drawing the sound from your navel, for the length of the entire exhalation. Repeat Om in a slow, rhythmic way every time you exhale, giving equal measure to each sound. Allow each of the OMs vibration to travel from the navel, to finally resonate at the level of the head.
5: When you feel the meditation has reached an end or the timer has rang, take a final deep breath with your eyes still closed, rub your palms quickly together a few times and place them over your eyes for a few moments. Then bring your hands together in prayer position at the level of the heart and observe the thoughts and feelings within your body. Most importantly, give thanks for the beautiful opportunity to connect with this powerful mantra - expanding its vibration like that of the swiftly beating wings of a hummingbird, out into the whole universe.
Namaste readers :)