AUM,
The symbol of the three in one; the three worlds in the soul. The three ages; time past, time present, the
eternal future.
The three divine powers; creation, preservation, transformation in the One Being.
OM is the universal sound. All sounds are contained within OM. There are seven sacred sounds, and the
seven sacred sounds are all contained within OM. OM is the first, the primordial sound, the original, the
everlasting sound within which all the other sounds are to be found. But OM is the only sound you need
know.
At the fourth chakra center lay the lotus within and of the heart. The lotus of this center has twelve petals of
an orange-crimson hue, the color of the Bandhuka flower, and it has a very special name; Anahata, "A/of
Hit'. "Not H/'f means, "The sound that is not made by two things striking together." All sounds that one hears
within this world of time and space are formed by two things striking together: the sound of the voice, for
example, which is created by the breath striking the vocal cords. Likewise, every other heard sound is of
things, whether seen or unseen, striking together. And so, what then would be the sound not created in this
manner?
The answer lies in the OM. The answer is that the sound not formed by any two things striking together is of
that primal energy of which the universe itself is but a manifestation. It is thus antecedent to things. Likened
to the interior sound, the primal energy vibrating of which all that is known and' seen are but apparitions.
And when heard, it has been said the sound that it most resembles is OM.
This ancient and sacred syllable of prayer and meditation is said to be formed of four symbolic elements.
First, since the O, in Sanskrit, is regarded as an amalgam of the two sounds A and U, the sacred syllable
can be written and heard as AUM or AMEN, and when it is so displayed, three of its four elements are made
visible. The fourth, then is the Silence that surrounds the syllable so viewed, out of which it rises, back into
which it falls, and which supports it as the ground of its appearance.
When pronounced, the A of the AUM is heard proceeding from the back of the mouth. Coming forward with
the U, the sounding air mass fills the whole mouth cavity; and with M it is closed at the lips. When thus
pronounced, they say, the syllable contains the sounds of all the vowels of speech. And since the
consonants are but interruptions of these sounds, the holy syllable contains in itself the seeds of sound
from which all words are formed, and thus the names of all things and relationships.
In the Manduka the four elements of the Om, the A, the U, the M, and the Silence, are viewed as referring to
four planes of consciousness. The A, resounding from the back of the mouth, is said to represent waking
consciousness. Here the individual and the object of knowledge are experienced as separate from each
other. Bodies are of physical form, they are not self-luminous and change form very slowly. A is not not A.
The nature of thought on this level is likened to that of a mechanistic science, positivistic reasoning, and the
aims of its life are envisioned within the Chakras 1,2, and 3.
With the U, where the sound mass, moving forward fills the whole head, the Upanishad associates dream
consciousness; and here the individual and object, the dreamer and the dream, though they may seem to
be separate, are actually one, since the images are of the dreamer's own free will. They are of a subtle
matter, self-luminous, and rapidly changing form. They are the nature of personal divinities: and indeed of
all personal gods and demons, Heavens and hell, are in fact the cosmic counter parts of dream. Since on
this subtle plane the seer and the seen are one and the same. Heavens may be found within us, on may
turn within, therefor, if you seek your model for the image of God. (I am in you, within you and about you.)
With M, the third element of the syllable, where the intonation of the holy sound terminates forward, at the
closed lips, The Upanishad associates deep dreamless sleep. Here is neither object seen nor seeing
individual, but unconsciousness-or rather, latent potential consciousness, undifferentiated, covered with
darkness. This state is identified with that of the universe between cycles, when all has returned to the
cosmic night, the womb of the cosmic mother. There is no consciousness of any objects either of waking or
of dream, but only uninflected consciousness in its pristine, uncommitted state- lost however in darkness.
The aim is to enter this zone awake, to join one's waking consciousness to its source in consciousness, not
focused on any object or enclosed in any subject, whether of the waking world or of the sleeping one, but
sheer, unspecified and unbounded. And since all words refer to objects or object-related thoughts and
ideas, we have no words for the experience of this fourth state. Even words such as "silence" or "void"
generally can only be understood as of no sound, or as of no thing. Whereas here the individual arrives at
the Primal Silence antecedent to sound, containing sound as potential; the whole of space-time and its
universes. No word can say what the Silence tells that is all around and within us, this Silence that is no
silence but to be heard resounding through all things, whether of waking, dream or dreamless night- as
surrounding, supporting, and suffusing the syllable AUM.
Listen to any sound or silence at all without interpreting it, and the Anahata will be heard of the Vb/d that is
the ground of being, and the World that is the body of being, the Silence and the Syllable. Moreover, when
once this sound has been "heard", as the sound and as being of one's own heart and of all life, one is
stilled and brought to peace; there is no need to quest any longer, for it is here, it is there, it is everywhere,
within, with-out and all about.
The symbol of the three in one; the three worlds in the soul. The three ages; time past, time present, the
eternal future.
The three divine powers; creation, preservation, transformation in the One Being.
OM is the universal sound. All sounds are contained within OM. There are seven sacred sounds, and the
seven sacred sounds are all contained within OM. OM is the first, the primordial sound, the original, the
everlasting sound within which all the other sounds are to be found. But OM is the only sound you need
know.
At the fourth chakra center lay the lotus within and of the heart. The lotus of this center has twelve petals of
an orange-crimson hue, the color of the Bandhuka flower, and it has a very special name; Anahata, "A/of
Hit'. "Not H/'f means, "The sound that is not made by two things striking together." All sounds that one hears
within this world of time and space are formed by two things striking together: the sound of the voice, for
example, which is created by the breath striking the vocal cords. Likewise, every other heard sound is of
things, whether seen or unseen, striking together. And so, what then would be the sound not created in this
manner?
The answer lies in the OM. The answer is that the sound not formed by any two things striking together is of
that primal energy of which the universe itself is but a manifestation. It is thus antecedent to things. Likened
to the interior sound, the primal energy vibrating of which all that is known and' seen are but apparitions.
And when heard, it has been said the sound that it most resembles is OM.
This ancient and sacred syllable of prayer and meditation is said to be formed of four symbolic elements.
First, since the O, in Sanskrit, is regarded as an amalgam of the two sounds A and U, the sacred syllable
can be written and heard as AUM or AMEN, and when it is so displayed, three of its four elements are made
visible. The fourth, then is the Silence that surrounds the syllable so viewed, out of which it rises, back into
which it falls, and which supports it as the ground of its appearance.
When pronounced, the A of the AUM is heard proceeding from the back of the mouth. Coming forward with
the U, the sounding air mass fills the whole mouth cavity; and with M it is closed at the lips. When thus
pronounced, they say, the syllable contains the sounds of all the vowels of speech. And since the
consonants are but interruptions of these sounds, the holy syllable contains in itself the seeds of sound
from which all words are formed, and thus the names of all things and relationships.
In the Manduka the four elements of the Om, the A, the U, the M, and the Silence, are viewed as referring to
four planes of consciousness. The A, resounding from the back of the mouth, is said to represent waking
consciousness. Here the individual and the object of knowledge are experienced as separate from each
other. Bodies are of physical form, they are not self-luminous and change form very slowly. A is not not A.
The nature of thought on this level is likened to that of a mechanistic science, positivistic reasoning, and the
aims of its life are envisioned within the Chakras 1,2, and 3.
With the U, where the sound mass, moving forward fills the whole head, the Upanishad associates dream
consciousness; and here the individual and object, the dreamer and the dream, though they may seem to
be separate, are actually one, since the images are of the dreamer's own free will. They are of a subtle
matter, self-luminous, and rapidly changing form. They are the nature of personal divinities: and indeed of
all personal gods and demons, Heavens and hell, are in fact the cosmic counter parts of dream. Since on
this subtle plane the seer and the seen are one and the same. Heavens may be found within us, on may
turn within, therefor, if you seek your model for the image of God. (I am in you, within you and about you.)
With M, the third element of the syllable, where the intonation of the holy sound terminates forward, at the
closed lips, The Upanishad associates deep dreamless sleep. Here is neither object seen nor seeing
individual, but unconsciousness-or rather, latent potential consciousness, undifferentiated, covered with
darkness. This state is identified with that of the universe between cycles, when all has returned to the
cosmic night, the womb of the cosmic mother. There is no consciousness of any objects either of waking or
of dream, but only uninflected consciousness in its pristine, uncommitted state- lost however in darkness.
The aim is to enter this zone awake, to join one's waking consciousness to its source in consciousness, not
focused on any object or enclosed in any subject, whether of the waking world or of the sleeping one, but
sheer, unspecified and unbounded. And since all words refer to objects or object-related thoughts and
ideas, we have no words for the experience of this fourth state. Even words such as "silence" or "void"
generally can only be understood as of no sound, or as of no thing. Whereas here the individual arrives at
the Primal Silence antecedent to sound, containing sound as potential; the whole of space-time and its
universes. No word can say what the Silence tells that is all around and within us, this Silence that is no
silence but to be heard resounding through all things, whether of waking, dream or dreamless night- as
surrounding, supporting, and suffusing the syllable AUM.
Listen to any sound or silence at all without interpreting it, and the Anahata will be heard of the Vb/d that is
the ground of being, and the World that is the body of being, the Silence and the Syllable. Moreover, when
once this sound has been "heard", as the sound and as being of one's own heart and of all life, one is
stilled and brought to peace; there is no need to quest any longer, for it is here, it is there, it is everywhere,
within, with-out and all about.
AUM By Arthur Collins
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