OM or AUM is the primordial mantra of the Supreme Self Atman or of the Supreme Consciousness.
It is the mantra that creates, sustains and reabsorbs the universe and from this point of view it is fundamental.
We consider it significant that in Romanian language the word for human being is om itself. Incidentally, it is considered that the popular AMIN comes from a particular development of AUM.
AUM has effects similar to OM, it is an expansion of OM but with a greater and more transcendent force. OM contains AUM but in a simpler, less expanded form. That is why in what follows we will refer to AUM but in fact it is about the couple OM and AUM (when we do not specify otherwise).
A popular name among yogis of this mahamantra, that is, the major, essential mantra is pranava – the fundamental mantra of the universe, the sacred syllable that corresponds to that energy of the supreme being that is an essence of everything, that sustains everything, that penetrates to any point in the Universe.
AUM brings us closer to Direct Knowledge and is a fascinating guide to becoming wise.
Direct knowledge is a knowledge in which we have access to truth directly, without research or intuition. Sometimes we feel it as a mysterious phenomenon through which we come to know today what some time ago we did not know and in the meantime no one has told us or transmitted in a discursive way.
It contains both immanence and transcendence and that is why it confers Abheda or the state in which we feel the reality of the identity between us, the beings around us and the Supreme Being or God. It is considered one of the mantras of Shiva or of some of his energies or Shaktis
Of course, OM or its expanded variant AUM contains the phonemes A, U and M and traditionally they are properly considered in connection with the Creation, Maintenance and Resorption of the Universe.
From another persepctive the letter ” a ” represents the dissolution in the Universal Virat Purusha body of the physical body or the transcendence of identification with the physical body.
” U ” means the dissolution of one’s own subtle body in the subtle body of the universe, meaning hiranyagarbha, and ” M ” means the entry of the causal body into the great illusory body (mayadeha) of the universe.
The moon-shaped point (chandrabindu) indicates that the supracausal body of one has dissolved into the Suipremous Being who is the Witness, the Utteror, or the One who acts.
OM is the bija mantra for Ajna and AUM for Sahasrara – this means that by working with these mantras we can contribute to the “opening” of these centers and the elevation of the frequency of vibration of our being, if only because of this effect.
There appears a wonderful mental clarity, detachment and the feeling of inner ascension, purity and sacredness. It supports and amplifies the effectiveness of other mantras and is a good “opening” that can be used at the beginning of complex meditations, with several mantras.
But it is so precious that it is possible to feel and decide to start with AUM, continue with AUM and end everything with AUM.
Meditation with AUM “burns karma” and this effect is mysterious but precious for any being who seeks authentic solutions for his rexistance.
“The one who focuses intensely and meditates deeply on this chakra (Ajna) gradually destroys all the negative effects of the previous actions in this life and in the other lives. The follower becomes a great yogi and becomes a liberated in life (jivanmukta). He obtains the 8 great paranormal powers and the 32 minor powers.” – Swami Shivananda
Or the mantra for Ajna is even OM.
This mantra confers enlightenment, the state of mental void and transcendence, and has a harmonizing effect between the physical body, prana or body bioenergy and the mind. It helps to heal and cleanse the body of impurities of any kind, including on the affective, mental and emotional level.
It helps us get rid of various addictions, whatever they may be, compulsions and negative emotions.
AUM is also a powerful and significant tool in Kundalini Sadhana, the method of spirit transformation accelerated by the awakening of the Kundalini energy and its rise on the column from the center to the center to the Sahasrara.
The use in the specific and secret way of these mantras in inner practice is called OMKAR.
AUM is considered or valued by many yogis as the “queen of mantras”.
Leo Radutz