OM

Om (Aum) is the greeting of peace in India. This symbol represents the four states of consciousness: awake and dreaming, sleeping, without dreams and the transcendental state…

“Om” by Paramahansa Yogananda

Whence, Whence this soundless roar doth come.

When drowseth matter’s dreary drum?

On shores of bliss, Om, booming breaks!

All earth, all heaven, all body shakes!

Cords bound to flesh are broken all,

Vibrations burst, meteors fall!

The hustling heart, the boasting breath,

No more shall cause the yogi’s death;

All nature lies in darkness soft,

Dimness of starlight seen aloft;

Subconscious dreams have gone to bed..

‘Tis then that one doth hear Om’s tread;

The bumble bee now hums along -

Hark! Baby Om doth sing his song!

From Kishna’s flute the call is sweet:

“Tis time the watery God to meet !

Now, the God of Fire is singing!

Om! Om! Om! His harp is ringing.

God of Prana now is sounding-

Wondrous,breathing bells-resounding!

O! Upward climb the living tree;

Hark to the cosmic symphony.

From Om, the soundless roar! From Om

The call for light o’er dark to roam.

From Om, the music of the spheres!

From Om the mist of nature’s tears!

All things of earth and heaven declare,

Om! Om! Resounding everywhere“

“At a spiritual level, “Om” serves to open and clear the mind for meditation and attunes us with our Real Nature,revealing the Supreme Freedom that we are. It brings about ascension and expansion of energy. Om allows us to harmonize with the forces of nature externally and with our nature internally. It attunes us to Cosmic Consciousness and the sacred vibratory patterns that arise from it.

The Mandukya Upanishads holy scriptures explain that Om, namely A,U, M is composed of four parts, these four parts symbolically correspond to the Four States of Consciousness.

1.A- The state of wakefulness, where we experience things externally through our mind and sense organs.

2. U- The dream state, in which inward experiences are available.

3. M- The state of deep sleep

4. Turya ( the fourth) - Represented by the nasal humming at the end of the M sound, it is the Transcendental Self beyond the mind.The fourth is soundless: unutterable, a quieting down of all relative manifestations,blissful,peaceful,nondual. Thus Om is the Atman, verily. He who knows thus, merges his/self in the SELF-yes he/she knows thus.”- Hidraya Yoga

“In the Svetasvatara Upanishad (4:17), it states: God is the Syllable OM, out of Him proceeds Supreme Knowledge.”

- Hridaya Yoga

About the Art: Out of the still water, surrounded by darkness arises the sound “Ommmmmm”, its vibrations reverberate out into the Universe, as consciousness is realized, there is no longer a knowing or an unknowing, all is devoid of characteristics, a coming to rest of existence is realized, there is utter quiet, peace and bliss..The Atman, the Self is realized. Indefinable.

Medium:watercolors and sparkling gel paints on black paper. By Bhavani