Om as the Sound of the Universe: Aum / Om

• Om is said to the be “primordial seed,” “primordial sound” or simply the “sound of the Universe.”
• Ancient yogis were aware of the movement, the pulsation, the vibration of the Universe and chanted AUM as a representation of this vibration of the Universe.
• According to Richard Rosen, one ancient text explains that the world is “nothing but om.”

The Audible Expression of Reality

Om is frequently called the pranava, literally “humming,” word that derives from pranu, “to reverberate,” and ultimately from the root nu, “to praise or command” but also “to sound or shout.” It is the audible expression of the transcendental, attributeless ground of reality. – Richard Rosen

Everything in the Universe is a Manifestation of Om

Science tells us that the Universe began with a big bang, whereas Vedanta says that the big bang is actually a big OM, which didn’t just happen once; it is ongoing. In fact, if the OM stopped for even a micro second, the whole Universe as we know it would disappear instantly! OM rises from Pure Consciousness, which is primary and underlies all existence, constantly unfolding as our experience of the Universe… As the initial vibration of OM emerges from the unmanifest, it diversifies into all the different vibrations of the Universe, which manifest as the world we know.OM therefore contains within it all the mantras, sounds, and vibrations of the Universe. Everything in the Universe is a manifestation of OM and ultimately a reflection of Pure Consciousness from which it emerged. OM is the collective sound of the Universe, the Primordial Sound. – Roger Gabriel

The Primal Sound Current

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika in particular… says the whole purpose behind hatha yoga is to purify the nadis (energy centers) so that you can hear the inner, primal sound current—the sound of Om. – Sharron Gannon

The Moving Universe

OM is said to be the sound of the universe. What does that mean? Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us—that the entire universe is moving. Nothing is ever solid or still. Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Om…  Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves — the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant Om, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.– Cyndi Lee