The Symbolism of Om
Om is the Universal vibration – God in the form of sound – the essence of all sentient and non-sentient beings. Chanting Om is a way for us to connect to the Universal.
It is said that if we were able to somehow stand outside the universe and hear the sum total of all the sounds that were occurring in the universe, we would hear the great sound OM. We can interpret this to mean that we can become more in harmony with the Universal Mind by immersing ourselves in this vibration and move deeper into yogic union with it. When chanting OM we strive to become unified with the sound, and in union with all things.
The sound of Om is broken down into four part, each has numerous metaphysical associations. For example, the “ah” represents our waking state, which is also the subjective consciousness of the outer world; “ooh” is the dreaming state, or the consciousness of our inner world of thoughts, dreams, memories, and son on: and the “m” is the dreamless state of deep sleep and the experience of ultimate unity; the fourth sound is the sound of silence that precedes and follows the other sounds. It is called turiya, the witness to the various states of consciousness.
The symbol for Om is comprised of five parts
The material world of the waking state is symbolized by the large lower curve. The deep sleep state is represented by the upper left curve. The dream state, lying between the waking state below and the deep sleep state above, emanates from the confluence of the two. The point and semicircle are separate from the rest and rule the whole. The point represents the state of absolute consciousness. The open semicircle is symbolic of the infinite and the fact that the meaning of the point cannot be grasped if one limits oneself to finite thinking.
Meaning of “Namaste”
In India they use the term “namaste” to greet and salute one another. It is used as a reminder that each of us comes from one shared source, and though our paths may be different we are essentially various expressions of that one Universal Being. When we offer the salutation we express our sense of awe and respect for our shared divinity.
Here are various translations:
“I celebrate that place in you where we are one.”
“The part of me that knows itself to be divine honors that same knowledge within you.”
“The light in me honors the light in you.”
“I bow to the Divinity within you.”