While I was meditating, I was focused on becoming absorbed in the aum sound, and also seeing the inner light, and a contradiction creeped into my efforts. Swami explained that sight and sound accompany movement, and like a metronome I was trying to dwindle to complete stillness at this point. But, now there would be no aum sound to expect if I were to succeed in becoming still...as sound only accompanies movement?? I got a bit bewildered. Is the aum sound only to be expected in early stages
—sharon anderson, usa
Dear Sharon,
Thank you for the beautiful letter. I hope you are well.
Swamiji has said that when you are meditating and see light and hear the inner sound of AUM, instead of trying to concentrate on two things at the same time, you should focus on sound. Sound is the more important. So, you should focus completely on absorbing yourself in the sound of AUM.
There is a story in the Indian scriptures of a discussion between Shiva and Parvati, as he leads her into meditation:
Shiva: What do you see?
Parvati: I see your form.
Shiva: Go beyond the form. What do you see now?
Parvati: I see a brilliant light.
Shiva: Go beyond the light. What is your experience?
Parvati: I hear the sound of AUM.
Shiva: Transcend the sound. What do you experience now?
There was no answer. Parvati had become one with the cosmic Self.
Follow AUM so deeply that it leads you into deep stillness.
Many blessings,
In Master’s love,
Anandi
