Communing with AUM makes one fearless. One’s reality shifts from the ego, which can never be secure, to the Cosmic Vibration, which is the essence of all Creation.
Ego consciousness isolates us from the rest of life. Those who deeply merge with AUM, however, know, and say, “I am the whole universe. What can possibly harm me?”
In his book, Rays of the One Light, Swami Kriyananda wrote, “Human vision beholds individuality and separation everywhere. Divine vision beholds the oneness of cosmic vibration, of which all things, no matter how diverse, are manifestations. Cosmic Sound and Cosmic Light: These are eternal. The world, as revealed to us by our senses, is illusory.”
When one is deeply absorbed in AUM and feels its awesome power, the external world is seen as only a dream-thought. One knows, without a doubt, that only AUM is real.
Swami Rama Tirtha said blissfully, “Nature is my body,” because through deep communion with AUM he felt he was united with the trees and farthest stars. In his chant, “Marching Light,” he expresses the omnipotent confidence native to every soul who knows AUM. Below are excerpts from his poem.
The world turns aside to make room for me;
I come, Blazing Light! And the shadows must flee.
I ride on the Tempests, astride on the Gale,
My gun is the Lightning my shots never fail.
I hitch to my chariot the Fates and the Gods.
With Thunder of cannon proclaim it abroad:
Wake! Wake up! Be free,
Liberty! Liberty! Liberty! OM
The Cosmic Vibration is beyond duality; therefore, in its reality, there’s no opposite or opposition. In its consciousness, there is no myself against another — but myself as all others.
Swami Sivananda illustrated the universal consciousness of one immersed in AUM with this analogy: AUM is like a canvas with material objects painted on it. “The canvas is real,” he said, “but the pictures in the canvas are unreal because the fire [painted] in the canvas cannot burn your fingers, the knife in the canvas cannot cut your fingers, the tiger in the canvas cannot bite you. AUM is the only solid reality.”
Swami Kriyananda has written a marvelous visualization for affirming and experiencing the universal consciousness of AUM. You can use this visualization when you feel in opposition to anything or anyone, or to unite with AUM during meditation.
Imagine a choir composed of every atom in the universe, each one an individual, but all of them singing together in blissful harmony.
In your own mind, join that mighty choir, composed of all life. Determine from today on to sing in harmony with the universe. Don’t impose on the great anthem of life your little wishes for how you want the music to sound. Unite your notes to that Infinite Sound.
The more you do so, the more deeply you will know yourself to be an expression of the soaring anthem of Infinity.
—from Awaken to Superconsciousness
Nothing Can Touch You
“When AUM came,” a lady once said to Paramhansa Yogananda, “all my troubles vanished.” My friend, Mari, told me recently how her troubles had also vanished when she attuned to the consciousness of AUM.
Several years ago she was waiting to make a deposit at her bank when, suddenly, she found herself in the middle of a robbery. It was a highly stressful situation, and Mari said she “lost it” emotionally.
After the robbery, Mari was disappointed in herself for reacting so emotionally. To change this tendency in herself, she began chanting AUM all day long. Whenever there was a tense situation, Mari would silently and lovingly call on the healing power of AUM to calm herself and others.
AUM is the Great Comforter. Paramhansa Yogananda said that when you are in the consciousness of AUM, nothing can touch you.
Three years later, Mari was again at her bank when another robbery occurred. This time it was a much more violent one.
During this bank heist, Mari was knocked to the floor. But her long practice of thinking of and chanting AUM kept her calm and centered.
As Mari began crawling discreetly away from the robbers, a hysterical woman latched on to her and she guided the terrified woman out of sight of the robbers, where they both would be safe.
Later, during an interview with the FBI, Mari was told that the odds of being involved in two bank robberies were incredibly low. She was the only witness who could give an accurate description of the robbers. Mari attributed this to the calmness she felt from tuning in to the unifying presence of AUM.
While backpacking in California’s Southern Sierra Nevada mountains, three women from Ananda Village had a dramatic experience of the power of AUM. On the fourth day of their trip, a furious thunderstorm caught them at 10,000 feet. Loud cracks of lightning and massive explosions of thunder crashed around them. Torrential rain fell, then hail began to fall harder and harder. Desperate for shelter, they ran to a couple of small trees, which soon proved inadequate protection against the pounding hailstorm.
Seeing a large tree nearby, they bolted for its sheltering branches. Already wet, they struggled out of their packs and dug for their rain jackets. The temperature, meanwhile, had plummeted, and the hail began to fall even harder.
They knew they were in trouble. As drenched as they were, hypothermia was a real possibility. They badly needed shelter. Yet, standing under the highest tree around wasn’t wise — because tall trees are perfect lightning rods. They wondered aloud, “Do we risk hypothermia or lightning strikes?” Both options were dangerous.
Then one of the women began chanting to all-pervading AUM. The two other ladies quickly joined in. Suddenly, they felt as if a bubble of protection surrounded them. Their fear was gone — a feeling of awe and gratitude filled their hearts. For twenty minutes, they chanted and enjoyed the majestic show of lightning and hail. After the storm, everything was transformed into a white wonderland; they felt blessed beyond measure by the love and protection of AUM.
Being in AUM gives one absolute security. The whole world could go up in flames and it wouldn’t matter to you. Swami Rama Tirtha was a great devotee of AUM. He chanted it always — during lectures, conversations, and solitary walks in nature. Before he knew AUM, he said, every whiff of wind threw him off balance. But after constant practice and remembrance of AUM, he became completely free of fear, anxiety, and annoyance. He told his students, “If one man can do this, you can, too.”
Healing Techniques with AUM
If you are troubled before going to sleep, write AUM or Amen on your pillow with your fingers. Mentally visualize light around your body, look into the spiritual eye and say several times, mentally or loudly: I am Light. Darkness fly away.
Standing or sitting, touch both of your palms in front of your body, and then swing them to touch behind your back, and then forward again several times in rapid succession, chanting AUM, and you will be protected.
—Paramhansa Yogananda, Karma and Reincarnation
AUM Chant
Here’s a chant to help you stay in the consciousness of AUM: “Fill Me with the Sound of AUM” by Swami Kriyananda.
71 Comments
Absolutely beautiful!
Thanks so much Bharat! What great practical tools, I can feel how deep they will be – and a great inspiration to go deeper with AUM.
AUM Guru!
Bharat
Where can we find this chant – which CD?
Thanks in advance and AUM AUM AUM
If you look closely at our face the AUM is very much crafted by GOD on it. Look at two eyebrows and nose it is AUM shaped horizontal facing downward.When we chant it, it activates all chakras and spiritual eye also.If you see picture of Lord Shiva it is written in Hindu scripture that he is maifestation of AUM the spiritual eye is visible on his forehead between eyebrow about which Shri Yuketeshwar mentioned to Guruji seen on advanced souls in astral world.You will find mostly all the mantras has AUM as it has powerful viberation makes mantra more effective.AUM Shanti… AUM shanti…AUM shanti
Namaskar Nayaswami Bhrat,
Once you express the inner desire to seek Him, blessings pour in. I received your mail just when I finished my prayers. It gave me so much relief and peace. Just what I needed and here it was. The sound of AUM and its protection , if we allow ourselves to feel it around us, nothing else matters. All seems unimportant and imaginary. How true.
Thank you.
The chant “Swami Ram Tirtha’s Song” (music and lyrics, complete on four pages) is found on page 78 of “Cosmic Chants,” published by Self-Realization Fellowship. It is a musical arrangement of Ram Tirtha’s poem, “Marching Light.”
Its meter, in 4/4 time, lends itself to performances of Kirtan accompaniment of harmonium with drums, khartal (shakers), and hand cymbals,
(Note from the “Cosmic Chants” compiler)
Beautiful and practical way.Thanks for the inspiration
So inspiring, Bharat, thank you. I too can attest to the power of Aum. What better insurance premium can there be than to chant AUM constantly? When a claim is made against the policy, delivery is assured!
God bless all
AUM
maitreyi
Just exactly what I needed to be reminded about! Thanks so much, Bharat!
Thank you for the very inspiring message!
Such food for my soul, a safe haven from the mundane and trivia of daily llife!
Where can I find your book? Crystal Clarity?
Blessings to you in all of your endeavors!
Cheryl
Dearest Bharat,
This is such a wonderful article!! Deeply inspiring. Thank you so much for writing it.
love,
miriam
Bharat, thank you so very much for this reminder regarding AUM. In friendship, Jerry.
Absolutely OM ! All in earth should be chanting together day and night.
Let’s do our part to help the world, until they awaken to Om.
definitely grateful for aum. the book will be a great blessing for us all. this is a wonderful excerpt and a centering inspiration to live the rest of my days in that comforting song. thank you bharat.
Perfect encouragement to working on tuning into AUM more consistently, and perfect timing, too – for a little while now I’ve felt it’s what I needed to do more, but have had inner resistance to deal with and not yet as successful as I need to be.
Thank you, thank you.
The chant “Fill Me with the Sound of AUM” by Swami Kriyananda
is beautiful. The chant is breaking up in the recording from your
link. Would you be able to send me a copy, so that I can listen to it and enjoy it ?
Namaste
Dearest Bharat
Wonderful timing-thanks for the inspiration and look forward to the book.
The song was a powerful reminder of our comm(on)unity and the inherent harmony of One. I closed my eyes and sang along with tune, and it did just that – attune me to the melody of love-AUM.
Thank you
In love and friendship
Ben
Thank you for these beautiful stories, demonstrations of the power of Aum.
In Joy,
Sahaja
Aum, work wonders
Debbie, sorry to hear that the MP3 isn’t coming through clearly. I’ll email you a copy, and we can see if that works.
Bharat,
Thank you for the inspirational article it is beautiful.
Is there a way to get the AUM chant for myself and our group?
Love and Joy Arlene
This is absolutely beautiful. Thank you very much. I shall definitely chant AUM not only when I’m walking but also when I’m at work. I will certainly need it there!
Many Blessings to you all.
Verette
Cheryl, #10, AUM: The Melody of Love will be published by Crystal Clarity. I haven’t yet finished the book but hope to by the end of the summer of 2011. I am about 2/3 done with the book. I am very pleased with how it’s going and feel it will help many people develop a deeper relationship with AUM.
I chant “Ma” and this works for me.
Bless you for reminding me of the power of aum!
This inspiring and comforting article arrives just in the precise moment I felt great need for shelter and protection. Thank you very much and blessings.
The song does break up… can u send me the copy as an email?
This seems an intermittent problem, there were similar issues in the songs ‘The christmas mystery’ and ‘rise in freedom’. Anyway, would be glad to get a copy. thanks
Om-Aum-Amen…mean So It Is,I believe ! The Cosmic Presence of God manifesting the very light & Sound of God throughout His/Her spiritual creation.God said let there be,and so it is,the very Word & Spirit that flows out of the very mouth of God.
Bring attunement,vibration,and harmony,the very Word of light & sound that dose not return to him void or not accomplish His/Her will & purpose.How can we find in this eternal light & Sound anthing not of His Divine Presence or Perfect Spiritual Creation. I am Spirit, Eternally,Whole,Perfect & Complete. God Is,Fill I & I, as Light,Spirit,& Truth…Om Shanti, Aum the eternal & ever Living Word, Amen Oh Beloved Spirit,the source of All in All…..Oh Grace Filled Lord,Master & Guru manifested as One in,among,& through us,you have filled us with Thy graciousness !
Michael +
Nayaswami Bharat,
Amen ! As our Master Jesus said to Babaji my devotees in the West have lost the art of heart felt realization & communion in God.Your article on AUM,and your new book will help in returning & taking us to our center of opening for and to such devotion.
As a new returning Devotee your practical spiritual guidance is a “Melody of Love”,that once again vibrates within my being & through out Gods wonderious spiritual creations…Om~Shanti Om~ Guru !
In Divine Communion,Companionship & Joy
Michael +
dear, this is a beautiful as well as useful peace of writing which full of pragmaism . one cant but appreciate this . by py practising this one can go long way in meditation.
from rpshukla
In my massage practice I aum, aum ,aum all pain and stress away. what a blessing! thankyou
Namaskar….Thanks very much.
Does AUM need to be chanted alone for the full effect or is it the same effect if we chant AUM with our favourite Deity name?
To Neela: Swami Sivananda said we should meditate on AUM fully aware of its meaning and reality. We should do so with great earnestness and zeal. So anything that helps you feel intense devotion to AUM is good. For example, Swami Kriyananda said the mantra AUM Guru, means asking your guru to introduce you to AUM. So AUM can be combined with your deity but remember that Paramhansa Yogananda said that the true spiritual chanting of AUM is when we hear the sound of AUM singing within ourselves.
Hi Nayaswami; Looking forward to your retreat on AUM in Andover MA, in October. Also looking forward to your book on AUM.
Peace, Leonardo
Great.Very inspiring.
om is home.