We all pray or have prayed at least once in our life. It is a discipline that has come down generations in every culture. Different cultures have different chants. However, the practice of praying has now become a mere routine.
Every prayer, in which ever language it may be, is made up of words and sounds which have a very high resonance and high energies. That is why chanting makes us feel connected, relaxed and peaceful. Chants are recited for various reasons but if we say them keeping in mind their power and meaning, they can have miraculous effects.
I personally always make an attempt to understand the meaning of a chant before going ahead with it. It helps me concentrate on the prayer, say it whole heartedly and tap into its true potential. In my observation (and familiarity with cultures I have come across) most prayers include words like Om, Amen and Ameen. These are, in my understanding, universal sounds more than words. However, being a Hindu I would like to concentrate on Om as I have come to learn much about it from my masters.
Before creation began there was emptiness or nothingness. Activity was in terms random collision of astral matter. Planets and galaxies were being born with this form of activity. Every time there was a collision it was followed by a sound which was then followed by a formation. This sound created by activity of collision and formation in the universe reverberates in form of – OM. Thus, OM became the sound of the universe.
Chanting OM is potentially connecting ourselves with the vibrations of the universe. We are the universe and the universe is us, is the intent behind practicing OM. It tunes us in sync with the vibrations of the universe. Therefore OM, on its own, is a very powerful mantra. Try holding a conch shell to your ear and you will hear the resonance of the word OM in it. OM is chanted in various ways has different effects. It has healing and spiritual powers beyond human imagination.
OM has many other theories and stories behind it. It is also spelt as AUM – the 3-fold representation of time. “A” the waking state, “U” – The dream state, and “M” is the state of deep sleep. As the sound AUM was present at the time of creation, it contains all other sounds, all words, all languages and all mantras. According to Hindu philosophy “A” – refers to “Brahma” “U” – refers to “Vishnu” and “M” – refers to “Shiva”.
There are many other meanings that are associated with just the word AUM. Imagine the importance of an entire mantra and the power in understanding it’s meaning in totality. With this article I want to leave my readers with a request to try and tap into the hidden powers of chants and prayers instead of practicing them meaninglessly. Find out the essence behind a prayer and then just wait and watch the magic.
