Real Yoga

The great Pranava sound or Aum, sometimes written as Om is scientifically known to be the rubbing together of the particled structure of Shakti and Prakriti. It has been ever existent. It is these two forces of energy (Shakti) and matter (Prakriti) which has given rise to the cyclic breathing in and out of infinity. From there arose the gasses and the solids, the formations of heavenly bodies and also the destruction of them. An infinite continuum without beginning and end.

This sound, Aum, is also called Amen in Christian texts and Amin in the Arabic world, and in all religions it is given over as the Great Comforter or the Holy Ghost.

In India there are some caves that, should one remain too long, would be driven quite mad by the intensity of the Aum, yet, to adherents, it is restful and peaceful and truly a great comforter when they hear it. The hearing of it is one of the great precursors to an intense meditation.

The Light is said to be the Pure Consciousness of God and the Aum is the Voice of God. From it all languages have evolved, and for those that hear the Aum, meditating on that sound is of equal value as meditating on the Light.

It has been explained as if one holds a conch shell up to one's ear, one can hear the rushing of waves — yet it is not like that, but given the listeners state of stillness can be heard in many ways. Its true and final sound one hears is that of the scurrying of atoms, which gives a continual unending sound of great peace, which can be heard over any other known physical sounds. Some skeptics say it the sound of the rushing of blood through your brain, but if you have heard blood through a sonar machine, you know it is not that sound either.

Sitting still and silent and listening to the Aum — truly listening, pitching all one's attention into that sound, making it part of your own Self, rather than as separate, will take one in to deep meditative states. In order to do the meditation properly though you must never let go of the sound — for then you either begin to think, or fall asleep, or go into some trance state, none of which is desired. True deep meditative states are in complete concentrated awakeness.

Not everyone has the capability to visualize, thus hearing becomes a sense which can be utilized by diving deep into the rushing waters of the infinite AUM.

Sit in a quiet room and try and remain very still, let the breath come in and go out naturally. When you feel this has been accomplished, let your attention go suddenly to your right ear — and listen. You will hear it, and if you haven't heard it before it may take you by surprise, so return to listening for it again. Once heard, hold on to it.

A sage in India was well known to never speak — except for one word — AUM.

If some query was put to him of the nature of God, he would reply AUM. He would reply AUM to any other question also and quite rightly so as Aum is the beginning and ending of every thought in every language.

When you find, through intense long lasting meditations, in a fully awake state where all thoughts (Vritti) have ceased, the great Pranava sound will sing out loudly to you. It does so because it too is like Pure Consciousness, giving rise to Satchitananda and entrance through the Portal into Turiya.

Practise listening to the AUM sound — you will be glad you did!

While the Aum symbol looks like a bunch of wavy lines with a dot, there's a meaning in the calligraphy.

1. Waking State
• Bottom left curve.
2. Unconscious State
• Top left curve.
3. Drean State
• Lower right curve.
• The state between the Waking State and Unconscious State.
4. Maya
• Semicircle on top.
• The Great Illusionist.
• The greatest obstacle to spiritual growth.
5. Turiya
• Dot on top.
• Egoless State.
• The highest degree of consciousness.
• The Fourth State of Consciousness.

The sitar is a string instrument widely used in classical Hindustani music. When you listen carefully to someone playing the sitar, you will notice the Aum sound in the background. The sitar was designed to create and play Aum sound.

Articles by Swami Harinanda and Yogi Karmananda are © 2026 and are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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