Importance and Significance of Om (ॐ)
Om or Aum or ॐ or ओम् or ओ३म् is the most sacred symbol or mantra in Hinduism, it is the ultimate, hyper or super-natural sound!. Om is the primordial sound from which all other sounds and creations emerge which signifies the Supreme Power.
In Sanskrit, it means the beginning and end of everything – or absolute infinity. Omni forms the root of so many words which means infinity for example omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient.
Om and the Hindu Trimurti
Aum has three sounds A…U….M. ” A ” signifies the beginning of the universe. U signifies the life period of the universe and M signifies the destruction of the Universe. Hence Om is the only word that notifies the three main works of God that is creation, operation, and destruction of Srishti (Universe). This represents the three first forms of God viz. are Brahmaa (creator), Vishnu (operator), and the destructor (The Shiva).
“Om” sound and symbol is rich in meaning and depth, it is the sound of the universe. It represents the sound of divinity in all things in the past, present, and future.
Om is the fundamental (mul) mantra used for meditation and chanting. Almost all mantra begin with Om like ‘Om namaḥ Shivāya’ – ॐ नमः शिवाय, ‘Om shanti shanti’ – ओम शांति: शांति:.
Every religion in India be it Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, or Sikhism they have there own form of understanding of ‘Om’.
Benefits of chanting ‘Om’
According to research gate, Autonomic and respiratory studies suggest that there is a combination of mental alertness with physiological rest during the practice of Om meditation. Evoked potentials studies suggest a decrease in sensory transmission time at the level of the auditory association cortices, along with the recruitment of more neurons at mesencephalic-diencephalic levels.
It is considered that a person who realizes Om, merges with the Absolute. Scientific studies on Om suggest that the mental repetition of Om results in physiological alertness, and increased sensitivity to sensory transmission.
