OM=A-U-M

Om, is translated as the infinite wholeness or the Divine Power. It is a Hail or blessing to the Eternal Goodness of Everything. The complete sound uses the three letters, AUM.

In linguistics, (A) comes from the back of the throat. Then, (U) is the journey inside the cavity of the mouth. (M) brings closure as we emit humming from our lips touching together. By just chanting OM or AUM, we open, dig deep and then seal our energy. Yet, in the space after we say Aum, and the next breath, a gap lies – where we experience pure awareness. In essence, the silence after we chant Aum vibrates in tune to ‘I am, I witness, I am love’ or ‘I exist, I know, I am blissful.’

OM is a traditional opening to any mantra or used on its own. Its purpose is to open a hallowed field of consciousness. It has been chanted for centuries. It includes all sounds. It crosses into all worlds, time, space and levels of being. It reminds us on a subtle energy level – we are spiritual beings and of our interconnectedness with each other and the eternal.

It is a sacred utterance. Beyond the threefold nature or trinity of AUM is the silence that follows after you utter the word. After chanting it in unison for several minutes with others, you may experience a peaceful, loving happiness. It is said to be the sound or seed of creation – the beginning of the cosmos.

We first encounter Aum in the Sanskrit Vedas (Mandukya Upanishad to be exact), the oldest known written scriptures from over 5000 years ago. Historically, it precedes the holy HUM in Tibet, AMIN in Islam and AMEN in Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Jewish and Christian traditions.

In yoga class, we chant Aum together three times. Take a deep inhale and then allow the exhalation to come from A, at the back of the throat, through U and ending with M in a gradual, long and slow way. It is a means of helping us cross from the physical plane to the spiritual dimension when we intone it, just like prayer. It is only another method we can use, to reach and connect to a holy place, inside and outside ourselves.

Metta or loving-kindness meditation is my absolute favorite!

Aloud or to self with eyes closed or staring at a candle flame, say:

May I be well, may I be happy, may I be free from suffering.

then think of someone you are close to and send them these words,

May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering.

then think of someone you know who might need your words,

May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering.

then think of someone you are not on good terms with or resent,

May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering.

then include the whole world,

May we be well, may we be happy, may we be free from suffering.

Our minds create nonstop. That is their job. The trick is, rather than attaching to our opinions or the stories our brains spin for our amusement, we instead, pay attention and acknowledge we are more than our thoughts. For the most part, to observe and adjust our perception is a full-time occupation. However, mindful awareness holds us in the moment, on task and hence, in the now. Bil Keane, creator of the cartoon, The Family Circle, depicts this esoteric idea into a simple quote, “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” By using the Tao Te Ching and applying its themes, we have yet another tool or means for seeking self-fulfillment and quieting our minds.

My favorite lines appear in verse number 51:

“Every being in the universe is an expression of the Tao. It springs into existence, unconscious, perfect, free, takes on a physical body, lets circumstances complete it. That is why every being spontaneously honors the Tao.

The Tao gives birth to all beings, nourishes them, maintains them, cares for them, comforts them, protects them, takes them back to itself, creating without possessing, acting without expecting, guiding without interfering. That is why love of the Tao is in the very nature of things.”

I immerse myself in the flow of the Tao.

THINK ACTION: Check the references at the back of this book. Find one or two copies and different translations of the Tao Te Ching this week at the library.  Skim or browse through them. Pick one or two verses to contemplate and write in your journal why the stanza or passage spoke to you. The duet of phrases in the chapters show the duality of nature, the yin and the yang, the pull and the push. Where do you notice the paradoxes in your career, in yourself, in your relationships? In your view, do you resist or flow with life? Would you consider referring to the Tao Te Ching as a meditative exercise or ritual? I once wrote the numbers 1-81 onto tiny squares of paper and filled a box. Each day, I retrieved a number and read that verse. It was a fresh way to re-examine the passages. I suggest you turn this custom into writing prompts or for discussions in a spiritual study or reading group. You may similarly identify your favorite lines, transcribe them and place them on a corkboard or reproduce them in fancy calligraphy and frame them. What a wonderful gift for a like-minded friend or yourself.

The Tao is moreover a path to meditation. We read in chapter 16, “Abide in stillness.” and in verse 56, “Go within and retreat from the world. Blunt your sharpness, separate your entanglements, soften your light.”  After much practice, you realize you are no longer lost in your own reverie fantasizing, but in a place with no thought. As soon as you recognize this unfortunately, you snap back into your mind and lose that space and its accompanying peace. My mentors taught me to ask the questions, “Who or what is listening to these thoughts?”  “What is in me that listens?” “Is it me? “Who is this “me”? Because of their guidance, each time I have delved deeper and further, I have understood the rich philosophy of the Tao (or Daoism) better.

In the Tao Te Ching, circling back to our reservoir is serenity. We may carry this out with meditation. Again, we find in verse 16, “Though all beings exist in profusion, they all end up returning to their source. Returning to their source is called tranquility.” Furthermore, the Tao considers contemplation, introspection and self-reflection as not a ‘doing’, but a ‘being’ practice. Byron Katie (married to Stephen Mitchell, one of many translators and scholars of the Tao) states how difficult the experience is. She adds, not thinking is “like trying to hold back the ocean.” Yet, once you submerge into a profound sense of self and peace, you enjoy it. There are contemporary, medical studies that praise meditation’s potential to enhance your physical and mental life.

The Tao suggests we train, focus, behave and mold our conceptions into “right” thinking. The Tao’s aim is moral and proper without condemnation. It proclaims these ideas using dualities. Stephen Mitchell explains the paradoxes in the Tao by writing, “…the more truly solitary we are, the more compassionate we can be; the more we let go of what we love, the more present our love becomes; the clearer our insight into what is beyond good and evil, the more we can embody the good. Until finally she (the Taoist) is able to say, in all humility, ‘I am the Tao, the Truth, the Life’.” To study the Tao, is to embody self-improvement.

Continuing with the TAO entry-

The Tao advises against labeling something “good” or “bad” because everything is a lesson or solely, is. Indeed, I have learned valuable lessons from the harshest of times. For example, every “bad” relationship has matured me into an individual who at last sets healthy boundaries. Then again, the best moments of our lives taste bittersweet over time, because they are over, except in memory. For instance, my children’s younger years or family gatherings wherein relatives have since died. It is as pure and simple as noticing the truths in front of us, without judging.

The Taoist does not resist or avoid the natural course of life. When we find ourselves troubled, distracted or stressed, we lose the fluidity of the Tao. This results from losing sight of our true selves. With this in mind, Byron Katie, a teacher of self-inquiry, author of The Work, writes, “Pleasure is an attempt to fill yourself up, JOY is what you are.” In fact, when we forget who and what we are, we suffer. When we remember who and what we are, we radiate sweetness, tranquility and silent power. We are Love and joy! So, when at ease, we exist in harmony, no one to argue with, no demands or commands. In essence, acceptance is the key.

One of the Tao verses asks, “Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?” How often do we invite emotions to dissipate, allowing solutions to arise organically? I know as a mom, a fixer, a helper and a volunteer, I want to jump in and make it better. It is a huge lesson to let go, to see what develops before saving the day, for everyone else, every time. A point repeatedly overlooked is we cripple and take away growth opportunities from others each occasion we save and rescue them.