OM Practice

Trevor Leggett: If in that state of meditation, calm meditation, we say, OM – we can just try this. OM is the name of God. It’s said with reverence, but it’s also said with enquiry, not sort of, ‘Oh, the Lord. Yes, of course, He’s way far above anything. Wonderful, wonderful.’ No, not like that. He’s without and within. Now, if we try it just for nine times, we say the OM, it need not be loud, but try to put your fingers here on the throat and feel the vibration of the OM as you say it.

Audience: OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM

Trevor Leggett: Now try saying it very quietly so that you can just feel here. Listen in the sound for something else without strain, without anxiety – like the man in the jungle, the peacocks. [Mentioned in the talk previously]. [Be] just aware and listen for something else. Quietly, then, nine times.

Audience: OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM OM

Trevor Leggett: Patañjali says the repetition of OM removes obstacles and leads to the perception of the divine Self within. If it’s practised regularly, say for 10 minutes in the morning, regularly and then [we] meditate on its meaning – the expression of the Lord who is above and below, without and within, who is beyond the mind and inspiring us through the mind – for 10 minutes and then again, to recite the OM for, say, 10 minutes. If we do this regularly, then when life hits us with a terrible blow, this will arise in us.

Our practice will be able to save us from being crushed, from being annihilated, from being thrown into remorse or despair or fury, it will be able to remove the obstacle. It’ll lead to a perception, a glimpse of something within us, which is beyond catastrophes, which is imperishable, which can’t be broken and which can’t be killed, which can’t be destroyed, which can’t be injured. Well, the Upanishad offers us – hints at these things. It is meant to lead to practice.

If you’re interested to practise it, if you’re in despair now, this is a very good time to begin. If you’re not in despair, well, then it’s a good idea to do some so that when the time comes, if it comes to you, you will be able to increase it then you will be able to find this within you.

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