The Sound of the Universe
By Corey Ann | October 23, 2009
Tonight in yoga we talked with Zo, one of our teachers, about our breathing practice and meditation practice. Then we talked a bit more about the philosophy behind yoga. I quoted a passage in an earlier post about the belief in yoga that we are all already whole, perfect beings. I like this idea. I like the idea that there is nothing inherently missing in my make up. This idea directly conflicts with some religions, however, whose beliefs are that humans are lacking something that only a god can fulfill.
Anyway, in one of the main texts - the Yoga Sutra by Patanjali - he talks about many aspects to yoga. One aspect is self-realization. When a person begins the process of self-realization they will connect with and recognize Isvara. Isvara is the only sort of “lord” figure outlined in yoga, but in reality, Isvara is the soul that is untouched by desire, unlimited by time, it is the teacher of everyone. Isvara is in everyone.
Again, I like this idea. I like that when I am able to fully realize myself, I connect with my soul that is untouched by desire, temptation, deceit, laziness, guilt, anger, frustration, disappointment, pain. I connect with the place that teaches me who I am.
Then Zo explained that the sound Isvara makes is Om. (That link is to a recording of multiple people chanting over each other, but you can hear the sound.) She goes on to explain that “Om” is the sound of the universe, it is what created the world, and is all around us. It is a “godly” sound. And then we were going to chant.
Pause.
What?
I’m going to make a godly sound?
Right.
I’m going to make a sound that created the universe? That is all around us?
Doubtful.
I jotted down some notes in class. “Thoughts - Yes I can connect with the eternal teacher. How can I make the sound that created the world? A god sound?”
Then we chanted Om for a few minutes, and it felt good. Om always feels good, to be honest. The sound originates from the back of the throat, and moves forward until the lips vibrate.
We talked after chanting, and a few people were very positive and overwhelmingly happy. I let them speak, I listened, I didn’t jump in. Someone brought up the fact that most yoga classes don’t do this part of the practice. “Why are people so close minded?” became the theme of the conversation, which I am realizing I don’t enjoy.
So I volunteer my experience to the group, sharing what I just shared here. I told them that I think it’s interesting that for me, I easily can connect with something inside me, something in my soul - the eternal teacher. However, for me to make a sound that is godly or sacred, made me uncomfortable, I doubted myself, and I doubted the idea because it seemed so distant from anything I had previously thought. (and maybe this is why people get awkward about it?)
From there we talked a little bit about how religion, and I volunteered my experience in Catholicism and non-denominational Christianity, still made me feel as if God is at a distance. That no matter how intimate my relationship with the higher power was, I still was unworthy, still could not reproduce anything they ever did, and could certainly never make a sound like them.
One man, hinting at the connection between this Om and Christianity said, “In the Bible, doesn’t it say something like, ‘In the beginning, there was the word’?”
I replied, “Yes, but it doesn’t say what the word is!” And everyone laughed.
Another woman shared her experience of giving birth. She said that her midwife told her, “I’ll know when you’re ready because your sound will change.” She said she didn’t really know what that meant, but sure enough when she was giving birth her moans changed and began to sound like Om and then she had her baby. I am totally not doing this story justice, because she talked about that feeling of labor and breathing through it and instinctively, naturally making that sound which gave life. I was almost crying just listening to this account, being a witness to her experience.
A new woman to the group contributed her opinion, which makes a lot of sense to me. She said, “When I say ‘Om’ I am not creating the sound. I’m not making it. It exists without me doing these things, I am just joining it for a moment. I don’t create the powerful sound, I join the power for a moment.”
So, my mind is swirling and twirling. I am beginning to think deeper about myself and about my world. And I appreciate that. And I’m looking forward to exploring the possibility that I can join in with the sound that created the universe.
Topics: Uncategorized |
October 24th, 2009 at 10:41 am
I really enjoyed this post! Thank you for sharing. I especially like the “joining the power”, because I too feel too…(small, powerless, unimportant?) too something, to MAKE a godly sound. Is there even a godly sound? But I like the idea of joining the sound, recognizing it and catching it, just something that’s always there that we’re harnessing for a moment. Very cool.
November 15th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
What a beautiful post! Esp the woman who spoke about giving birth.