Mantras & ‘Om’
Question: Can you explain to me once again ‘Hari Om?’
Guru: ‘Hari’ is the name of the Preserver. ‘Om’ is omnipresent and omniscient; one and everything. That is the sound of a vibration that encompasses the whole universe – ‘Om.’ When you start chanting, you identify yourself with the totality of the whole universe because that vibration enhances your consciousness so that you can become one with the creation. This identifying with everything is the chanting of ‘Om’ qualifying every name of the Lord. When you chant any mantra, you always start by using the word ‘Om.’ [Guru then chants to Subrahmaṇya]
oṃ ṣaḍānanāya vidmahe |
śakti hastāya dhīmahi |
tannaḥ skanda prachodayāt ||
|| oṃ subrahmaṇyāya namaḥ ||
‘Om’ predominantly plays a part in all the mantras that a person is going to chant. In other words, identifying the totality of creation with God’s presence in any particular form. You can literally chant ‘Om’ and say: ‘Om Ganga’ – river, ‘Om tree’ – identifying yourself with the tree. Because the spirit of the Lord pervades the whole universe and is embodied in all of life.
If you were to take a shell from the ocean and hold it to your ear you have this hum of ‘Om’ in the vibration of that shell. The vibration penetrates the ether, that vibration penetrates all negativity created inside the human being – just chanting the name of ‘Om’. Ommmmmmm, Ommmmm… there are Yogis and Rishis who only chant ‘Om.’ So, if you chant ‘Om’ and you attach another aspect of the Divine to that word you have got a bonus!
Question: And ‘Namaha’ at the end?
Guru: ‘Namaha’ means ‘that is your name’ you are known as ‘…’ This is a very congenial way to express and extol the virtues of God. And that is what the hundred and eight names or thousand and eight names of God are about. Saying: ‘Oh Lord, you are the power of the sun, oh Lord you are the power of the moon, oh Lord you are the power of creation, oh Lord you are Ganga.’ That is what we are saying.
A lot of people want to meditate. But meditation is more than just sitting down to concentrate. To meditate is to transcend the physical body and become immersed in the totality of God. To leave this block (the body) on earth and go into the ether. That is the purpose of the meditation so that this karma that we have brought with us will be slowly removed and made good for the human being to become one with God. To transcend the physical and become emerged with the spirit that pervades the whole universe. That is why I am teaching you the meditation of perception – to improve your visionary eye.
Guru: If you think you have a problem in your body, chant ‘Om’. And make it resonate in every single cell of your being. Bring that consciousness to the top of your head and go and identify yourself with the totality of Maha Shakti. If you have got a problem with a leg or an arm or body, concentrate with your mind and chant ‘Om’. And send that vibration to the particular part of the body that you have a problem, so that you create a power in those cells that can reorganise itself to make it better.
When you have done that then go to the specialised facets of the Divine and draw the power of preservation. Then also draw from the power of the Lord of disillusion, destruction to destroy the negativity in the cell that is causing injury and harm to that individual.
Every human being has, from time to time physical problems. Whilst all the facilities are available with good medicine, they are all toxic. First, try with your mind – how you can change the whole structure of the cells with positive thinking. People always talk about healing. What is healing? It is to gain the energy from without and transfer it with concentration to the area that is affected by disease and problems.
If a person is worried you create more problems for yourself because the adrenalin feeds a problem. My advice to you is to have somebody like me in your cupboard that would make you laugh first thing in the morning! Because instead of adrenalin you create another substance in your body which will immediately heal the body. Laughter is a cure! Laughter is for the heart and for the whole being a power. That is why there are many therapies today where people are made to scream and laugh and be joyful because that is very helpful for the human being.
If St. Peter is at the gate of heaven and you are miserably entering the gates of heaven, I am sure He will shut it tight. If I have anything to do with it I will tickle everybody until they scream with laughter. Be joyful! And that joyfulness enables you to chant with a great love for the Lord. Free yourself from bondage. We have not come to put more bondage to the people; we have come to liberate, not to create aberrations of the mind.
If you go to the top of the mountain dragged by Aina stand there on the top with your arms stretched up and say ‘Hari Om’. And down below there will be a van waiting to take you to the ‘Irrenhaus!’ [Translation – lunatic asylum].
Swami: Which is called Skanda Vale!
Guru: Because nobody can understand what you are doing. Except you will feel free, absorbing all the energy from the mountains; from air, from the Divine gift that God has given you in the beautiful mountains. God is energy! At the same time, practice pranayama at the top. At the same time concentrate from your visionary eye. Wherever you can – if you can go to a height free of the interference of the lower vibrations, then go find peace and tranquillity. For there you will find an energy that you do not find in the valleys. Yes, ‘Hari’ and ‘Om’ is the totality of creation.
Question: ‘Om’ is like the holy spirit in Christianity?
Guru: Yes, identifying yourself with the Paramatma. It is a vibration.
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