of our inner intonations of Om during japa and meditation right away centers our awareness in

the etheric level of our being. Even more, it not only serves to return our awareness to its
source, it gathers up and centers every other aspect of our being in spiritual consciousness.
This is because the etheric body, which is the seat of speech and sound, contains all the
etheric patterns that manifest as our other bodies–the archetypal ideas that are the matrix
around which all those bodies are formed.
Through Its japa and meditation the Divine Sound, Om, pervades all our bodies, corrects,
directs, and empowers all the etheric patterns, and thus enables them to perfectly and fully
manifest all their potentials–which is the root purpose of our relative existence. For Vyasa,
commenting on Yoga Sutra 2:19, speaking of pure consciousness as the root of the bodies,
says: “Supported in it, these [bodies] fulfill their development to the limit.101 And in the
reverse process, they are supported in that which is pure being, and go back to [are resolved
or merged into] that pradhana,102 the formless.”103
Through Om Yoga practice all the aspects of our being are brought into perfect fruition
and then enabled to merge back into their Source in the state of absolute liberation. Om Yoga,
then, embraces all the aspects of our existence–not only the highest part–and is supremely
practical. Om, through Its japa and meditation, perfects our entire being.

Intoning
We mentally intone Om in japa and meditation, “singing” it on a single continuous note,
because this unifies the mind and enables our awareness to turn inward steadily and surely.
Further, intoning the sound makes it easier to be aware of and to hold on to.
Once more: Be sure in your intonations to give equal value to the O and the M, intoning
the M for as long a time as you do the O, letting it resonate inwardly–Oomm, not Ooom or
Ommm. Again, you need not be painfully exacting about this–just make sure the O and the M
are approximately equal.
In both japa and meditation we intone Om over and over again without a break
(OommOommOommOomm) like the tolling of a bell. In this way we keep building up the inner
vibrations of Om, literally ascending in consciousness. That is why the Varaha Upanishad says:
“The Pranava [Om] burns away sins; the Pranava bestows liberation; the Pranava bestows
abundance. By Pranava japa the yogi attains the fruits just mentioned. The Pranava is uttered
like the unbroken stream of oil and the long resounding tolling of a bell.…Hence the Pranava
removes all obstacles and destroys all defects.”104
“Like an unbroken stream of oil and the long chiming of a bell is the resonance of the
Pranava,” says the Yogachudamanya Upanishad105 as well. The third verse of The Omkara
Smarana Stotra speaks of the Om yogi as one “who meditates on the Pranava in a continuous
stream of thought like that of oil poured from one vessel to another or the continuous sound
of a bell.”
Regarding the continuous, unbroken intonation of Om in japa and meditation, Sri
and silence or energy and consciousness.
101
Commenting on the commentary, Shankara says: “Supported in that which is their cause, they fulfill their development.”
102
Pradhana: Prakriti; causal matter.
103
“The scale of subtlety [of the elements] ends in pradhana,” says Shankara.
104
Varaha Upanishad 5:68-71
105
Yogachudamanya Upanishad 80,81

30
tip of the nose, like one dead or asleep.”95 If you have ever seen people who slightly open their
eyes in sleep, or have done so in death, you will know what he means. So the eyes should be
turned down, closed, relaxed, and then forgotten about.

Sound
Sound is the basis of all that “is.” There is nothing whatsoever that is not ultimately found
to be formed of sound alone. Sound covers consciousness, is the manifestation of consciousness,
and is Consciousness itself. Sound is the way to the realization of All That Is, including our
true self and the Supreme Self, God. Sound, subtle sound, is therefore the beginning, middle,
and end of our meditation practice.
Sound is the direct means to return our awareness to the inmost level of our being and
put us into touch with consciousness itself. In fact, consciousness is innate in sound. At the
same time, sound rules all the levels of our being and has the ability to infuse all those levels
with the highest spiritual consciousness. Sound has the power to “spiritualize” every bit of us.
Consequently, our inner intoning of Om within is the heart of our meditation practice.

Om
An anonymous commentator on a writing of Shankara says this: “The sound Om is the
Name and Symbol of Brahman. One realizes Brahman by meditation on this Om. When Om is
uttered with concentration there arises the consciousness of Brahman in the mind. [For] Om
is the matrix of all sounds. Brahman is the substratum of the whole universe and Om, too, is
the substratum of all sounds. Sounds and phenomena are non-different, so the substratum
alone remains. Hence Brahman is Om.”
The entire realm of manifestation is really nothing more than an infinite variety of sound,
of variations of a Single Sound that is the origin and ending of all other sounds. That Sound is
Om, the basic resonant frequency of the entire field of existence.96 It is the keynote of the
consciousness that is our true self.97 And since we and God are ONE, it is the keynote of
Divine Consciousness as well.98 Om, then, is the entire focus of our meditation. 99 And since It
has no intellectual meaning, Its repetition helps us in getting beyond the chattering mind.
Om is both sound and silence, both energy and consciousness.100 Therefore, being aware
95
In light of this, the description of the departure of Sri Ramakrishna as recounted by Swami Nikhilananda in his translation
of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is meaningful for us. “A thrill passed over his body. His hair stood on end. His eyes became
fixed on the tip of his nose. His face was lighted with a smile. The final ecstasy began. It was mahasamadhi, total absorption,
from which he never returned.”
96
“Verily, the Syllable Om is all this, yea, the Syllable Om is all this” (Chandogya Upanishad 2.23.3). “Om: this Syllable is all
this” (Mandukya Upanishad 1,8,12).
97
“The Self [atman] is of the nature of the Syllable Om. Thus the Syllable Om is the very Self. He who knows It thus enters
the Self [Supreme Spirit] with his self [individual spirit]” (Mandukya Upanishad 1,8,12). “Meditate on Om as the Self”
(Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.3-6).
98
“Om is Brahman, the Primeval Being” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1). “That [Om] is the quintessence of the essences,
the Supreme, the highest” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.3). “Om is the Supreme Brahman” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:7). “God
is the Syllable Om” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:17). “Om is Brahman” (Taittiriya Upanishad 1.8.1).
99
“One should meditate on this Syllable [Om]” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.1). “Meditate on Om as the Self. May you be
successful in crossing over to the farther shore of darkness” (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.6).
100
In Indian cosmology the dance of creation is the activity of Shiva Nataraja–the King of the Dance. He produces the cosmic
rhythms through a damaru, a two-headed drum that is held in the right hand and sounded by a striker-ball that is attached to
it. By flicking the wrist the sound is produced. This is a symbol of Om that consists of two letters and has two poles: sound

29
Om Yoga it simply does not matter what direction you face. However, you might want to
experiment on your own.

Relax
Relaxation is the key to successful meditation just as is ease and simplicity. When we are
relaxed the subtle life energies become freed to flow upward, as already mentioned. We need
to be relaxed in both body and mind to also eliminate the distracting thoughts and impressions
that arise mostly from tension.
Throughout meditation you should always be relaxed and at ease but never passive or
mentally inert.

Closed mouth, breathing through the nose

Breathing through the mouth agitates the mind, so keeping our mouth closed and breathing
only through the nose has a definite calming effect.

More about the japa mala

A japa mala is extremely helpful to the yogi. For one thing, simply seeing it, touching it or
wearing it helps us to remember to do japa.
The mala is used by moving or rolling the beads between the fingers of your hand.
(Usually the right hand, but the left is just as good.) Any way of moving or rolling the beads
that is comfortable and suits you is just fine.
Usually japa malas are strung on thread, but metal is just as good. Those on thread are
usually strung with knots tied between them, so if they break the beads will not scatter
everywhere. But those without knots “work” just as well.
Sandalwood is soothing, purifying, and stabilizing, and is the best substance for japa malas,
but any material is good except for that obtained by animal slaughter such as bone, ivory,
leather, and even wool.
Some people like to wear their japa malas and others like to keep them exclusively for use
in meditation. Both ways are good. And some have a mala for meditation, a mala for japa
outside meditation, and a mala for wearing.

Closed eyes, turned down

By closing your eyes you remove visual distractions and eliminate over seventy-five percent
of the usual brain wave activity so the mind becomes easily calm.
“Let [the yogi] firmly hold his body, head, and neck erect and still, as though gazing at the
tip of his nose.”94 This means that your eyes should be closed, relaxed, and turned somewhat
downward. “As though gazing at the tip of the nose” indicates that your eyes should not be
crossed–but just turned downward at the angle that they would be if looking at the tip of the
nose in a relaxed manner. To help you sense the right angle to turn your eyes down, touch the
middle of your horizontal forefinger to the tip of your nose and look down at the finger
without turning your eyes in. That way you can determine the angle without making yourself
cross-eyed. The angle is important because turning the eyes all the way down may strain them
and also tend to put us to sleep. Shankara uses a dramatic simile: “Let him fix the gaze on the
94
Bhagavad Gita 6:13

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Sit upright
We sit upright for two reasons. First, so we will not fall asleep. Second, to facilitate the
upward movement of the subtle life force called prana. It is important that our meditation
posture be comfortable and easy to maintain. If you can sit in a cross-legged92 position without
your legs going to sleep and making you have to shift them frequently, that is very good. But
meditation done in a chair is equally as good. Better to sit at ease in a chair and be inwardly
aware than to sit cross-legged and be mostly aware of your poor, protesting legs.
If you do use a chair, it will be good if that can be devoted exclusively to your meditation
use. If not, find some type of cloth or “throw” that you can put over the chair when you
meditate and remove when you are done.
If you have any back difficulties, make compensation for them, and do not mind if you
cannot sit fully upright. We work with what we have, the whole idea being to sit comfortably
and at ease.93
Also, we need not be hard on ourselves about not moving in meditation. It is only natural
for our muscles to sometimes get stiff or for some discomfort to develop. Go right ahead and
move a bit to get rid of the discomfort. We are not interested in a militaristic coercion of the
body. Here, too, relaxation is the key. As Shankara comments: “Let him practice a posture in
which, when established, his mind and limbs will become steady, and which does not cause
pain.” Though sitting upright, be sure you are always relaxed, for Yoga Sutra 2:47 says:
“Posture is mastered by relaxation and meditation on the Infinite.”
Put your hands on your thighs, your knees, or in your lap: joined, separated, one over the
other–whatever you prefer. The palms can be turned up or down. Really it does not matter
how you place or position your hands, just as long as they are comfortable and you can forget
about them. There is no need to bother with “mudras” as they are irrelevant to Om Yoga
practice.
Hold your head so the chin is parallel to the ground or, as Shankara directs, “the chin
should be held a fist’s breadth away from the chest.” Make a fist, hold it against your neck,
and let your chin rest on your curled-together thumb and forefinger. You need not be painfully
exact, about this. The idea is to hold your head at such an angle that it will not fall forward
when you relax. Otherwise you will be afflicted with what meditators call “the bobs”–the
upper body continually falling forward during meditation.
Some yogis prefer facing east or north to meditate, but it has been my experience that in
92
There are several cross-legged postures recommended for meditation. They are the Lotus, Perfect, Auspicious, and Easy
Postures, or: Padmasana, Siddhasana, Swastikasana, and Sukhasana. You will find them described in books on Hatha Yoga
postures. I especially recommend Yoga Asanas by Swami Sivananda of the Divine Life Society, as it is written from the
perspective of spiritual development and also gives many hints to help those who are taking up meditation later in life and
whose bodies need special training or compensation. This advice of I. K. Taimni should also be kept in mind: “If, in spite of
prolonged practice and good health, one always feels discomfort in maintaining the posture for long periods there is
something wrong either with one’s choice of the asana or method of practicing it and it is advisable to seek expert advice.”
There are many good Hatha Yoga teachers throughout the United States, among the best being those who have been trained
in the Iyengar system.
93
Shankara says to sit in any upright posture “which seems to be suitable to oneself, a seated posture in which one is not
uneasy and is specially congenial to the sitter.” Yoga Sutra 2:46 says: “Posture [asana] should be steady and comfortable.” It
can also be translated as: “Posture should be firm and easy.” The idea is simply that our meditation posture should be one in
which we can sit still and which is easy and comfortable for us. If we have to strain to get into or hold a posture, then it is not
the best for us “for it is strain that disturbs the limbs,” warns Shankara. The Yoga Vashishtha simply says: “He should sit on a
soft seat in a comfortable posture conducive to equilibrium.” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:128)

27
form, even an inner whispering, but Om is always fully present and effective. Your intonations
may even become silent, like a “mouthing” of Om, yet you will still be intoning Om. Amazingly
Om becomes a silent sound. This is a mystery, but you can experience for yourself. But of this
be sure: Om never ceases. Never. You will no doubt find that your intonations of Om move back
and forth from more objective to more subtle and back to more objective. Just intone in the
manner you feel is most natural at the moment.
9) Continue intoning Om throughout your meditation time in the way just outlined. If you
find yourself getting restless, distracted or “fuzzy,” inwardly intone Om more rapidly and
strongly for a while and then relax back into your usual mode of intoning. Rolling the beads of
a japa mala can also help.
10) If you are using a japa mala, move or roll forward a single bead for every intonation of
Om. It is good, as has been said, to count off at least one full mala of Om japa at the beginning
of meditation. If you do more than one mala, when you reach the center (meru) bead, just
keep on and “go under” it in a smooth transition to the other side. There is no need to keep
count of how many times you go completely around the mala, as your meditation should be
according to clock time, not how many malas you complete. If some times you feel you would
prefer to stop moving the beads and just intone Om inwardly that is all right. Later if you feel
like moving the beads again, go ahead. And if you never care to use a mala, that is all right,
too. The japa mala is a help, not an obligation.
11) As you meditate, thoughts, impressions, memories, inner sensations, and suchlike
may arise. You may also become aware of one or more areas of your brain or body at different
times, as well. Om can produce peace, awareness and quiet joy in your mind as well as
soothing radiations of energy in the physical and subtle bodies. Be calmly aware of all these
things in a detached and objective manner. They are part of the transforming work of Om, and
are perfectly all right. But do not let your attention become centered on or caught up in any of
these inner phenomena. Keep your awareness centered in your intonations of Om, which
should always be your primary focus.
12) Remember: Om Yoga meditation consists of two things only: mentally intoning Om
and listening to those inner intonings, “hearing” them. And always without strain.
13) At the end of your meditation time, keep on intoning Om in a continuous stream as
you go about your ordinary routine.

Simple and easy

Can it be that simple and easy? Yes, it can–and is. Suppose some people who have always
lived in tents entered a house and came upon a locked door. Knowing nothing of doors, locks,
and keys, how would they open it? They might throw themselves against it, beat on it with
their fists or heavy objects such as sledgehammers or even some kind of battering ram. If
someone approached them with a tiny key they could easily snap in two and told them it would
open the door, they would laugh at him. But he would effortlessly insert the key, simply turn
it, and enter. It would be that simple and that easy. Om Yoga is also that simple and easy
because it goes directly to the root of our bondage which is a single (and therefore simple)
thing: loss of awareness. The simpler and more easeful our practice, the more deeply effective
it will be.
Now let us look at the various components of our Om Yoga practice so we can understand
it fully.

26
seems right during your meditation time.
A japa mala is also a great help outside meditation to help in remembering to keep on
intoning Om throughout activity. For this, some people prefer smaller malas of fifty-four or
twenty-seven beads that can be worn around the wrist when not being turned. Sometimes the
mere wearing of the mala around the neck or wrist keeps the yogi remembering to intone Om.
The best kind of japa mala is one made of sandalwood beads, but any beads whatsoever
will do. It is the quality of japa and meditation that matter.

The Practice of Om Yoga Meditation

1) Sit upright, comfortable and relaxed, with your hands on your knees or thighs or
resting, one on the other, in your lap.
2) Breathe naturally. Your mouth should be closed so that all breathing is done through
the nose. This aids in quieting the mind. Though your mouth is closed, the jaw muscles should
be relaxed so the upper and lower teeth are not clenched or touching one another, but parted.
3) Turn your eyes somewhat downward and close them gently. This removes visual
distractions and reduces your brain-wave activity by about seventy-five percent, thus helping
to calm the mind.
4) Now begin intoning Om over and over again, like the tolling of a resonant bell, “singing”
It on a single note. Make sure the O and the M get approximately “equal time”–Ooomm. (Not
Ommm or Ooom.) Don’t torture yourself about this–approximately equal is good enough. It is,
however, essential that your intonations should be continuous and not broken up. That is,
there should be so separation or break between your intonations. Rather they should be
continuous, forming a single stream of sound: OoommOoommOoommOoomm; not Ooomm.
Ooomm. Ooomm. Ooomm. When a bell is tolled, the sound of the previous stroke is still
vibrating when the next one occurs. It is the same with our intonations of Om. This is
important.
5) Keep on intoning Om in an unbroken stream at the rate that seems most comfortable
or “right” to you at the moment–quickly, moderately, or slowly. Whatever you feel to do at the
moment is right, and it is just fine to change back at forth during your meditation. Your deep
intuition is coming into play, and as you are a living organism, so also will your intonings of
Om be living, and therefore sometimes change in speed of repetition.
6) Do not let your intonations of Om get caught or captured by any physical process such
as the breath or the heartbeat, as this draws you into body awareness and the limitations of
the subconscious, and can even put you to sleep! Japa must be an act of will, of the free
impulse that rises from deep within, from the Self. Doing japa in time with the breath or
heartbeat develops passivity and integration with the material side of our being rather than
the spirit. This is extremely important to understand.
7) Simply intone Om inwardly, “listening to” or “hearing” the mental sound of your
intonations of Om. Your intonations should be resonant and strong. You do not shout or
bellow inwardly, but you do intone in a robust or full-bodied manner with no hesitation or
feebleness. Experience Om as both cause (inner speaking) and effect (inner hearing) in a
relaxed and easeful manner, experiencing the inner sensations produced by this practice. This
enables you to enter effortlessly into the Witness Consciousness that is your finite spirit
within the Infinite Spirit that is God.
8) In time your inner mental intonations of Om may change to a more mellow or softer

25
Japa and meditation of Om
“The monosyllable Om is the highest Brahman.…Undoubtedly a yogi reaches the highest
goal by japa of Om alone,” says the Manu Smriti.91 Japa of Om is done by mentally intoning
Om–“singing” It on a single note over and over throughout your daily activities, at all times,
letting Its sacred sound fill your awareness. The intonations of Om should be easy and natural,
without strain. The intonings of Om should be long, short, or moderate–just as feels most
natural and comfortable for you. The main thing is to be aware of Om by listening to your
mental intonations as they go on inwardly.
Meditation is sitting with closed eyes and letting the mind become exclusively absorbed in
experiencing the repetitions of Om inwardly. Meditation is the way of directly entering into
the state of consciousness that is Om, the state of consciousness that is Brahman the Absolute.
In his commentary on the Yoga Sutras Shankara says: “Om is the Name of the Supreme
Lord. When the yogi has understood the identity of Om and Brahman he attracts the grace of
the supreme Lord through Its japa and meditation. Meditation is setting the heart on the Lord
Who is designated by Om and brought into the mind by It. Yogis who are engaged in both japa
and meditation attain one-pointedness of mind. After japa, which causes his mind to bow
before the Lord, let him engage in meditation. When his mind becomes unwavering from
meditation on the Lord, let him do japa of Om, for japa leads to meditation. When japa and
meditation of Om come to perfection then the Supreme Lord (Parameshwara), the Supreme
Self (Paramatman) Who stands in the highest place, shines forth for the yogi.” Japa supports
meditation and meditation supports japa.
Meditation establishes our consciousness in the true self and renders the chitta (mental
energy, mind substance) free from outer-caused modifications or vrittis (waves). Meditation is
the direct way to accomplish the suppression of modifications in the chitta, and is the yoga
expounded by Patanjali. “Yoga is the suppression of the modifications of the chitta,” is the
beginning statement of the Yoga Sutras as well as being Patanjali’s definition of yoga.
All that exists is a manifestation of Om. Om is the essence of all things. Therefore Om is
perpetually sounding from within the heart (core) of all things, including us. To unite our
awareness into that ever-flowing Om through japa and meditation is the true “centering.” Om
japa and meditation put us in touch with that inmost stream or current so we can follow it
back to its Divine Source.
Om Yoga meditation consists of two elements: mentally intoning Om and hearing (listening
to) those intonations within. There is, however, a great help in the practice of Om yoga
meditation: a japa mala.

The japa mala

A japa mala, or rosary, consisting of one hundred and eight beads is an immense help to
meditation. It is used by moving or rolling the beads between the fingers, intoning Om once at
each bead. This helps the meditator to develop a rhythm to his intonations of Om and also
keeps the mind focused, active and not passive. (Sometimes turning the beads keeps the yogi
from drifting off into sleep.)
It is extremely helpful at the beginning of meditation to count off at least one full mala of
Om japa. If it feels right, do even more than one or use the mala for a while whenever it
91
Manu was the ancient lawgiver, whose code, The Laws of Manu (Manu Smriti) is the foundation of Hindu religious and
social conduct.

24
 Chapter Four: Om Japa and Meditation
What do we do with this sacred word, Om? Krishna also tells us that: “Engaged in the
practice of concentration,85 uttering the monosyllable Om—the Brahman—remembering Me
always, he…attains to the supreme goal. I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogi who
constantly and daily remembers Me.”86
“Just as the bow is the cause of the arrow’s hitting the target, so Om is the bow that brings
about the soul’s entry into the Immutable. For the soul when purified by the repetition of Om
gets fixed in Brahman with the help of Om without any hindrance, just as an arrow shot from a
bow gets transfixed in the target.”87
“Through Om the Lord is met face to face.”88
“When the yogi has understood the identity of Om and Brahman he attracts the grace of
the supreme Lord through Its repetition and meditation.”89
Sound and consciousness are, practically speaking, the same. And the master yogis of
India have through the ages stated that God and Om are ONE. That is, the infinite Consciousness
of God is inherent in the Syllable Om. Since the individual spirit and God are essentially one
(though not the same), we can tentatively conclude that Om, repeated within the mind in japa
and meditation, will both produce the consciousness of God and the restoration of our union
with God.

M.P. Pandit on japa

Sri M. P. Pandit, a disciple of the twentieth-century sage, Sri Aurobindo, wrote a valuable
little book entitled Japa in which he says:
“The mantra has the potency to stamp and mold the consciousness which repeats it into
the nature of the Divinity for which it stands, and prepare it for the reception of the gathering
revelation of the Godhead it invokes.
“At the basis of the science of japa is the ancient perception of sages all over the world
that Creation proceeds from Sound [Shabda]. The universe has issued out of Nada Brahman,
God as Sound.…When a mantra is uttered effectively it sets in motion vibrations that evoke
the corresponding Divine Aspect into the atmosphere where it is uttered. This in brief is the
principle underlying the practice of mantra and japa yoga.
“There is a chaitanya, a consciousness, in the mantra, and that should be awakened–its
life set into motion in the life and being of the sadhaka.90 It is up to the sadhaka to tend and
nourish the life of the mantra so awakened, to let it instill itself into the core of his being and
spread all through his consciousness. And this is accomplished by assiduous and attentive
repetition.”

85
“Let him firmly hold his body, head, and neck erect and still, with the eyeballs fixed, as if gazing at the tip of his nose, and
ever thinking of me.” (Bhagavad Gita 6:13)
86
Bhagavad Gita 8:12-14
87
Shankara, Commentary on the Mundaka Upanishad
88
Shankara, Commentary on the Yoga Sutras
89
Shankara, Commentary on the Yoga Sutras
90
Sadhaka: A spiritual aspirant who practices sadhana.

23