Sacred Sound: Discovering the Myth and Meaning of Mantra & Kirtan

By Alanna Kaivalya

Did you ever wonder where the sound OM comes from? This mantra that we so often chant in the yoga or meditation class has its roots in the Sanskrit language but also appears within many traditions through sacred sounds like ‘shalom’ or ‘amen’. It is said that the ancient seers – called rishis – sat in elevated states of meditation and felt within their own hearts this powerful vibration. Their best estimation of its audible sound was that of OM. They thought it was the fundamental vibration of the universe.

Thousands of years later, scientists have discovered something called “cosmic microwave background radiation” – an all-pervasive vibration that is the earliest remnant of the Big Bang that blankets the entire universe. This seems to confirm the rishis’ original theory that vibration is at the source and heart of all things. It is also reflected in many mythologies that describe the world originating with a sound or word. In fact, modern science calls the origination of the universe the Big Bang. Once again, sound is at the heart of all things.

Other scientific theories of the universe propose that tiny vibrating strings are the basic building blocks of even the tiniest particles. Whether we look at elemental strings, the strings of a cello or our heart strings, all of us are moved in some way by vibration. Vibration is how we measure our brain waves, our heart waves and our feelings about someone else when we catch their “vibe.” While vibrations vary in frequency, if we were to dial them all back into a common resonance, the ancient yogis would say that this basic wave would feel and sound like OM or the resonance of the sound within our hearts. When we chant OM in a large group, the quality of the room changes, as well as the quality of our mind, because om has the power to act like a cosmic reset button. It brings out-of-sync vibrations back into sync. It harmonizes the space – in the room, in our heart and in our mind. And we all like harmony.

Alanna is teaching her next retreat at ONEWORLD retreats, Myths of Yoga retreat: Reveling in the Ritual of the Ramayana on May 24 – 30, 2015

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