Chanting and Gardens - 'OM' in the Garden

Om Stone in one of my landscapes- Jan

We need to balance the pace and intensity of modern life with periods of what poet May Sarton has called "open time,

with no obligations except toward the inner world and what is going on there."

~ Thomas Moore


So how to touch the inner world in a garden?..



I suggest chanting 'OM.' or really 'AUM'. , long and sustained, several times...“Om” is the oldest and most widely known one syllable mantra or chant.    It is said very, very slowly.
 

The Sanskrit symbol above represents “OM”. It does not say '30' as some might assume.
 
Look for this - click here: Wall Decal - OM
 
 
Though commonly spelled “Om.”, the sound is really 'Ahhooom" and the symbol consists of these three letters, “a,” “u,” and “m,” and includes an after-sound of silence:

• The “a” (pronounced "ah," the upper curve) represents our waking state.

• The “u” (pronounced "ooh," the long, lower curve) is the dreaming state.

• The “m” (the curve issuing from the center) is the dreamless state of deep sleep.

 The after-sound, symbolic of the transcendent state of consciousness,  is represented by the dot...it is our connection with a higher reality.


 
Mantras are believed to contain a vibrational power that can lift us to higher states. 

Scientists recently discovered that rhythmic recitations of a mantra can slow breathing and regulate heart rhythms, this in turn oxygenates the blood, lowers blood pressure and induces a feeling of calmness and well-being.


 
Silently repeating a mantra did not produce the same effects as reciting them out loud. 

You must chant OM. out loud...slowly. and remember the 'dot' or after-sound silence.
(In the west we sell 'Resperate' for $250 to regulate our breath and lower blood pressure ...why don't we just chant OM in a serenity garden?)

Buddhism has the concept of "Om Mani Padme Hum" – a chant that celebrates the ‘jewel in lotus’-the essence in the core of man, which can glow into radiant brightness if he removes himself from the debris of life.


If repeating 'om' is not your thing then try this during your 'open time':


Listen - to the sounds around you.


 
Feel - the plants or the ground under your feet or the sun on your face.


 
See - what is around you.  enjoy the colors.



 
Smell - what does your environment smell like?

 
 

Try to stay focused on them for as long as you can.

At first, you'll find your mind wandering away frequently but this exercise is calming and pleasant. It may sound boring but really it's a relaxing break.

Here is some amazing music of OM.....









Comments

  1. This just brings me to an increduble sense of peace.. thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. This idea is something we should all strive for. Creating this kind of space in our mind and heart gives us the breathing room to have more perspective over what we are doing in our everyday life. Even if chanting is not for you, the key here is quieting the noise in our heads; listening to our breath, calming our mind, even just for a few moments, creates peace in ourselves, and in turn, is peace we bring to others.

    ReplyDelete
  3. indoor fountains - you are so welcome....If I could only just play that OM music here....

    Maggie - peace within then peace without...as George ( my favorite Beatle) said - 'within you and without you'...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very interesting articles and nice photos too. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  5. good post keep posting. i really liked your ideas thanks for posting.
    -------------------------
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