New Lamps For Old... The Ancient Art Of Meditation

New lamps represent each new birth and the light a level of Consciousness that derives from a source called the Ancient of Days. Light has always been representative of Consciousness and stems from a Universal source that is both transcendent and imminent, and it is light as intelligence, clothed in matter, that transforms and characterises the world in which we live. The light in us is a gift of spirit and is that in us which knows we are here, having the ability to be 'Self' organising, make decisions and uniquely take part in the play of life that is all around. It is the desire for experience that takes us first down along one road and then another, when we discover that we are a part of a cosmic game, in which some lights appear to shine brighter than others. It is when we try to compensate by adopting the guise of the most successful, often seeking pleasure, and avoiding the difficult, that we appear to be something other than we truly are. We exist within prisons of our own making, having confined ourselves within psychological barriers as defence from those who whether consciously or unconsciously try to harm us. We can either fight back or continue take refuge in fantasy worlds of our own making. These impositions veil the light of the Self within, so that we become shadows of our former selves, distorting our vehicle of experience, often becoming ill, prematurely abandoning our body and so losing the opportunity to further gain experience, and become unique centres of light and intelligence in the world of time.

Interest sustains life, and it is during periods of set back and ill health that we discover we still have a lot to live for and have not as yet reached our full potential. This is when we need to look clearly and objectively at the body of inertia we carry around with us and the attitudinal responses that disguise who we truly are.

When we are born we are unique to ourselves and bring with us unique vibrational patterning's developed through many lifetimes. This tempering process gained during life on earth, and passed on through the long body of the ancestors, occasionally gives rise to the age old question "Who Am I", and to ask ourselves, what is my purpose in life?, is it to be passive and subject to the winds of fate, or can work on myself, develop my full potential, and discover my true destiny.

It is the ancient art of Yoga that not only asks this question, but still passes on its experience developed through aeons of time, for those willing to study, learn and practise. There are many different forms of Yoga and paths to follow, all of which lead back to centre and Self recognition, there is something for everyone, whatever one's nature or individual temperament.

That which we call the centre is unique and is represented by the mantra 'OM', which is short hand for everything there is. Om represents the Omnipotent, the Omnipresent, and the Omniscient, that is the all encompassing wisdom that underlies and has given rise to life itself. If we could listen to all the sounds of the Cosmos including our own vibrational sound, it would be heard as a resonate humming; as all sound merges in an interplay with every other sound.

This mystic sound called the pranava is representative of the voice of God. It is said that all words are variations of this one sound and it follows that by attuning ourselves to our own unique sound, within the totality of all sounds, that it will have great healing potential.

The mantra 'OM' represents all that there is both in the spiritual world and the world of time. All the vowel sounds represent pure spirit as there is no closure of the mouth when sounded, and the consonants which focus the sound, the form and structure of the physical world. The vowels represent pure or unimpeded sound at different frequencies and at this level as potential form. It is the vowel sounds voiced and unvoiced that cover the range of potential sound and which has the power to restore harmony and healing throughout the body. These sounds 'AEIOU' can be experienced as both voiced and unvoiced and when allowed to resonate within the body, their physical manifestation is represented by the consonant 'M'. Both the spiritual and the physical can be represented by 'AEIOUM' or for economy written in its shortened form 'AUM' or 'OM'.

It is by meditating on the mantra 'OM' and feeling for the resonant harmonies within ourselves, that we can gain a sense of renewal and awaken ourselves to the to the possibility of making a new start by changing any feeling of disharmony into those that truly represent our highest level of spiritual and physical harmony. Meditating upon and chanting the mystic 'OM' over a prolonged period of time as a daily practise, will make profound changes in our feeling state, free the mind, expanding consciousness and strengthen our will to achieve a higher level of awareness, thus improving our relationship with ourselves and others.

By: Gordon & Pam Smith

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Gordon & Pam Smith have been devoted practioners and teachers of Yoga and Meditation for over 40 years each. They write for a number of websites to promote the joys of Yoga and Meditation to all. For more information about Yoga for beginners click the link or look at our website www.yoga-for-beginners.eu