*******Over 5,000 students are enrolled in this course*******
Yoga is a whole life process. Om mantra is an extremely useful part of that process, both at practice time and right in the middle of daily life.
Om Mantra is the very heart of Yoga. It is the centerpiece of the Yoga Sutras, the essence of the Vedas and Upanishads, and the soul of the Bhagavad Gita. Om Mantra outlines the entire schema of all levels of human consciousness, and the universal path of contemplation and meditation, leading to the realization of one’s unity (Yoga) with the one infinite, universal consciousness.
In this course we will thoroughly describe the symbolism of the seven levels of consciousness, and guide you through the traditional ways of practicing Om and related mantras. We will review how mantra is used as a means of purifying the mind, how it is used for meditation, and how it is used for contemplation. We will discuss how Om is at the heart of major yogic texts. We will also discuss how several other mantras rest on the foundation of Om, and expand upon its profound essence.
Om will become a most important companion on your journey of Yoga.
A Suggestion: Our descriptions of traditional Yoga tend to be thorough, broad, and deep. This can lead you to think this is complicated, and that it's going to take a great deal of study like in a college class. But the suggestion is to take it easy; watch the presentations leisurely, like you might watch a movie while sitting on a comfortable chair or couch. Just absorb it, take it in. Don't worry about memorizing. It will gently sink in, and you can practice the principles in daily life. Go back later and look again at the presentations, whether all of them or a few. Terminology, principles, and practices will gently become familiar.