Hinduism
Aum, also written "Om" and called pranava,
is a very important Hindu symbol and is often used to represent Hindu
faith tradition as a whole. Its prolonged intonation is associated with
the primeval sound through which the universe was created. It is
thought to contain all things. It consists of three syllables — a-u-m — which are sounded progressively from the throat to the lips.
The three sounds are
considered to symbolize many items, but perhaps most importantly, the
three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. The
entire symbol represents the fourth state, which is the awareness of
one's own spiritual identity.
(Source: http://www.hinduism.iskon.com) |