The Word That is God

Upanishad)
“[The sage’s] inner possession is Om, the Pranava. Till his final breath is out, he shall not
abandon it.” (Satyayani Upanishad)
“One should utter that by mouth, practice that with his body, and should utter that
mentally, every day.” (Yogachudamanya Upanishad 87)
“It is incumbent on a man to constantly recite the mantra Om which heads the list of all its
compeers in respect of merit and sanctity.” (Agni Purana)
“[To attain the realm (state) of Shiva], the devotee should repeat the Pranava mantra
every day.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwara Samhita 11:36)
“By repeating the Pranava daily the devotee becomes perpetually pure.” (Shiva Purana,
Vidyeshwarasamhita 17:22)
Om should be intoned in time with the breath
“Speech and breath are joined together in the Syllable Om.” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.6)
Both speech and breath are manifested and reunited in Om–both in speaking Om aloud and in
mentally intoning it in time with the breath. Om is the point of their origin and their return.
By joining Om and the breath in japa and meditation we begin moving back to the state where
they are one.
“One should meditate on the breath in the mouth as the udgitha, for it is continually
sounding ‘Om.’” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.5.3) In both japa and meditation we join intonations
of Om to the breath because on the subtle levels the breath is always producing the sound of
Om. We can even say that the soul breathes Om. So by consciously joining Om to our breathing
we can link up with our soul-consciousness and enter into it. This is what is happening when
during meditation our intonations of Om become more subtle and whisper-like, and from
soul-consciousness we will pass into spirit-consciousness–all through Om.
“With Om alone he should breathe.” (Amritabindu Upanishad 20)
“Because in this manner he joins the breath, the Syllable Om, and all this in its manifoldness
therefore this is called Yoga [joining]. The oneness of the breath, the mind, and likewise of
the senses [through japa of Om with the breath] and the abandonment of all conditions of
existence, this is designated as Yoga. One draws in the pranas by means of the Syllable Om.”
(Maitri Upanishad 6:22-26)
“In the breathing, that [Om] has its place in the heart that casts forth light. In the
breathing that [Om] is like the action of smoke; for when there is motion of air the smoke
rises to the sky in one column and follows afterward one branch after another. That is like
throwing salt into water, like heat in melting butter.” (Maitri Upanishad 7:11)
“[Remembrance of the Pranava] must become so automatic that you cannot breathe
without remembering It.” (Sri Anandamayi Ma, in Death Must Die by Ram Alexander)
“The breath of Omkar should be inside you, then there is purity.” (Avadhuta Nityananda
Paramhansa, Nitya Sutra 124)
“The Omkar should be drawn inside with the breath like water is drawn up from a well.
And like the pot is let down into the well for a fresh fill, so the exhalation should be released
with Om.” (Avadhuta Nityananda Paramhansa, Nitya Sutra 161)
“Chant ‘Om’ with every breath.” (Swami Rama Tirtha)
“The more you practice [repetition of Om joined with the breath] the calmer you will be.
Just think of ‘Om’ and you can practice even while you are sitting at your work. You will be all
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