The Word That is God

Om does not reveal all things as an agent external to them, but rather as their own inmost
self or reality. It is therefore omniscient by nature, being the Supreme Brahman. By Its
invocation omniscience is ultimately attained–though in the meantime the comprehension of
the object of the moment is also granted to us. The knowledge imparted to us by Om is thus
internal knowledge–arising from the essential being of all things themselves. By means of Om
all things can be known through the uniting of our consciousness with them. This is a knowing
far, far beyond the intellect of even the highest evolved being within the scope of relativity. It
is truly the possessing of “Divine Mind.”
The implication of all this is the fact that God is indeed all in all–that whatever exists has
God for its inmost Self–including all the worlds, gross and subtle. This being the case, we can
realize that the world is indeed real and not an illusion, though we have illusions about the
world and often perceive it incorrectly. It is our mistaken view of the world that is the
illusion–not the world itself.
We are eternally existent because God is our Self: the Self of our self. Thus self-knowledge
in the highest form is God-knowledge. The very purpose of yoga is the attainment of selfknowledge
which then makes it possible for us to know God. Through the merging of our
finite consciousness with the infinite consciousness of Om we enter into the experience of
absolute existence, the inner divine kingdom. This is possible because it is the very nature of
Om to turn the consciousness inward. It is also possible because Om is Itself the essence, the
seed, of Cosmic Consciousness. So when we invoke Om we are invoking Cosmic Consciousness
Itself, beyond all conditionings or limitations. Moreover, that invocation is a direct invocation,
not an act that will lead eventually to contact with the Absolute. The invocation of Om is
instant communication with God.
In the Mundaka Upanishad we find the question: “What is that by the knowing of which all
this becomes known?” 16 Om, verily, is that One Thing. Being infinite, It makes those who unite
their consciousness with It infinite, “and causes them to pervade in universal forms” exactly
as does God. This characteristic of all-pervasiveness is indicated by the title Mahadeva–Great
God–which is usually applied to Shiva. Those who are perfectly united with, and live in, Om
are thus enabled to say with Shankara: Chidanand rupam: Shivoham, Shivoham: “I am the
form of blissful consciousness: I am Shiva, I am Shiva!” 17
The knowledge of Om as both Absolute Consciousness and the means to attain that
Absolute Consciousness is the ultimate, the crowning “conclusion [insight-experience] arrived
at by the gods and the Vedas.” Om Yoga is hereby revealed not only as The Path of the
Masters, but as The Path of the Gods and also the Absolute Which Itself is the Source of the
Vedas.
“Om embraces the state of waking in which the gross elements of existence are perceived,
the state of dreaming in which the subtle elements of existence are perceived, the state of
[dreamless] sleep in which the gross and subtle elements of existence are dormant, gathered
up into their potential state, and the state of pure consciousness which reveals the presence
or absence of the experiences of the waking, dreaming, and sleeping states.
“When [through japa and meditation of Om] these three states, which are really divisions
[manifestations or stages] of the Pranava, dissolve into each other–the grosser merging into
16 Mundaka Upanishad 1.1.3
17 This is the refrain of Shankara’s Six Stanzas on Nirvana.
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