Why Do We 'OM'? June 21, 2008

This event is the first part of the Beyond Asana series from Darren Deojee. Read more at www.beyondasana.co.uk. You do not have to do the whole series, simply pick the ones which suit you. You can read about the whole series and costs below the event info.

Event Info:

"Through the Sounding of The Word, and relfection upon its meaning, The Way is found"
Yoga Sutras, Book 1, Sutra 28

Ever wondered why you are asked to OM 3 times at the beginning and end of classes? Does your teacher even do that much?

What on earth IS the OM/AUM all about?
The above quote from the yoga sutras hints to its importance: apparently, if we use The Word, and reflect on its meaning, we shall 'Find The Way.'

What a bold claim!

One translator of the Sutras goes even further and says that this IS 'The Way'! Wow!

The next sutra goes even further! It says that doing this (using The Word and reflecting upon it) removes ALL obstacles....All obstacles!

If thats the case, why are we not all sounding The Word and reflecting on it all the time? No such claim is made anywhere in the sutras that performing asana will deliver such a dividend, yet there we are, doing lots of asana and only a couple of OM's!

Do you think that 3 OM's is enough 'sounding' to count?

Or enough to 'reflect upon its meaning'?

How are we ever meant to 'find The Way' if we don't do it?

The one thing that stops people from using the OM is that they don't know what it means or why they are doing it. And I don't mean the platitudes about the OM, I mean really know what it means, and why you do it.

And this is exactly what this event is for. Using a blend of insights, my own experience with sound, science and the latest cymatic research, we will explore sound, the OM and mantra in general in a fashion that will change your perspective forever.

This is so important in my opinion that I made this event the first of this series.After all, "In the Beginning was the Word" says the Bible, and using and understanding The Word shows us 'The Way' and removes all obstacles say the Sutras...do we need any greater hint to peer a bit closer at this somewhat obscure (to your average Westerner) and greatly misunderstood practice?

By the end of this event you will:

Understand the significance of sound in general

Understand the difference between mantric sounds and everyday speech

Understand the nature of enlightenment in simple terms

Understant the role soundwork plays in the yogic journey, and how it compliments the other yoga practices

Understand the significance of the OM

Be able to use the OM in a number of ways

Be able to use the Bija mantras and other chakric tones to energise, cleanse and work with the chakras

About the Beyond Asana Series:

The Yoga Sutras mention Asana the least of all the yoga practises, yet here in the West we have classes filled with asana and very little else.

These are not just talk throughs of 'doing it' like asana class. Other practises are not so simple as asana where you just copy the teacher because many of them are internal or subjective. This series picks on that and helps us understand what these practises are all about, why we practise them and what their individual, and collective, purposes are. This will then arm you to practise them on your own without worrying about 'am i doing this right' or becoming disheartened because you don't feel you are getting the benefits.

The full course costs £100/£50 conc. when booked in advance, or each event is £20/£10 when booked in advance or £25/£15 on the day. Booking is advised as spaces are limited.

Each event is advertised individually, or you can check the website www.beyondasana.co.uk for more information.

Official Website: http://www.beyondasana.co.uk