Breathe and Sound in Meditation

We do not sit in silent blankness because that would not return us to our eternal consciousness of Spirit. Instead we have to have the right inner environment for the return to take place.  This is provided by only two things: OM and the breath. They will not do it separately–they must be joined, and joined in the right way. 

Swami Vivekananda, writing on Raja Yoga, points out that according to the philosophers of India the whole universe is composed of two materials: akasha and prana. “Just as Akasha is the infinite, omnipresent material of this universe, so is this Prana the infinite, omnipresent manifesting power of this universe.”   

Sound rises directly from akasha, and breathes rises directly from prana. Since they arise from the spirit-center, when their right joining is done they free and enable us to return and merge our consciousness with that center. Joining the two, we go straight to the heart of ourselves and the universe. That is, we go directly to the Heart of Brahman.  The breath and OM are like two fire sticks. Fire is inherent in both, but only when the two are brought together in friction does the fire come forth. The “fire” we want to bring forth is the spirit-consciousness that is our real self.

In Indian mythology it is said that the realm of Vishnu is guarded by two doorkeepers who escort the questing soul into the Divine Presence. This is a symbol of the breath and OM which when united brings the yogi into the world of higher consciousness. In Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist temples it is common to find three images on the altar: the deity in the middle and on either side the two companions of the deity whose favor enables the devotee to communicate directly with the deity. In Christian iconography there is the depiction known as the Deisis in which Jesus is in the middle and the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist are on the sides.

In  the  realm  of meditation,  the  doorkeepers/companions  conduct  the  seeker  into  the throne room and then stand at the door to guard against intruders. That is, the breath and OM lead us into the realm of the Chidakasha, the Space of Consciousness, and keep guard there against the intrusion of distracting thoughts and states of mind, seeing that nothing disturbs our inner quest.

These two companion-friends deserve our careful study.