What is Primordial Sound Meditation?

The symbol to the right is the visual representation of the primordial sound of Om. Om is the first and eternal sound

of the universe. It is comprised of all the sounds or vibrations. According to the ancient Upanishad text, "One should meditate on this Syllable [Om]. That is the quintessence of the essences, the Supreme, the highest” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.1, 3).

Primordial Sound Meditation is an ancient technique to help us uncover the peace within. By using a personal mantra which incorporates the sound of Om plus a specific sound based on the time and place of your birth, Primordial Sound Meditation takes us into the silence—the space between our thoughts and begins to peel away the coverings that hide our true essence. According to wisdom traditions, this space between the thought is the window, the corridor to the infinite mind – what some call spirit or god. We don't have to use those terms but it is your core consciousness.

The ancient technique of Primordial Sound Meditation, was modernized and introduced to the West by Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon in the early 1990’s. It is a blend of ancient wisdom and western science.

The origins of Primordial Sound Meditation and the teachings of this course can be traced back more than 5000 years ago to ancient India and a wisdom philosophy known as Vedanta. Vedanta is taken from the Sanskrit word Veda, meaning complete knowledge.

Meditation is a practice that benefits the body, mind and soul. Through the process of quieting the mind and looking inward, meditation awakens healing, creativity and spiritual growth. It takes us beyond our thoughts into a field of pure potential, pure bliss and offers a glimpse into our true nature.

When we glimpse this field, we become aware that we are not the continuous stream of thoughts that fill our minds with “noise.” Nor are we the labels of limitation, lack or fear we’ve put on ourselves or allowed others to put on us. Instead, through the regular practice of meditation and spending time in our inner silence, we recognize that we are the witness of the thoughts not the thoughts themselves. This is a very liberating discovery. The process of witnessing creates a separation which allows us to no longer identify with thoughts and the mind.

Meditation is a remembering of our true nature. The Bagahvad Gita describes this nature by describing its impermanence…”Wind cannot dry it, fire cannot burn it, weapons cannot destroy it.” Meditation takes us back to our pure essence. Our Jiva.

It’s important to keep in mind that meditation is not about forcing your mind to be quiet or to force a particular kind of experience. Instead, it’s about simply discovering the quiet that’s already there. In Primordial Sound Meditation, we use a mantra to help take us into that silence. By gently repeating the mantra silently to yourself, your attention is no longer on your thoughts. However, you will soon discover that your attention will drift away from your mantra and onto a thought or series of thoughts. This is normal and expected. When this happens, you just gently bring your attention back onto your mantra. This process of continually coming back to the mantra is the practice. Mantra means vehicle of the mind and this vehicle will bring you deeper and deeper into silence until you glimpse your soul and “bump” up against your true essence.