A beautiful article about the Om mantra that I found at ezinearticles.com. For more about the om mantra, check out this link to a page all about Mantras for Sound Healing , including the Om Mantra.
It is believed at the most fundamental level that the whole universe is made up of vibrating pulsating energy. The sound of Om is considered as the humming sound of this cosmic energy. If you observe the nature of sound you will fine that sticking together two objects produces all ordinary audible sounds, in contrast Om is not the result of sticking two objects. It's a primal sound of the universe that emanates on its own.
One day I decided to test the power of Om. I supervised a discipline program in a middle school and was facing the challenge of spending the day with an angry group of boys who all had initiated some sort of aggressive behavior in school, behavior that was very volatile and just short of a fight. These boys all had a reputation to defend and would test the limits all day with me.
My plan was simple the boys would have their own unique elevator music to work by. I have several CD's of mantras that I like to listen to while practicing yoga and sometimes driving and the boys would hear these peaceful chants all day.
After the boys assembled and settled in I began giving instructions to the sweet voice of Deva Premal singing Gayatri. They were immediately curious. Before I could say a word I was bombarded with questions. "What was this music?" "Why was I playing it?" "Was I using brainwashing on them?' Their questions were probing; they were intrigued by the sound. They all wanted to know more.
I shared with the boys the power of chanting Om, that the chant helps banish worldly thoughts and remove distractions infusing new vigor in the body. Chanting Om can help relieve depression like a powerful drug because it is a cosmic tonic.
This was the beginning of a discussion about their collective and individual reactions and responses to problems. None of these boys had ever learned how to deal with conflicts. None of these boys had role models for peaceful resolution. Most of these boys had no or absent fathers and no male mentors. They did not know to grow up and be a man without fighting without aggression.
Realizing this made me very sad because someday these boys would most likely become fathers and husbands and what kind of families would they lead?
I shared with them the peace poem:
Peace
It does not mean to be
In a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work..
It means to be in the mist of those things and still
Be calm in your heart
That day was one of the most peaceful and productive days I had. The boys seemed to rise to the occasion of the music. There was some intuitive respect and need to honor the sound. My room was an interesting curiosity. Many teachers stopped by and seemed to also respond to the sound. They liked the quite it helped produce.
I gave the boys permission to come and see me anytime they were on the cusp of an argument or a fight. They left at the end of the day with their reputations still intact but with a fragile commitment to give peace a chance.
Karen Pesta provides character education for students K-12 that helps "sharpen the saw" through enrichment promoting academic and social achievement and physical and emotional health. If you are looking for a program of character education that is deliberate, holistic and reaches your entire student population visit: http://www.creativeworldconnection.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Pesta |  |
