According the Sivananda Yoga Website and their definition of the OM, there is no symbol more powerful than the syllable OM (pronounced AUM), as witnessed by these words from the Mandukya Up-anishad :

    “OM: this eternal word is all; what was, what is and what shall be.”

In the Sanskrit letter shown in the photo, the OM symbol is composed of 5 parts:

  • The long lower curve in the 3-like symbol represents the dream state.
  • The smaller upper curve represents the wake state.
  • The curve going out from between the two curves represents the deep, dreamless sleep.
  • The crescent above stands for “maya”, it’s the veil of illusion.
  • The dot represents the transcendental state.

When the individual spirit in man passes through the veil and rests in the transcendental he is liberated from the three states and their qualities. I hope I’ll reach the dot soon…

In the yoga class, we start the session by chanting the sound OM(AUM), this sound is believed to be the very first sound in the universe, it starts with the sound A (like when you open your mouth to a doctor/dentist*) and it comes out from the abdomen, then the U (like when you say Ohh*) and it comes out from the chest, and finally the M (it’s an ordinary M) which comes out from the throat and we feel the vibration there….
According to this, The A, U and M represents the wake state, dream state and the dreamless sleep state respectively.

I put this symbol as my profile photo to remind myself to work on reaching the dot and I’ll keep it when I reach it to remind myself to keep me there…

*I wish I studied phonetics symbols