Symbols & Spirituality: the Om Symbol
How designing our new Om Necklace became a Spiritual Journey
Spirituality and a sense of our souls connecting to the world around us has always been central to who I am, so when Noble Fine Jewellery was asked to make this beautiful Om Necklace for one of our clients, it seemed like an inspired destiny and a divine way to include more soulful designs and pieces to our Pure Collection.
Little did I realise that through creating this necklace and learning more about the deeper meaning behind the Om symbol and the power and strength it can bring to all of us, that it would be so relevant to what I feel we all need a little more of in the world today: a sense of peace and calm.
Ilana Brandwain
The om sound
If you were to ask how most of us connect to the Om symbol, it would be as the sound of meditation or wellbeing at the beginning or end of a yoga session.
Considered a sacred sound of the universe, the vibrations that we make individually while chanting Om (also known as ‘Ohm’ or ‘Aum’) are known to reverberate throughout our mind, bodies and souls relaxing us physically, mentally and emotionally as well as calming our nervous systems.
The sound also helps energize our chakras and opens our third eye to allow us to find a higher level of peace and tranquility.
And when chanting as a group (I am back in the yoga studio now), the Om chant signifies unity as the whole class comes together and connects individuals and reflects the peace and calm on all. There are many benefits to chanting Om every day and I have tried to introduce this to my own daily routine as well as meditating every day to help with life’s ups and downs by staying calm and focused.
By taking just a moment, I find it reduces my stress levels, improves my concentration and helps me feel more energized and invigorated… who knew that creating this necklace would have such an impact on my wellbeing?!
Sound as a symbol
For many centuries the Om symbol has been at the heart of the Hindu faith, appearing in many ancient religious texts, prayers and ceremonies. When I studied the symbol as part of our design preparation, I learnt that the symbol itself represented the sound in a visual form with every curve and line containing a deeper spiritual meaning and purpose towards finding ourselves:
- The Waking State: this is the bottom curve of the symbol and represents our general consciousness and how we look outwards by using our five senses to experience the world around us.
- The Dream State: the middle curve represents our consciousness turned inwards and we discover a different world that is experienced through dreams.
- The Deep Sleep State: the upper curve is where our minds are shut down and we are not dreaming or desiring of anything.
The crescent shape above the curves represents an obstacle that is in the way of us reaching the highest state of bliss, which is symbolised by the dot at the very top. This higher state is our absolute state of peace where we are neither focused inwards or outwards but living simply in the moment.
Om and ganesh
And if the meaning of every curve was not enough to inspire, the shape of the Om symbol is also said to represent the Hindu elephant god, Ganesh: the curves on the left are said to be his head and body, while the curve on the right is his trunk.
In the Hindu faith Ganesh is called on at the start of new beginnings or to remove and clear our paths of potential obstacles, which is the essence of Om: overcoming all obstacles in order to find our absolute state of being. This need for inner strength to overcome is something we could all appreciate more of during these new lives we find ourselves living in.
Removing Obstacles & Starting Afresh
Having something to hold on to that can inspire the power and strength we need during these new days we live in is so important. Whether it be a necklace we wear every day, the heirloom ring we bring out or the graduation gift we haven’t worn in 20 years – the power, the connection and the grounding that these symbols brings is more vital than it has ever been as we charter uncertain paths that are full of obstacles.
Being a bespoke jeweller and having the chance to design, to fix or to reimagine these symbols of strength/history/future/love (the list goes on…) is the foundation of why I do my work. Making a piece of jewellery is more than just bringing together metal and stones – it is bringing joy, love and strength.
It is about creating something for us all to literally hold on to as we go forward to tomorrow, which is why I give every one of our diamond jewels a blessing before it gets sent on its way and delivered to its new journey in life. It is just a small gesture that is given with the intention and hope that my design gives its owner as much pleasure in wearing it as we received in making it.
Do you wish to create your own bespoke piece of jewellery?