Yes, Maharishi’s teaching around “omkara” in his coming to the West in the late 1950’s and 1960’s it seems was reactionary to what was seen then as the recluse Indian ascetic yogi’s cross-leg sitting chanting of “Om” all the time as some primary spiritual practice.
His teacher Brahmananda Saraswati, Guru Dev, in the 1940’s and 50’s taught a nuanced cautionary teaching against using “om” strictly as mantra unto itself, that unto itself usage being different than its primary use employed within a mantra or sloca. (See http://www.lulu.com/shop/lb-shriver-and-translation-by-cynthia-ann-humes/the-sweet-teachings-of-the-blessed-sankaracarya-swami-brahmananda-saraswati/paperback/product-21350609.html http://www.lulu.com/shop/lb-shriver-and-translation-by-cynthia-ann-humes/the-sweet-teachings-of-the-blessed-sankaracarya-swami-brahmananda-saraswati/paperback/product-21350609.html ) However as result with a more strict push-back to the iconic by Maharishi teaching in the 1960’s West against what was thought of as meditation back then, this admonishment now remains within TM culture in a consequent type of a tru-believer fear of a usage of ‘om’ as a sound in contrast to “om’s” more general usage seen outside of TM (and also by Guru Dev) as being a booster otherwise to maha-mantras in meditation or chanting. With Maharishi this seemed a critique of a cultural idiom that happened in a period of time. Maharishi evidently felt he had a point to make using the platform he had in his time. Meditation it seems evident now is for everyone. Jai Guru Dev. In [email protected], netineti108 wrote : Anyone care to suggest why MY told us not to chant Omkara?
