Acharya Prashant addresses a question about the significance of chanting "Om." He begins by stating that "Om" is wonderful if understood, but he is not very sure about the act of chanting itself. He clarifies that "Om" is not a mere sound or an ordinary word with a dictionary meaning. Instead, it is a pointer, a great indicator, and a construct designed by a top-class mind. "Om" is a fantastic tool, but its design must be understood to be beneficial. He breaks down the components of "Om," explaining that it consists of three sounds: 'A' (अ), 'U' (उ), and 'M' (म). The pronunciation of "Om" involves stretching the 'M' sound until it tapers into silence. Each sound represents a state of consciousness. 'A' stands for the normal waking state. 'U' represents the dream state of consciousness, where the mind's basement emerges as dreams. 'M' stands for the deep, dreamless sleep state, where one's identity is almost fully lost, leaving only a seed and the tendency to wake up. Together, these three sounds, 'A-U-M', encompass the totality of one's life experiences, as all experience is contained within these three states. The speaker emphasizes that beyond these three states is the silence that follows the chant. This silence is the fourth state, known as 'Turiya' (तुरीय), which literally means 'the fourth'. This fourth state is the Truth (Satya), the Self (Atma), and one's ultimate reality. The purpose of "Om" is to remind you of your entire universe of experience (the three states) and then guide you to pass through them and go into the fourth state, which is where liberation from suffering lies. If you remain confined to the three states, which constitute your mental world, there is suffering. However, if you are steeped in the meaning of "Om" and realize what it stands for, only then will it help you. Mindlessly chanting "Om" without understanding its meaning will not help; it will simply dull the mind and make one stupid. This is often what cults and traditions that are opposed to understanding and intelligence want their followers to do: just believe and repeat without exercising their intelligence.