Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Christian mantra ~ IAO
Hans Lietzmann mentions the use among gnostic Christians of
what appears to be a mantra: IAO. It seems to me likely that there was Indian
influence on popular religion in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Hindu and
Buddhist practice of repetition of a sacred word, probably for the purpose of
stilling discursive consciousness, found its way into Christian practice, especially
in monastic circles. IAO might have been
a Christian example.
Alpha and Omega, preceded by Iota (the smallest letter, close to the center of the alphabet)
could refer to the conclusion of the ancient “Lesser Doxology: now, and forever unto ages of ages. This
differs slightly from Eastern to Western use. The Western form adds a reference
to “the Beginning” (Sicut erat in principio…) But if forever in the Eastern form be taken to mean from the beginning of time, the order of IAO can be discerned: Now,
the Beginning, the End. As such, IAO could be an abbreviated form of
the Lesser Doxology. It could also be understood as a reference to all-encompassing
Divinity. IAO could also be interpreted
as the divine conquest of time, an invocation of Eternity.
Ultimate Being is also the meaning of the Hindu OM. In chant practice, this word sounds
like a-o-um (all vowels in their “long” sounding). Sometimes e-a-o-um. This
sound comes pretty close to IAO.
