Chanting Om
I remember the first time I ever chanted Om in a yoga class. I was enjoying the sweet release of shavasana when, slowly, my instructor reawakened me and brought me back up to seated with hands at heart center. Then she said that my classmates and I would close class with one Om. All of the hard work I did to relax had suddenly vanished. I thought, “I don’t know how to chant!” I self-consciously squeaked out some form of quiet noise, muttered an embarrassed “Namaste,” and left the room as quickly as possible.
If you can relate to this, fear no more! This post will give you quick guide on how to properly chant Om, which is actually a really cool experience once you have it down.
The mantra Om is meant to represent the sound of the universe. When it is correctly pronounced, it is actually made up of three different syllables: A, U, and M.
The first syllable, A, is chanted as “aaahhh” or “aaww.” As in, “Aaww, look at that cute puppy!”
The second syllable, U, is chanted as “oh.” As in, “Oh my gosh! What a cute puppy!”
The third syllable, M, is chanted as “Mmm. What a cute puppy!”
The coolest part about chanting Om is that when you chant each of these different syllables, different parts of your body feel the vibration. It varies for each person, so I recommend chanting each syllable for a little bit to explore the sensations you feel.
The final step after chanting Om is silence. Notice now what you feel in this silence. The vibrations of Om have a profound calming effect on the mind. Chanting the sound of Om reminds yogis of their oneness with all other living beings, nature, and the universe.
*Information provided by: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7565/om-what-is-it-why-do-we-chant-it.htmlhttp://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7565/om-what-is-it-why-do-we-chant-it.html
*Image found at: http://simplemedicine.co/2011/12/18/om-namaha/
