On Om

On Om

It is said that Om is the universal sound, the sound of which the entire universe is comprised.

The sound ‘Om’ is chanted as a series of sounds: ‘ah-oo-mm’. It is not so much three discreet sounds as continuous range from the deep ‘ah’ to the throaty ‘mm’. In phonetic theory, ‘ah’ is a low, back vowel and ‘oo’ is a high back vowel. The practice of chanting is an exercise in how evenly one can spread their breath through the range from ‘ah’ through ‘mm,’ not lingering too long here or rushing too fast through there. It is in essence a practice in being present, present with the current sound, the current vibration in the lungs and throat, the current moment. It is in this way that the practice of chanting Om can take a lifetime and perhaps contains the infinite.

The sensation of chanting Om can be felt deeply throughout the lungs and throat. At the initiation of ‘ah’ the vibration is emanating from deep in the lungs and even lower than that. As one progresses through towards ‘oo’ the source of vibration rises through the chest and up towards the throat as one reaches ‘mm.’ In this way chanting Om is a cleansing and healing exercise for the inner cavities of the body.

Of course, to chant one must have breath. The practice of chanting Om is predicated on the practice of the yogic breath, or tri-phasic breath, or in plainer terms deep, diaphragmatic breathing. One simply cannot chant the full sound of Om without first taking a deep inhale. One cannot produce a deep ‘ah’ sound without going to the depths of the abdomen with their breath.

It is said that a sage can tell all there is to know about someone by observing one single breath cycle. As we practicing producing a smooth a breath and a smooth an Om as possible, inevitably resistances arise, old hurts arise, and cause the breath to become ragged, to catch upon a snag in our hearts. Chanting Om is a way to practice letting go and becoming free and open once more.