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Chanting at Flow
Experiencing OM
AUM or OM as it has come to be spelled in the west is considered the all-pervading, all connecting sound of the universe. One word as interpreted as three fold representing creation, preservation and destruction. The voice of silence, testifying to the divine presence in every atom.
One of my favorite exercises with the sacred AUM sound involves a more modern interpretation of its elements. In short: "A" is the sound of infinite expanding energy in the universe, the energy of unity consciousness and Divine Love; "U" is the sound of that very energy manifesting and materializing in our waking reality; with the sound of "M" we absorb and integrate that energy into our own being. In the silence after the sound we give thanks and allow the process to resonate within us.
Try this: stand comfortably, feet shoulder width apart, hands and arms hanging easily at your sides. Prepare to make the "AUM" sound, all three vowels in one seamless breath. Inhale gently, easily, expanding into your belly as you breathe. Open your mouth fully as you inhale, as if to "inhale" the "A" sound itself, creating the intention of the sound before the sound actually begins.
Then, as you begin to make the "A" sound, raise your arms out to the side, as if opening to embrace all the universe. Than as your voice transitions seamlessly to the "U" sound, extend your arms to the front, as if to hold something precious and powerful in your hands. You might wish to visualize some shape, round and energetic, manifesting between the palms of your hands. Then, gliding from "U" to the "M" sound, bring your hands, and whatever they may contain, to your heart center. Finally, in the echo of the silence, bring your palms to your chest, pressing them lovingly to your heart. Breathe gently.
Repeat this exercise several times. It is remarkably centering and relaxing.
written by David Gorden
The Meaning of OM
Om is the oldest mantra known in India. Indian sages and Vedic scholars were familiar with OM, and used the mantra in the context of ancient rituals and ceremonies. OM was considered so sacred, it was only passed from teacher to student in strictest confidence. Initiates on the spiritual path understood its sublime meaning,and for countless generations, chanted OM before reciting hyms. The practice is very old, dating back to the third millennium BCE and perhaps earlier. Eventually, OM was written down, traced in sand or water during ancient rituals.
The meaning of OM--as well as its constituent parts, a-u-m, has been interpreted in many ways since ancient times. The Upanishads referred to it directly as the up sound, calling out or exalting sound, a sound of assent (or, "yes"!), or a term,TARA, meaning to cross or traverse--a reference to the liberating function of OM, which safely transports the yogi across the ocean of existence to the "other shore". In reciting OM, according to one scripture, the yogi can transcend the mind itself, and come to their true identity. Other yoga scriptures say that tOM, simple causes the life force, or prana, to rush through the body, like a current of energy. Try it out and notice the vibratory quality it awakens in your body!
Pantanjali, author of the famed yoga Sutras, wrote that in order to realize the mystery of the divine, OM should be recited and contemplated. When we chant OM today, we are continuing ancient and honored tradition. If you are new to the sound, and your teacher chants it during class, you may listen to it a few times before chanting aloud. Once you start, you'll be hooked!!--as it anchors the start and finish of our yoga practice, and connects us to a sacred and time-honored ritual as well as the vibratory quality of the entire life force in our world--no matter what your religious or spiritual beliefs!
(excerpted from George Feurestein, The Sacred Syllable of OM - The Vedas are sacred scriptures of India; the Upanishads are the philosophical portion of these texts.)
Chanting in Yoga
One of the delights of yoga practice is chanting. "The joy of chanting unfurls the inner world!" says Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, the spiritual leader of the Siddha yoga tradition. Krishna Das, the well know chant master and recording artist whose music is heard in yoga studios everywhere, says that chanting dusts off the mirror of the heart, and clears away a lot of stuff that gets in our way, spiritually & emotionally speaking (eg fear, shame, anger, greed, obsessive thoughts, etc etc!). There is no question that chanting and singing stills the mind, dissolves worries, frees the voice and opens up the heart. Think back to the last, great rock concert you went to...and how elated you felt afterward!!
In the yoga tradition, and in India, chanting incorporates sacred mantras and sounds like OM, and often names of sacred gods and goddesses from Hindu mythology. People wonder if we have to be Hindu to appreciate these sounds and names or derive benefit from them, and the answer, simply, is no! It's repetition of these sounds, as much as their meaning, that has the effects described above. Bhakti yogis, or those who follow a devotional path, sing all day long and they are happy indeed! So a little bhakti practice, included in yoga classes, has this rub-off effect. It's subtle at first, and you may not notice, but eventually your heart will sing! Kirtan, which we will offer at Flow, is a joyful and fun gathering to share, sing and jam together.!
While chanting is gaining a foothold in American yoga studios, still most places don't offer this in the West. At Flow, we believe these practices enrich the inner life, as much as the physical part of yoga. We invite you to explore, participate and enjoy them as part of our yoga community.!
Written by Jill Abelson
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