Yoga Philosophy: OM

Ommmmmmmmmm

If you've been practicing at the studio for any amount of time, no doubt you've been in a class where we have chanted OM at the beginning or end of class. Maybe you chanted along with the teacher and the rest of the class, or maybe you just listen in (either is great!) and we want to make sure you know what OM is all about and why you would want to chant it in the first place.

OM is the resonance of the universe. In Hawaiian culture, it's similar to chanting the sound of the vowels, A-E-I-O-U. It's the sound of the sum of all the vibrations of every single atom spinning around and within us. 

OM is also an expression of the states of consciousness through its three part sound: AHH-OOH-MMM plus the resultant resonance afterwards. Here's how you can conceptualize of this: 

The AHH sound is jagrat, the state of waking awareness, which vibrates int he lower abdomen. 

The OOH is swapna, or the dream state, which vibrates in the solar plexus

The MMM is sushupti, your deep sleeping/unconscious state, which vibrates in the lips. 

Finally, the unstruck sound, the resonance of sound after is has completed, is turiya. Turiya is pure consciousness.