23/05/2018
Mastering the Om: A Guide for Beginners
Early on in my yoga practice, I often opted out of sounding the Om . Skipping it made perfect sense: My weak vocal chords made it sound like a pathetic, whimpering whine. I could never get the timing right or take in enough breath. I simply didn’t feel it.
It wasn’t until years later, when I took up
Ashtanga, that I actually started to look forward to the mantraat the beginning and the end of class—though my sound was still mangled and I felt self-conscious in smaller classes.
What Is “Om”?
“Om” is more than just an invitation to start your practice. It is said to be the primordial sound born with the universe. As we exhale the A-U-M, its vibration links us to the original source of creation. When done properly, the sound reverberates from the pelvic floor upward through the crown of the head, filling the body with pulsating energy that simultaneously empowers and radiates tranquility.
Surprised that my body is actually working in tandem with my voice, I realize this is the first time I am not trying to emulate the elusive sound—I am the sound.
How To Om: A Tutorial
Armed with newfound confidence, I head to a workshop taught by the venerable Rama Jyoti Vernon, who breaks down the Om syllable by syllable—a-ā-u-ū-m-(ng)-(silence). Rama’s Om is unlike anything I have heard before. This soft-spoken woman becomes a megaphone for the ultimate vibration that echoes through the room.
Her tutorial is simple enough: To sound the first two syllables, open the mouth wide as if you want to take in the fullness of the universe. Pursing lips together helps stretch out the next two syllables. “It’s like both sides of the brain come together to form an arrow that is sent out with sharp focus,” she says. Place the tip of your tongue on the roof your mouth to sound the last two syllables, m and ng, which symbolize the close of the creation cycle. Let the silence drape over you before inhaling again.
Beyond phonetics, the most important lesson she teaches me is this: “Exhalation is an egoless state,” she says. “I am not doing the Om, the Om is done through me.”
# hope it will boost up your health✌too... oohh....mmmmmm