The pounding of drums, the crisp sound of a well played guitar, the harmony of human voices; all components of live music. What sets live music apart from the radio? Vibrations and human camaraderie! Vibrations are all around us; even in things that may seem stationary, such as a rock. Inside of the rock atomic particles are bouncing around just like every cell within the human body. Somewhere in history the sounding of “om” was designated the dial-tone of the universe; the sound which all particles vibrate in harmony. OM is a celebration of life, and often sounded during class to celebrate coming together for the practice of yoga. Much like one would yell WOOOH! at the during an awesome rock concert. OM feels good and puts a smile on your face. There are possibly medical benefits such as: stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and endocrine glands, massaging the sinuses and throat, and loosening up the lungs.
There are three parts to om: ahh-ooh-mmm. The sound ahhh is associated with relaxation of the body and mind, so feel free to ahhh anytime of the day. These three parts can be represented as the circle of life: beginning, intermediary, and end. You can also look at it as sunrise, day, sunset or body, mind, and spirit. The three part correlations are only limited to one’s imagination.
OM means different things to different people across the globe, the beauty of OMs and yoga is the intention you put into your practice. It can be deeply spiritual, it can be for the physical benefits, or just for fun. OM has evolved in history just as the practice of yoga has, it is a non-specific spiritual and physical practice where all people can co-exist and celebrate the joys and challenges of life.
Pose of the week is sukhasana (sukha-easy, asana-pose). Sukhasana is sitting on the floor crossed legged, spine straight, shoulders relaxed, and chin slightly tucked towards your chest. Sukhasana is a classic meditation pose and many other asanas build from this pose. Sit in sukhasana (sitting on a pillow or stacked blankets can be more comfortable), close your eyes and concentrate on your breath, allowing the breath to slow down and become long and light. As your breath slows down let your mind slow down. Let the belly expand on the inhale and fall on the exhale. Sit and meditate for 5 minutes (or longer), then bring your hands together in prayer pose, inhale, and sound three long OMS. Sit for a couple more breaths and feel the power of your own voice, then enter your day in a new state of mind.
OM can be spelled ohm, aum, or just om. Everybody sounds different when they OM, there is no wrong way as long as it feels good. Sounding a long ahh-men (amen) will give you the same benefits. Allow the throat and face to relax and enjoy the sound of your own vibrations. Rock out, and OM on!
Arianna Gaesswitz, Yoga Instructor
(479) 200-3086
Arkansas Yoga Center – www.aryoga.com
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