How to Om

Om is everywhere. It’s in everything. It’s in everyone. Considered to be an all-pervading sound in the universe, chanting Om connects us to everything around us and within us. In many yoga classes, Om is chanted at the beginning and/or end of class so it’s no surprise that a student recently asked me “how do you Om?”

Comprised of three syllables –A, U, M – Om is pronounced Ahh-Ooh-Mmm. There’s a beginning, middle and end – creation, preservation and destruction. These 3 characteristics also apply to everything that has sound which is everything and everyone that has energy in the universe.

Om is best experienced with the eyes closed. Once the eyes shut, take a deep inhale and as you exhale begin your Om. Notice the first sound of “Ahh” – feel and hear it. Let the Ahh sound resonate in your chest area, heart, shoulders, and upper back.

Next hear and feel the transition to “U”. The “U” pronounced “Ooh” starts to trickle down and resonate through the belly/solar plexus/third chakra area. Naturally move to the Mmm. Finish out the Mmm by sealing the lips and letting the sound vibrate around the head region particularly the area of the sixth chakra. As you complete your Om and it slowly exits your body, feel the immediate sensations and hear the silent pause.

Chanting Om brings life into your body, presence to your mat and states your commitment to those around you. For most students in the West, it is one of the few sounds (other than breath) made in a yoga class. The next time you Om, enjoy all parts of it –the beginning, the middle feeling and sound and the vibrational ending. Happy Oming!

How Is Your Breathing?

Many people don’t give the slightest attention to how they breathe until they are told to do it a certain way – like in a yoga class. Unconscious breathing patterns can have a huge impact on the overall health of one’s body. Improper breathing can increase emotional and mental stress, create muscular tension and diminish the body’s supply of oxygen.

When teaching yoga I often tell my students “the breath is the most important element of your yoga practice.” And literally, it’s one of the most important elements in keeping us alive and healthy. Just like cars need gas to function, our bodies need breath to survive. In yogic terms, breath is our life force (aka prana). So okay maybe you breathe fully, but how do you breathe?

One of the best ways to start to fully access the simple power of your breath is to practice slowly inhaling and exhaling through the nose. As you inhale through the nose the air is purified thanks to the nose’s filtering system, which helps prevent pollutants such as dust, pollen and bacteria from entering into the lungs. When the breath exits through the nose, we tend to exhale a bit slower since the nasal passages offer some resistance vs. when we exhale out through the mouth. This is important because when the breath slows down (especially the exhale), the nervous system relaxes which in turn leads to reducing stress, calming the mind and soothing the body.

Not sold on nose breathing? Consider the drawbacks of mouth breathing: Mouth breathing dries out the mouth and throat, which can contribute to dehydration and bad breath. Mouth breathing has been associated with snoring, sleep apnea, hyperventilation, asthma and high blood pressure —all contributors to heart disease. When you breathe through the mouth, the air is colder which is shocking to the lungs, can cause irritation in the airways and exacerbate a current infection or cold.

The proof is in the pudding. Try nose breathing for a week. What do you have to lose? It’s free!

If Yoga was a Magic Pill…

1)    People would be healthier –physically, mentally and emotionally
2)    More people would smile
3)    There would be less horns blaring
4)    We’d all instinctively wake-up in the morning & stretch like my dog
5)    We’d breathe to our full capacity vs. only 50% – 60-% which is average for many
6)    The world would be a better, more peaceful place
7)    There would be greater respect for religious differences/beliefs vs. hatred
8)    We’d live every moment of life as if it were “the” moment
9)    There would be less huffing & puffing in the long line at Starbucks
10)  We’d see beauty in everyone vs. judgement
11)   We’d love every inch of who we are -no need for Botox and plastic surgery
12)  We’d live out of faith rather than fear                              
13)  We’d be “other-centered” vs. self-centered (learned this at Level II)
14) We’d live life to its fullest expression -why hold back?!?!?

Lastly, if yoga was a magic pill I would make it my duty (karma yoga) to give it away to everyone I encounter vs. selling the $35/month supply of Happy Pills I saw yesterday at my local Smoothie King.