Creating Rituals in a World of Chaos: The Sacred Sound of AUM

A Yoga class, much like a well-designed story has a beginning, middle, and an end. In the beginning we set the Intention. An Intention is much like a prayer. You may ask for what you want for yourself. It could even be prosperity or more money, you may send healing energy to a person or group of people in need, you can simply say ‘thank you’ and bask in gratitude. Even if the Teacher has a theme planned you can set your own Intention—it is yours.

The sound vibrations from chanting helps to open the throat Chakra that we talked about in last week’s BLOG. What does AUM mean? There is even order associated to the meaning of the word AUM. A is the Alpha or the beginning. U is the sustenance, which all live beings are in. If you are reading this you are sustaining and radiating life. The M is the dissolution or end of something. The M is not bad. The end is never final because Hindu’s believe in reincarnation and that the body dies and the soul continues being born. Everything is cyclical just like the seasons.

AUM was first introduced to America on a grand scale at the original Woodstock in 1969 when it was chanted at this historical musical festival. I can only imagine how powerful that AUM sounded and felt like with over 400,000 people in attendance. In our yoga class we chant AUM to both seal in our Intention and to open to our truth. The ritual of the chant is grounding and prepares the yoga practitioner to tap into the vitality of the life affirming Yoga teachings.