So Hum Mantra For Focusing The Mind, Encouraging Peace

This is a short guided meditation that starts with breath awareness and Ujayi Pranayama. Toward the end, I introduce the ancient mantra, "So Hum" and invite you to link it to your breath. Listening to and reciting the sound, "So" on the inhale and the sound "hum" on the exhale. Come back into connection with this mantra translates to "I am" or "I am that" - the light that dwells within. In Vedic philosophy, "So Hum" also means identifying oneself with the universe or ultimate reality.

The track ends with the sound of Tingshas.

Transcript

Welcome.

Please arrive in a comfortable seated position either supported by a bolster or a blanket with legs crossed or seated in Virasana or if you need to lie down you may do so.

Taking these few moments to arrive just noticing the parts of your body connected to the ground and if you need to adjust please do.

Rocking the pelvis forward and back to get into a position so that the spine is supported,

The pelvic bowl feels even and sitting tall elevating through the crown of your head feeling a gentle tuck in the chin to allow your airway to be open.

Letting the shoulders relax from the ears just being aware of your space.

Taking three cleansing breaths to arrive drawing the breath in through the nose sighing the breath out gently through mouth.

Two more and now continue breathing in and out through the nose using Ujjayi breath,

Ocean sounding breath.

So constricting at the back of your throat as if you're going to fog a mirror to clean it.

This breath creates heat and the quality of the sound produced with this constriction helps to calm the body and the mind activating the rest and digest response.

Tuning in to the quality and the texture of your breath in and out through the nose and we will introduce the mantra So Hum.

This is one of the most ancient mantras in Vedic philosophy.

It means identifying oneself with the universe or our ultimate reality.

This is a beautiful mantra to come to to remember our connection to the world especially when feeling detached or disconnected.

The inhale is associated with so and you may recite that mantra internally which translates as well to I am and the exhales associated with the sound hum which translates to that.

So this is a natural sound you may tune into as you're breathing.

Inhaling so,

Exhaling hum and continue this breath matching the length internally as you recite of so to the length of your inhale and hum to the length of your exhale.

Starting for 12 rounds I'll mind the space and if you complete before I call you back feel free to sit and rest and just stay in the silence of your meditation.

Gently just bringing your awareness back into your body,

Your breath if the mind has wandered.

Allowing yourself to sit quietly for a few moments here allowing the peace to stay with you as you move on about your day or on to your next activity.

Namaste