Welcome to the Aum chanting practice.
Aum is a sound that has been used for thousands of years to bring balance to the mind,
The body and energy.
It's not about the sound itself though,
It's about the vibration it produces within you.
Chanting Aum activates the throat chakra,
The energy center of self-expression and communication.
It allows your voice to become in tune with your body,
Your cells in your very being.
It also helps calm the nervous system,
Ground you in the present moment and connecting you to the energy that flows through everything,
Including yourself.
This practice is an invitation to step into your voice,
Into your resonance and into the knowing that your inner sound is sacred and meaningful.
Let's begin.
Find your way into a comfortable seat,
Either a cross-legged on a cushion or on a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Close your eyes and take a few moments to settle in.
Lengthening your spine,
Relaxing your shoulders,
Softening the chest and the belly.
Allowing yourself to begin to let go of the day thus far and to give yourself permission to be fully present here.
Become aware of the sensations in your body,
Noticing how you're coming in today,
How you are feeling.
Now begin to become aware of the breath moving in and moving out,
Noticing the sensations of breathing.
In a second we will start chanting Aum.
We will take slow deep inhalations through the nose and on the exhale you will chant Aum.
It can be soft or loud,
As long as it feels effortless and natural to you.
I invite you to focus on feeling the vibration in your body rather than the sound of your voice.
So to begin,
Wherever you are breathe out.
Let's take a slow deep inhale together and on the exhale we will begin the chant.
Notice the sensation of the sound in your body,
Your throat,
Your chest,
Head and even your hands and spine.
Observe any thoughts,
Emotions or energy that arise,
Allowing them to move with the vibration.
If your mind wanders that's totally okay,
Just notice it and return your attention to the resonance of Aum.
Now last one,
Inhale.
As we sit here in silence,
Notice the after-effects of the chant.
Feeling the warmth,
Vibration,
Calmness or any subtle energy shifts.
You may notice tension releasing in your throat,
Chest or jaw and this is a natural sign of opening your throat.
See if you can become really curious about these vibrations.
These vibrations going through your body,
Moving.
If your mind begins to wander,
Gently guide it back to feeling the vibrations or the stillness and spaciousness.
And let us rest here for a few final minutes before getting back.
Now slowly begin to deepen your breath,
Beginning to feel the contact with the floor or chair,
Beginning to move the fingers,
The toes and when you're ready you may open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing today and I hope to see you again tomorrow.
