Hi,
I'm Aimee and welcome to this meditation on Sohum.
I'd like to begin by sharing a short poem.
It says,
When the world feels small and the weight of it all pulls you inward and closes you tight,
Breathe in so and breathe out hum and expand once again into your light.
For you are that.
The vastness,
The stillness,
The universal ebb and flow.
Let this mantra remind you so.
And that you are connected and supported more than you'll ever know.
The mantra Sohum translates to I am that and that can hold different meanings for each of us.
For some,
It's the universal energy that connects all beings.
For some,
It's the higher self.
And for others,
It's the divine.
This mantra serves as a gentle reminder that we are part of something bigger,
Greater,
More expansive,
And deeply supportive.
It helps us shift from feelings of contraction,
Disconnection,
Feeling small,
To a state of openness,
Possibility,
And expansive thinking.
So let's dive into the meditation.
Find a comfortable seat.
You can also practice lying down.
Allow your eyes to close and take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose and exhale fully nose or mouth.
And again,
Inhale slow and deeply and exhale completely,
Releasing any tension with that out breath.
And now allow your breath to settle into its natural rhythm,
Steady,
Calm.
And let your awareness gently scan your body,
Starting from the top of your head,
Moving down through your shoulders,
Your chest,
Your abdomen,
Your legs,
All the way to your toes.
And with each exhalation,
Release any tightness you may be holding and feel your body fully relax,
Fully soften,
And ready to receive the mantra.
Now bring your attention to the space between your eyebrows,
Your third eye,
And visualize your breath as a gentle stream of light.
As you inhale,
Imagine that light flowing from your third eye down the length of your spine,
All the way to its base.
As you exhale,
Feel the light rising back up your spine,
Back to your third eye.
If visualizing light doesn't resonate with you,
Just simply feel the breath.
Feel it drawing in and down the body and back up and out again.
Breathe slowly and deeply,
Following this loop of energy for a few breaths,
In through third eye,
Down to base of spine,
And let it flow back up to the third eye once again.
Now let's begin to add the mantra,
SO HUM.
On your next inhale,
Silently say to yourself SO for the full length of your inhale.
And for the full length of your exhale,
Silently say HUM.
HUM.
So drawing in the essence of the universe.
HUM.
Releasing into that connection with all that is.
HUM.
Drawing in a sense of greatness,
Of vastness.
We feel the body expanding.
HUM.
A deep connection,
A oneness,
An ease.
SO.
Let the mantra align with your breath.
And if your mind wanders,
Just gently guide it back to the rhythm of mantra and breath.
SO.
Now let the mantra fade and allow yourself to rest in stillness.
Feel the expanse of energy within your body,
Your breath flowing easily,
Your heart open and your entire being calm and steady.
SO.
Imagine this sense of openness,
Expansiveness radiating outward.
First beyond your physical body and into the space around you.
Become aware of the space around you.
And let your awareness expand beyond the room that you're in.
Expanding outside.
Down your street,
Through your neighborhood.
Let your awareness expand into your whole town or city.
And to the next.
And further still.
Continue to expand your awareness.
Until you are in foreign lands,
In different time zones.
And with each expansion of your awareness,
Feel an inner expansion,
An expansion of the breath.
And keep going.
Until you are out into the Earth's atmosphere.
And go beyond even that.
Into the vastness of space.
And imagine yourself as part of the stars,
The galaxies,
The infinite universe.
You are one with this vast,
Supportive energy.
You are part of it all.
You are that.
And resting here.
Fully expand your awareness.
Expanded.
Radiant.
Supported.
The mind feels open.
The heart feels open.
You are vastness.
Open to all the infinite potential.
Possibilities.
You are that.
Now when you're ready,
Begin to gently bring your awareness back into your body.
And take a deeper breath.
And feel that breath moving in and out of the body.
The rise and fall.
The expansion and contraction.
This pulse of life.
This beat.
This constant ebb and flow.
Reminding us that even when we shrink and feel small,
It is possible to expand and feel open once again.
And that it's a constant dance.
And so call on this mantra anytime you feel that you're being pulled inward.
And let it open you once again.
Back into your vastness.
Feel the ground beneath you.
Feel the space all around you.
And take another deep breath in.
And this time exhale completely.
Perhaps with an audible sigh.
And I invite you to place your hands over your heart.
Take a moment of gratitude.
For this time.
For your practice.
For the expansive energy you've connected with.
And remember that this practice is always here.
When we need to open again.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes and return to the present moment.
And carry this sense of openness and connection with you throughout your day.
Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Until next time.
