So Hum Mantra Meditation

Calm your mind and uncover the bliss within with this simple, yet profound So Hum Mantra Meditation. This is a guided practice to combine mindful attention on your breath, with the Sanskrit syllables 'so' and 'hum' meaning 'I am'. A practice to relax you, center you, and affirm all that you are.

Transcript

So for today's session we're going to be looking at a beautiful meditation called the So Hum Meditation.

This is a really simple practice,

It's open for anybody to do and it combines the use of the syllable so,

The syllable hum and focusing on one's breath to create a state of focus and a state of peace.

So before we get into this,

Why are we choosing these syllables?

What's it about?

The syllables so and hum are Sanskrit syllables that translate roughly as I am that.

So with each breath we're affirming I am that I am that I am that I am.

I am beyond definition.

I am connected to all other beings.

I am that.

You can define the that.

So often in life we can get put into boxes.

We're male,

We're female,

We're a mother,

We're a daughter,

We're a friend and this meditation is really affirming the part of you that's beyond any labeling,

That's beyond any putting into categories,

Any putting into boxes,

The part of you that simply is.

So it's a really beautiful syllable to work with and it really doesn't have any particular religious connotations.

Anybody can say this and anyone can connect to that part of themself if they wish.

So in this meditation,

As with all the others,

You can begin just by getting comfortable.

You might want to be sitting cross-legged on the floor,

You might want to be sitting in a chair.

If you know that you don't have a tendency to fall asleep,

You can even do this as a practice during Shavasana after practicing yoga.

So find your comfortable position to be in with for meditation.

Generally having an upright spine and once you're there just give yourself a few deep breaths.

Inhaling and exhaling through your nose.

Having a little check in with your body.

Observing how it's feeling today.

Having a little check in with your mind.

Observing any thoughts that have been prominent leading up to this moment.

And then the invitation here is to let them go.

Finally checking in with the space at the center of your chest,

Your heart center,

And see if you can identify what mood you're in right now.

And again the invitation here is that even this you can let go and bring your awareness back to the sensation of yourself breathing.

So if it's comfortable for you too,

I'm going to invite you to breathe in and out through your nose throughout this practice.

And you can begin by observing how the breath begins outside your body as the air around you and then travels down the back of your nose,

The back of your throat,

Down into your lungs,

Deep deep down to the base of your lungs.

And then as you exhale the air is traveling from the base of your lungs all the way up,

Back of your throat,

Out through your nose.

You might notice that the air is cool as it enters your body through your nostrils,

And warm as it leaves your body through your nostrils.

So just giving yourself somewhere between three and five more breaths in this practice.

Just following the breath as it moves in and out,

Allowing your body and your mind to begin to relax deeply,

Especially with every exhalation.

When you're ready,

You can add a visualization to this breath practice.

So you can visualize that as you inhale,

A light is coming into your body,

A healing white light traveling in through the top of your head.

And as you breathe in,

This light is drawing deep down into your body,

Down your spine,

All the way down to the base of your spine.

And as you breathe out,

This white light is traveling all the way back up your spine and back up to the top of your head.

So the circuit of light is beginning to be produced.

As you inhale,

This white light is traveling in through your head all the way down to the base of your spine.

And as you exhale,

This light is traveling all the way up your back,

All the way up your spine,

And back up to the top of your head.

Stay with this and also be aware that we all work with visualization differently.

It might be more that you're sensing or feeling this movement happening through your body.

It might be that you get a very strong visual sense.

It might be that it works for you in a different way.

It might be a sound.

So any way which this image works for you,

Play with that and create this circuit of light traveling up and down your spine.

And if your mind wanders,

Just bring it back to this image of as you inhale the light traveling down through the top of your head,

The crown of your head,

All the way down your spine to the base of your spine.

And then as you exhale,

This light traveling up from the base of your spine all the way up to the top of your head.

It's never-ending circuit of healing energy and relaxation and well-being.

So you can stay with just this visualization if this is enough for you.

But if you want to take it further,

We can bring in our So Hum mantra.

So as we inhale this light down our spine,

You can say this syllable,

So,

Mentally in your head.

So you don't need to say this out loud.

You can say this in your mind,

Timing it so it's a nice long So sound that's following all the way as the light is traveling all the way down to the base of your spine.

And as you breathe out and the visualization is of the light traveling back up your spine all the way up to the top of your head,

You can say to yourself the syllable Hum.

So we're inhaling the syllable So,

Spelled S-O.

And as we exhale,

We're saying the syllable Hum,

H-U-M.

And with each round of this breath and each round of this mantra,

We can also have this visualization of this light traveling down the spine on the inhalation and back up the spine on the exhalation.

So just take a few minutes to really stay with this practice.

And if your mind wonders,

You can bring it back to the visual aspect of the light traveling down your spine and back up your spine.

And you can bring it back to this mantra,

So,

Hum.

So on your inhalation,

Hum on your exhalation.

This constant affirmation of the part of you that is beyond definition.

So from wherever you are taking another five deep breaths in this practice,

So and Hum.

Fully absorbing the benefits of this practice deep into your being with every breath.

And when you're ready,

Slowly releasing your mind from the visualization and from the mantra,

Maybe just coming back into watching your breath again.

Observing that it's cool as it enters through your nostrils,

Warm as it exits.

Bringing your awareness back to your whole body and the space around you.

You can keep your eyes closed,

But maybe you want to move your fingers,

Your toes,

Add a gentle rocking or any other movement that can gradually build to whatever way that feels good to you.

Building up towards a stretch,

Starting to wake up a little bit.

When you're ready and you feel fully back in your body,

Gradually,

Gradually releasing your attention from your breath.

Getting ready to wake back up and come back into your day,

Unless you're doing this as a preparation for sleep,

In which case maybe stay with your eyes closed.

But if you're ready to wake up,

Then gradually,

Gradually opening your eyes.

Taking a moment to just take note of the shapes and colors around you,

Of the light and the shadow in the room around you.

And again with your eyes open,

You can end as we began just by taking a moment to check in with how does your body feel after this.

Making any little stretches and fidgets that you might want to do after sitting down without moving for quite a few minutes.

Checking in with how your mind feels,

If there are any prominent thoughts or if you have some clarity in your mind after this practice.

And finally bringing your awareness to your heart center,

The center of your chest,

Your heart chakra.

Just observing if there are any feelings that you can witness there.

And when you're ready,

Letting all of this information go.

So I thank you so much for joining me in this practice.

I hope that you've enjoyed it.

I hope that you have a wonderful rest of your day.

Namaste.

Reviews

Love this one! ✨💚

It was really lovely. I realized halfway through—as I was waiting and waiting for the so hum to begin—that I just observed that anxiousness and reaction to what felt like so much build up and lead in. It was all great, just realized I really loved and wanted the silent parts 😁. Interesting. I actually probably was looking for silent meditation today. But her words and voice are lovely—for when I’m looking for a guided meditation 👍❤️

Excellent speaking voice and just the right amount of talking. Thanks for this calming yet so much needed So Hum Meditation.

Excellent. Thank you!

Beautiful and so calming. Thank you!

lovely. really like your calming voice. thank you

Beautiful, thank you!

really like the visualization with the mantra. thank you!