A yoga class usually opens and ends with the chanting of "OM" (ॐ).
What is OM and why do we chant it? And why I, as a non-Hindu yoga teacher, chant it?
Recently a student asked about the chanting of Om and why do we chant it 3 times? It was a very good question, as I have not actually questioned this before. It is also understandable that the student has asked this, as I know she is from the Buddhist tradition, where Om is chanted as part of a mantra.
Om is a sacred sound and a spiritual icon in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. In Vedanta tradition, it represents the essence of the ultimate reality, the universal consciousness, Brahman as well as the individual consciousness, Atman.
As Yoga is first and foremost a spiritual practice, the chanting of Om at the beginning of the class grounds us in the ultimate reality, the reality that is beyond this transactional world of names and forms. It is a powerful mantra itself, and symbolises the divine power and energy of the universe.
The Mandukya Upanishad describes four states of consciousness: waking (Jagrat), dreaming (Swapna), deep sleep (Sushupti), and the fourth state, known as Turiya. Om is said to symbolize these four states, with the three syllables A, U, and M representing the first three states, and the silence that follows representing Turiya, the state of pure consciousness beyond the other three states. I often think the silence that follows is the most beautiful part of the Om.
How does one chant 'Om'?
In Sanskrit chanting, each syllable or akshara is typically associated with a specific matra (unit). The duration of a matra can vary depending on the rhythm, meter, and style of chanting. It is crucial in maintaining the proper pronunciation, rhythm, and cadence of the mantra.
In the chanting of Om, each of its constituent syllables (A, U, M) is associated with one matra. The duration of each matra is typically uniform, ensuring a balanced and harmonious rendition of the mantra. The fourth matra is silence - the state of pure consciousness that ensues beyond all the three states Om represents.
Why do we chant Om 3 times?
It seems that the ancient scriptures did not state that we ought to chant Om three times, since Om itself is a mantra which can be chanted as many as one likes. In the Hindu tradition, Om is often chanted three times, and it could be a symbolic way to remind ourselves of the three states of being (waking, dreaming, deep sleep), and/or the cycle of existence - of creation, sustenance and destruction.
