Word Up Wednesday

Om

(Said at the beginning of a yoga class, for example.)

I’m back from traveling and, as of Monday, back to school! The curriculum: YogaWorks 200-Hour Intensive Teacher Training. That’s right, my “mindful” musings will soon be legit!

So on this “Word up Wednesday” I’ll discuss Om. This (seemingly) single-syllable mantra (much easier to pronounce than some other Sanskrit terms I’m learning i.e. Prasarita Padottanasana A pose) is a “seed” mantra according to Yoga Journal. "Om" looks small but packs a ton of meaning. And in fact it’s pronounced in 4 parts: “ah” “ooh” “m” & silence*.

Om stands for the whole world (NBD) and apparently, when chanted, can help elicit a connection between the speaker and the divine within her very self. Tibetan scholar Lama Govinda said that Om “expresses and leads to the experience of the infinite within us” (Richard Rosen, YJ). 

I think "Om" is a good reminder to be compassionate to ourselves and to others. We have so much potential to do good, and to be good. And I believe we’re all connected. As does James Cameron. (Avatar. Think about it.) 

A

*As taught by Bian Liem at Om Yoga Center