After getting positive feedbacks about my first blog about
yoga, I started to think about writing a new one. It is not easy as I am a beginner
yogi. I don’t really know the philosophical part of yoga and the principles
behind it. However these blogs are not meant to teach you yoga as if I am the
teacher. This is about sharing my experience and if I am lucky enough it will encourage
you to do yoga or at least make you think about it. Last but not least these
blogs are meant to transfer the information that I learn in the process of
writing them. So win-win situation, right ;)
The first important question is : Have you ever been to a
yoga class? Then you are familiar with the word “OM” you see in my title. A yoga class usually
begins and ends by chanting “om”. (Mostly it is 3 times but sometimes we do
nine times and everybody chants in his own rhythm that’s my husband’s
favourite.) Om is said to be the sound of universe. It is a vibrational sound
that you make by saying “AAAAA-UUUUUUU-MMMM” in totally 4 counts while you are
breathing out and if you do it in a class with 10-15 people it is… No, it can
not be described you have to experience it.
Let’s begin with my first yoga class. All of us were sitting
on our mats in cross-legged position and waiting for the instructor. Everybody
closed their eyes as instructor told us to do (my eyes were slightly open
though to see what was going to happen.) and then she said: “we are going to start
this session by chanting three times om.” What does this mean?! We started to exhale
fully and inhaled deeply and then everybody started om-ing. I was completely
shocked, everybody was seriously doing that. The sound was mesmerizing, it was
like I was in a temple. At the same time it was funny too. I was trying to hold
myself not to laugh out loud. It seemed so absurd. It wasn’t a temple, it
wasn’t a religious ritual then why do we need to chant om to start the
practice? Ridiculous!
So as you see my first om is a complete fiasco. But after
two or three classes I decided to stop pretending but to join chanting. I am
not going to say that it was amazing or whatever. But it was relaxing. To
breathe out by making the sound om felt really good. As I was in the choir for
more than 10 years it felt like I am singing in the choir again. On the other hand, I became irritated if
someone didn’t do it in the right tone or didn’t follow the harmony (began
early or ended late.) For a while this irritation continued.
Before finishing my story, I will tell you what I learned while
I was writing this blog. Om has actually four parts: A-U-M-(silence). So you
start with A (aahhh) which symbolizes the beginning, the universe, then comes U
(ooohhh) where your lips come a little bit together. This makes you to maintain
the energy of universe. Afterwards you connect your lips fully together with M
(mmmm) sound. This sound unites you and the universe. Lastly the silence after
the vibration which will bring you awareness and consciousness.
This is easiest and understandable explanation of om. As everything in yoga, unity and awareness are
the most important parts. So why do we need to chant om to start the practice?
To bring unity and awareness to our mind and soul with the sound before
bringing them to our body physically. At least this is how I feel about it.
If we go back to my story, what happened to my irritation?
Simple. I let it go. Through yoga classes I learned that it was important to be aware of everything (
so hearing the wrong tones and early beginnings or late endings was not wrong) but
at the same time it was important to concentrate on the one and only present
time and live that moment with yourself. That’s why now I concentrate on my
breathing and let go off my voice to make the beautiful sound of om. I don’t
care if me or others are in right tone or in the harmony. Om is not about that
like yoga is not about doing the asanas (postures) perfectly or being in the
perfect flow. It is a journey to yourself by breathing in and breathing out and
living that precious present time.
Namaste!
