One of the most common types of meditation practiced in India is mantra meditation. Mantra meditation is essentially a technique that involves the use of mantras to relax and focus the mind. In this kind of meditation, a mantra which is a syllable, word, or phrase is chanted, spoken, whispered, or repeated in the mind and treated as the focal point. And the most profound universal mantra that one can use for mantra meditation is so’hum also known as the huṁsa mantra. It doesn’t require any initiation to practice it. It belongs to everyone, to you, to me, to us and is a powerful mantra that can change the way you perceive the world.
What Is So Hum Mantra?
Sohum is derived from Sanskrit and means “I am That”. That represents the universe or ultimate reality and chanting this mantra represents identifying with the omnipresent. We chant this mantra to realise that we are all one, we have all come from one Infinite Source, and a part of that Infinite Source is present in all of us. ‘Om’ is the sound of the universe and So’hum is said to be the natural sound of the breath. Om So’hum means, “I am the universe, I am part of it, I am connected to that Infinite Source. Anyone can use this mantra regardless of their faith or belief system.
Chanting Om So’hum for 10-15 minutes a day can relax the breathing and balance our inner energy flow. Practicing this mantra with meditation can bring calm and positivity within our mind, body, and soul.
Meditation With The So Hum Mantra
Swami Satyananda Saraswati explains that when you chant Sohum, the breath inhales with the sound of So and exhales with the sound of Hum.
By repeating the mantra mentally or verbally and synchronising it with the breath, we control our breathing and in turn control our minds and bodies. It helps us enter a deep state of relaxation and concentration, which is essential for the practice of meditation. It also serves as a constant reminder of our true nature which can lead us to perfect indiscrimination.
Additionally, as our breathing slows and our heart gets calmer, the prana, or life force is withdrawn from our senses. This means that external stimulus does not distract us, so our focus and attention can be directed inwards to go deeper and deeper into meditation.
To conclude this article, we’ll leave you with an intuitive thought by Swami Vivekananda.
“Think always “So’hum, So’hum”; this is almost as good as liberation. Say it day and night; realisation will come as the result of this continuous cogitation. This absolute and continuous remembrance of the Lord is what is meant by Bhakti.” – Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda.
Learn the Om So Hum mantra on the ThinkRight.me app.
To understand how meditation can help you, listen to this guided meditation by BK Shivani.
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