You can choose to Om or not.

I very clearly remember the first time someone invited me to Om — I didn't.

I used to dance with a non-profit organization based in Durham, NC called Choreo Collective. Early on in my 8+ year tenure with the company, we were using yoga postures to warm-up before rehearsing. Near the end of the warm-up session, the instructor invited us to Om (pronounced ah-uu-mm). I chose not to for many reasons —

• I had never practiced yoga before.

• I had no idea what an Om was or its meaning.

• I didn't want to sound like an idiot.

📿What is the meaning of Om?📿

My understanding is that it's a sacred sound that unites all sounds as one. The sound is described as having three parts:

A – pronounced "ah"

U – is a continuation of "ah" and is pronounced as "uh or oooo"

M – is made by sealing the lips and is pronounced as "mmmm"

And then there's a silent pause. "According to the Vedas, a set of ancient Hindu scriptures, the silence after the “M” in om is known as Anahata Nada or 'pure silence.' Some teachings [...] state that it represents a peaceful state of consciousness."

Even now I find chanting Om challenging at times. It's certainly much easier in a large group. And it's oh so lovely sounding, especially when there's a diverse group of people in the room.

Some studios encourage the use of Om at the end of class or even at the beginning. Other studios exclude the use of Om completely. Thankfully, as practitioners, we have the option to Om or not when it's offered.

If you're curious about yoga, give my 7-day Yoga for Beginners series a try. Register for this free video series here. And don't worry, I don't invite you to Om in these sessions. Maybe next time!

Source: "The Meaning of Om: How to Use Om in Your Yoga Practice." Donna Farhi, 26, March 2021, https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-does-om-mean-explained#what-does-om-mean