Maybe you’ve heard it in a yoga class. Maybe you have no idea what it means but you know it just feels good to say or sing or think. The sound of Aum can be so powerful in centering ourselves and feeling present in our bodies. Aum-also seen as Om or Ohm-is a sacred sound and symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism. Aum is mentioned in Vedic literature (specifically, the Mandukaya Upanishad). It explains that Aum has an eternal nature. It existed in the past, is with us in the present, and will always be in the future. Aum effectively exists without time, ascribing to it a timeless and universal purpose. Interestingly, the vibration that saying the sound Aum causes in our bodies is 432 Hz, which is the same vibration of anything and everything found in nature. 

M.S Skincare founder, Anit Hora, uses the sound of Aum to bring her awareness into the present, and into her body. In her meditation practice she uses a small amount of her Restorative Body Oil, AUM, on her hands and arms, then sits comfortably in a cross-legged position, and slowly chants Aum three times. She says using the lavender oil brings her attention to the present and chanting Aum brings it down into her body. When she first developed the recipe for AUM, Anit knew it had to have that name. “Just like the sound, this body oil inspires peace and groundedness. I knew people would love this oil because needing that feeling of calm in our lives is so universal. Everyone needs a way to get a few moments of peace during the day, and a beautiful Ayurvedic oil is a great way to find them.” 

The vibration of this mantra and the idea of invoking the timeless sound of the universe can quickly inspire a sense peace and groundedness, by stimulating our “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system and slowing our heart rate, improving digestion, and lowering cortisol (stress hormone) levels. 

For more information on the sound of Aum and why we love it, here are two interesting articles from MindBodyGreen and Well+Good.