AUM CHANTING
“Out loud or in silence, AUM chanting is a powerful healing force.”
“The sound of AUM is not about belief — it’s about listening, breathing, and letting the body rest in its natural rhythm.”
– JACK KORNFIELD
AUM – The Universal Healing Sound
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Chanting AUM (often written OM) works on many levels at once—breathwork, sound healing, and mindful stillness combined in a single, simple act.
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As breathwork: It gently stretches the exhale, activating your parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s natural “calm” switch.
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As sound: It becomes a vibration you generate yourself, resonating through your body and giving the mind a steady point of focus.
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As stillness: The silence after the sound is part of the practice too, offering a moment of rest in the space it leaves behind.​​​​
Why Try It?
AUM chanting is for anyone who wants to
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Reduce stress and tension in body and mind
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Support healthy breathing and lower blood pressure
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Calm the nervous system and activate the vagus nerve (a key regulator of relaxation)
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Add structure and ease to meditation
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Explore the power of sound in a way that feels both personal and universal
​Chanting AUM isn’t tied to a belief system. You don’t need to subscribe to anything
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beyond your own breath and voice. It’s simply a tool for shifting your state of being—one that people across traditions have found deeply effective.
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AUM Engages
the Vagus Nerve
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Each long, resonant AUM carries a physical vibration that you can feel in your chest, throat, and head. This vibration supports the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in relaxation, emotional stability, and restoring balance to your nervous system. That’s part of why the practice often leaves people feeling more settled, uplifted, and connected — even after just a few minutes.​ Whether you think of it as sacred or simply sonic, AUM is a steady companion for anyone seeking stillness.
AUM isn’t about magic —
it’s a vibration that steadies the breath, settles the nerves, and opens a little more quiet inside.
A Familiar Bridge
If you come from a Western background, AUM chanting may be less familiar, but its benefits aren’t foreign. Western traditions have long used sound for healing—think of Gregorian chants, hymns, or even the steady rhythm of prayer.
Modern science echoes these insights: vocal sound practices like AUM chanting can lower cortisol, ease anxiety, and help train the brain into more relaxed states.
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This makes AUM a kind of bridge practice—rooted in the East but resonant with universal human experience. Like yoga or mindfulness, it has crossed cultures because it simply works.
Silent Chanting.
Good News.
When the time for vocal chanting isn’t ideal we have another option which many feel is even more powerful—mental japa.
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Silent repetition of a mantra such AUM is deeply potent. With a bit of practice focusing on each part of the mantra it becomes ingrained and the mind sinks into deep meditation.
Before doing mental japa you’ll want to feel the vibration and sound directly. In time, the sound will begin to echo inward on its own. And feeling a vibration requires so little volume the sound is undetectable outside of your personal space. So from the start you can chant without being heard.
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Before you watch and listen
let’s run through the steps:
How to Chant AUM
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Here’s a simple way to begin. Let the breath lead, and let the sound flow naturally.
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Sit upright. Find a comfortable seated posture with your spine tall and your body relaxed.
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Inhale gently. Breathe in through your nose, steady and smooth.
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Chant AUM on the exhale. Say the sound in one slow, connected breath. Let each part flow into the next.
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(pronounced “ah” as in father): A
Start the sound in your chest and belly. It’s bright and open.
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(pronounced “oo” as in moon): U
Let the sound rise through your throat and feel it round out and deepen.
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(a closed-mouth hum, like “mmm”): M
Close your lips and feel the vibration in your head and face. This is the deepest and quietest part. Let it trail off into silence.
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Pause. Let the sound fade completely. Rest in the quiet for a moment before breathing in again.
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Repeat. Try three rounds to start. You can increase gradually as desired.
A few minutes is all it takes.
Begin.
Watch & Listen
Here are a few handpicked videos to help you explore AUM chanting for yourself. From learning the basics to diving into the sound, and even discovering the science behind it, these clips give you different ways to experience the practice.
Try one—or all—and see how it feels in your own body and mind.
How to Chant Om/Aum Mantra Chanting
Is it Om or is it Aum? How do we chant? Namaste! Let's explore the power of "Om" chanting in yoga. This video gives tips to help with "om chanting meditation" and clear up any confusion, making "aum" more accessible. Discover "mind healing" and connect with the "mantra" through this practice.​
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Creator: Namaste Yoga
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Length: 9 min
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Video by Namaste Yoga, shared with appreciation
AUM Chanting at 432 hz
Settle in and let the sound carry you. This extended chant resonates at 432 Hz, a calming frequency often used for meditation and sound healing. Perfect for a deeper session or background practice.
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Title: OM Chanting @ 432 Hz
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Creator: Meditative Mind
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Length: 3 hrs
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Video by Meditative Mind, shared with appreciation.
The Neuroscience of AUM Chanting
What does chanting do to the brain? This talk explores the science behind AUM—showing how it calms the nervous system, lowers stress, and shifts brainwave activity. A great watch if you like knowing the “why.”
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Title: Neuroscience Behind Aum Chanting - Dr. Sweta Adatia
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Creator: Dr. Sweta Adatia
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Length: 5 min
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Video by Dr. Sweta Adatia, shared with appreciation.
Variations in Practice
(A Subtitled Short)
A quick glimpse into how different traditions sound AUM slightly differently—yet each approach works. A reminder that the practice is flexible, and you’ll find the version that feels natural to you.
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Title: How to Chant AUM for Maximum Benefits?
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Creator: Parveen Sharma
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Length: 1 min
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Video by Parveen Sharma, shared with appreciation.
AUM Chanting
for Healing, Calm and Focus
Because AUM chanting has been practiced for thousands of years, there are several schools of thought surrounding it—along with many names, pronunciations, and interpretations. You can practice AUM chanting in a completely secular way if you wish.
No belief system is required for the practice to be effective. That said, spirituality doesn’t need to be excluded either. The method works either way.
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From a physiological perspective, chanting functions much like slow breathing with an added layer of vibration and auditory focus. Lengthened exhalation, gentle sound, and steady rhythm help calm the nervous system and quiet mental noise. For many people, this makes AUM chanting feel more accessible than silent meditation, especially at the beginning.
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One recommendation I picked up from a swami I trust is to “sandwich” chant japa between two short periods of stillness—brief meditations, or simply a minute of quiet before and after chanting. This allows the body and mind to settle, then absorb the effects of the practice.
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On a personal note, my own AUM practice has gone through phases, and it’s likely yours will too. That’s part of the process. The benefits often show up quickly, even as you fumble your way toward quiet.
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The 432 Hz AUM chanting video we’ve linked above is a good place to begin. Many similar recordings use a chime to help pace the breath, while others do not. Tools like these can be useful for a long time, especially while you’re learning. For some practitioners, the moment of stillness after the sound fades becomes the most valuable part of the practice.
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Over time, you may feel limited by a fixed pace. Maybe you’ll be drawn to chanting in silence. Or you may want to try gentle musical accompaniment.
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My own accompaniment varies with my mood and the setting. My chant is usually quiet—or entirely silent—focused on feeling an internal vibration beginning in the stomach with the “A” then moving to the heart with the “U” and on up for the deepest vibration in the neck and head with the “M” before fading into stillness.
As you chant AUM—or any mantra—aim for a sound that feels open and unforced.
Let vibration and attention naturally give way to stillness before the next gentle inhale.
A simple, grounded intention can help: this practice supports calm, coherence, and vitality. Then let the experience do the rest.
A Broader Map
Some people find it helpful to view their inner life through patterns and symbols.
The Chakra System is one such map—a traditional framework that explores the relationship between attention, emotion, and the body.
We approach it here in an accessible, grounded way, offering both symbolic meaning and practical reflection, without requiring belief or prior knowledge.
It’s there for those who are curious, and easy to pass by if it’s not where you are today.​
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