O is for Om #AtoZChallenge

This year my A to Z Challenge is all about wellbeing - something I'm particularly passionate about. Whether it's physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or even the wellbeing of my business, I'm passionate about it! Today it's all about Om :D

Wikipedia
Om is a mantra and mystical sound of Hindu origin (geographically India and Nepal), sacred and important in various Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. The syllable is also referred to as omkara or aumkara, literally "om syllable", and in Sanskrit it is sometimes referred to as praṇava, literally "that which is sounded out loudly".

MindbodyGreen (one of my FAVOURITE wellbeing websites)
Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions.... read the full explanation here.

Image courtesy of samarttiw at www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Some yoga classes include an 'Om' chant either at the beginning and/or end of class, which is actually quite beautiful to listen to. When I first attended yoga and it started with this chanting, I was actually a bit embarrassed - firstly because I couldn't chant along because I didn't 'know how it went' (!) and secondly, because it was so bizarre. I thought I was just attending a class to get fitter. Boy was I wrong. Yoga is SO much more than that and I think Om is an awesome way to introduce newcomers to that fact.

Namaste