Om is a sacred sound and syllable, chanted or intoned at the beginning and end of many yoga and meditation practices. In classical Indian philosophy, Om is understood as the primal sound or vibration from which the entire manifest universe is said to arise — a single syllable considered to contain, in condensed form, the totality of existence. Its use in yoga extends from a simple opening and closing chant in a modern class to a central object of meditation in more advanced contemplative practice.
Etymology
Om (often written as Aum) is composed of three sounds — “A,” “U,” and “M” — which blend into the single syllable heard as “Om.” Classical commentary, notably the Mandukya Upanishad, treats each of the three component sounds as symbolically significant, representing successive states of consciousness, with the silence following the syllable representing a fourth, transcendent state beyond ordinary waking, dreaming, and deep sleep.
Om in Classical Philosophy
The Mandukya Upanishad, one of the shortest but most philosophically dense Upanishads, is devoted entirely to an analysis of Om. It maps the sound’s three constituent parts onto waking consciousness (A), dream consciousness (U), and deep, dreamless sleep (M), with the silence that follows the sound representing turiya, a fourth state of pure, undivided awareness beyond the other three. In this framework, Om functions as a symbolic map of consciousness itself, not merely a religious or ceremonial utterance.
Om in the Yoga Sutras
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras directly address Om, referring to it as pranava and identifying it as the sound-symbol (vachaka) of Ishvara, the particular focus of devotion described within the text. Sutra I.28 recommends the repetition of Om together with contemplation of its meaning as a specific technique for calming and focusing the mind, situating the syllable as a practical tool for concentration (dharana) rather than solely a philosophical abstraction.
How Om Is Practiced
In contemporary yoga classes, Om is most commonly chanted three times at the beginning of a session, as a way of settling the group’s attention and marking a transition into practice, and sometimes repeated at the close of a session as well. In more sustained practice, Om may be used as a mantra for meditation, chanted repeatedly (japa) or held silently in the mind as a single point of focus, following the guidance given in the Yoga Sutras.
Common Misconceptions
A common misconception treats Om as a simple, single vowel sound with no deeper structure or significance beyond its use as a greeting or opening chant. Classical texts treat the syllable as a highly structured symbol, with each of its component sounds and the silence that follows carrying specific philosophical meaning tied to states of consciousness.
A second misconception assumes Om is exclusively a Hindu religious symbol without relevance outside devotional contexts. While Om carries deep significance within Hindu philosophy and ritual, it is also treated in the Yoga Sutras as a practical concentration technique available to any practitioner, and the sound appears with related meaning across other Indian traditions, including Buddhism and Jainism, reflecting a broader cultural and philosophical significance beyond any single religious framework.