Udgitha (OM Chanting) Pranayama

When OM is chanted as a Pranayama, it is called the Udgitha Pranayama (उद्गीथ प्राणायाम).

Udgitha, means the chanting in a vedic ritual, a division of the samaveda, a name of the mystical syllable aum, a name of recommendation that “let a man meditate on om”. We call the Sacred syllable OM as Udgitha (उद्गीथ, Divine Song). This word has been discussed in depth in the ancient scripture Chhandogya Upanishad.

If you have attended an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga class, the mantra OM was chanted at the beginning and at the end of the yoga class, with the mantra of opening or closing.

In the Mandukya Upanishad it was mentioned that OM is in fact a composite of three letters A, U and M. A represents our experiences in the waking state, U represents our experiences in the dream state and M those in the deep sleep state.

The syllable OM is called by the term udgitha since a priest designated as Udgātṛ starts his singing of Sama Veda with OM in Vedic yajnas. The three parts of Sama Veda – Prastava, Udgitha and Pratihaara are sung by priests in vedic rituals. OM is the Eternal and Ultimate Refuge (Amritam, Abhayam) and that one who meditates this way becomes himself an Eternal and Ultimate Refuge.

Udgitha should be meditated as Vital Life Force or Prana. Udgitha should be meditated as Sun god. One who meditates on the Sun and its rays as separate from each other or Prana and its functions such as speech etc. as separate from each other would beget many children.

Upasana (prayer) of udgitha brings wealth. OM (or udgitha) should be meditated as Purusha (Divine Person) present in the right eye who is nothing but another manifestation of Sun (Aditya) who in turn is another manifestation of OM. Udgitha result in a Superior Divine Essence in the practitioner.

The way to do this is when we chant OM, we take a deep breath in and while breathing out slowly, we chant the OM sound. In essence, then, OM chanting becomes a form of pranayama with a deep breathing pattern. We create the OM sound by constricting the passage of the outgoing breath. As a result of this constriction, we are able to prolong the duration of each exhalation. We can thus maintain the OM chant for a duration much longer than the natural breathing rhythm.

In Udgitha Pranayama, we get totally absorbed in our own chanting, the sound vibration of the chant, and the meaning and significance of Udgitha (OM). Because everyone has a different breathing capacity, everyone chants OM at their own pace making sure never to strain the breathing while doing the OM chant.

When we pause briefly between successive OM chants, we hear the most joyful sound that is coming from the other chanters, reverberating in the room and filling the surrounding atmosphere with the vibrational energy of the OM sound.

Udgitha Pranayama fills your mind with intense peace and tranquility and can be used as an effective means of getting into deeper states of meditation.

Step by step instructions

Sit in any comfortable cross-legged sitting posture. Sukhasana (the Easy Pose) is perhaps the most common sitting posture used. However, for Pranayama you may attempt the Siddhasana or Padmasana. Choose a pose wherein you can stay perfectly still for the duration of pranayama and meditation. Keep the spine upright and tall. Keep the arms and shoulders relaxed. Palm on the knees in Gyan Mudra. Keep the eyes closed throughout the practice.

Take a couple of deep Ujjayi breaths, just making a connection with the breathing and Bandhas.

Now take a nice, deep inhalation. While exhaling, begin the OM chant, feeling the stomach being pulled in at the end of exhalation and the chant.

Continue the practice for about 10-12 chants. As mentioned earlier, stay totally focused and tuned in to the sound vibration of the OM sound throughout the practice.

Bring your awareness to the navel center (Manipura Chakra) in the region of the navel and feel as if the vibration of the initial "O" sound starts at the point in the spine which is in line with the navel center. Continue the "O" sound while slowly moving the awareness up the spine.

When the awareness reaches the throat center, at the top of the spine, convert the chant to the humming "mmm…" sound of the OM chant.

When you finish the OM sound, feel as if the vibration of the OM sound is filling the entire area of the crown center (Sahasrara Chakra).

After each OM, pause for a brief moment, feeling the vibration of OM as if filling the whole body.

Take the next inhalation and continue with the OM chanting.

When you finish the Udgitha Pranayama, keep the eyes closed and continue to listen to the vibration of the OM sound filling your entire being with this pulsating energy.