The sound OM or AUM is believed to be the basic sound of the world and to contain all other sounds. It is a mantra or prayer in itself. If repeated, it can resonate throughout the body so that the sound penetrates to the center of one’s being, the atman or soul. Beginning the class with the sound OM helps me to get out of my head. When I am chanting I cannot think of anything else. It clears my mind, thus preparing me for my practice.
And from the Jivamukti Yoga book by David Life and Sharon Gannon, “Another reason we chant Om is that it means absolutely no-thing. It doesn’t belong to any religion or sect. It is too primal for that. Om comprises the three most basic sounds that a human being can make: Ah, Oooh, Mmm. This takes it out of the realm of the intellect. It is beyond thought so it means no-thing. It is liberating to start a practice with the experiential acknowledgment that one can go beyond thought.” ( page 13)
Allison Zimmerman Yoga 
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