Chanting Om (Aum)

[Aelwyn]

A very detailed study of the effect of chanting Om, you probably won't want to wade through all of it. However the conclusion is that even 5 minutes of this chanting can be good for us and calm us down. It appears to have an effect on the vagus nerve. I have found it helpful alongside abdominal breathing.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9015091/

[Avocado]

Interesting. It doesn't say what frequency people chant the OM at, but for adults even a couple of seconds of humming at around 130Hz (the C below middle C) causes your sinuses to resonate and release nitric oxide https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1...m.200202-138BC, which could perhaps be one of the mechanisms causing benefit, nitric oxide being known to increase heart rate variability (which sounds bad but is actually good).

[Scurrilous Rumour]

Is there any difference between chanting "Om" and singing? Singing is well known to make you feel better. Is chanting "Om" just a poor man's version of having a good sing?

[Aelwyn]

I don't know if any comparison studies have been done on physical effects of chanting Om versus singing, Scurrilous. But as you say, singing is good for us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/art...-body-and-mind

I think the Om chanting can be more of a meditative process, if you want it to be.

[Hopeforme]

Om is often said for spiritual/meditative purposes from what I know but if it works for you when you say it perhaps by activating the vagus nerve, then go for it.

[genovese]

That's real interesting about the frequency.
I'm partial to a singing bowl myself.
I use the one on https://asoftmurmur.com/

Wouldn't mind having a bowl bath with different sized and shaped bowls to find my own personal sweet spot
https://www.harithayogshala.com/blog...wl-frequencies

[Mr. Nobody]

All the vibrations loosened my teeth so I had to stop it,
I may have become enlightened eventually, but would have needed false teeth, so,.. meh