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Mantra Practice Card

So Hum

Vedic · Self-Inquiry

So Hum

I Am That

Deity
Best Time Early morning meditation and evening meditation.
Repetitions No counting required.
Chakra Ajna (Third Eye) and Sahasrara (Crown).

About This Mantra

So Hum (also written Soham) is the natural mantra of the breath itself. 'So' is the sound of inhalation, 'Hum' the sound of exhalation. The Vedic tradition teaches that every living being is already chanting this mantra unconsciously with every breath -- approximately 21,600 times per day.

How to Chant

Sit in a comfortable meditation posture with the eyes closed. Allow the breath to flow naturally without attempting to control it. As you inhale, hear or mentally repeat 'So.' As you exhale, hear or mentally repeat 'Hum.' Do not force the mantra onto the breath; allow the breath to carry the mantra. Over time, the practice becomes effortless -- the mantra dissolves into pure awareness, and the breath breathes itself.

Pronunciation Guide

Soh Hum (rhymes with 'so' and 'whom'). The 'So' naturally accompanies inhalation -- notice how the sound of air entering the nostrils resembles 'sssso.' The 'Hum' naturally accompanies exhalation -- the outbreath carries a soft 'hummm.' There is no need to vocalize the sounds; simply listen to the breath and hear the mantra within it.

Benefits

Quickly calms the nervous system by synchronizing attention with the breath. Reduces mental chatter by giving the mind a simple, natural focal point. Develops witness consciousness -- the capacity to observe thoughts without identification.

Graha Connection

Ketu and Sun (Surya). Ketu represents the dissolution of individual identity into the universal -- the 'That' of So Hum.

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