So Hum Mantra Meditation

What So Hum means

So Hum, also written So’ham, is a Sanskrit phrase usually translated as ‘I am That’. It joins two words: sah, meaning that, and aham, meaning I. In the yoga and Vedanta traditions, ‘That’ points to the wider reality of which each person is a part. The phrase appears in the Upanishads, and for centuries it has been used as a mantra tied to the breath. Tradition hears the two syllables in breathing itself, a soft ‘so’ on the way in and ‘hum’ on the way out. Because the breath repeats it without effort, it is sometimes called the unrepeated mantra, ajapa japa.

Fitting the sound to the breath

The mantra is said silently. Think ‘so’ for the whole length of the in-breath and ‘hum’ for the whole length of the out-breath, stretching each sound to match the breath as it is. Do not lengthen the breath to fit the word. ‘Hum’ is often pronounced closer to ‘hahm’ or ‘hung’. Any of these is fine, because the sound stays in the mind. If it helps at first, whisper it for a minute, then let the lips go still. Some people like to feel the in-breath rising along the spine and the out-breath descending, but this is optional.

What it feels like

A mantra gives the thinking mind a small job. Many people find this easier than watching the bare breath, because there is a word to come back to. In the first sittings the repetition can feel mechanical. After a week or two it tends to grow quieter and lighter, and the mantra may seem to say itself. At times it fades altogether and leaves a gap of stillness. When that happens there is no need to chase it. Rest there, and pick the mantra up again when you notice you are thinking.

Common difficulties

• Forcing the breath: if you feel short of air or light-headed, you are controlling it. Breathe normally for a minute and start again more gently.
• Getting the syllables the wrong way round: it does not matter. Some lineages teach the reverse order, as Hamsa. Choose one and keep to it.
• Drowsiness: sit more upright and make the inner sound a little clearer.
• A racing mind: let thoughts carry on in the background and keep the mantra in the foreground, like a tune you are quietly humming.
• Wondering about the meaning: you can hold the meaning lightly or leave it aside. The practice works as a steadying sound either way.

Building a practice

Start with five minutes once a day. In the second week, go to ten. In the third and fourth weeks, try fifteen minutes, or keep ten and add a few rounds at odd moments, such as on a train or in a queue. Some people count repetitions on a string of 108 beads, called a mala, moving one bead for each full breath. End each sitting by dropping the mantra and resting quietly for a minute before you get up. If repeating the phrase brings unease, or conflicts with your own beliefs, breath awareness without a mantra is a good alternative.