Chanting creates vibrations that directly stimulate a nerve called Vagus – a key regulator of your rest and digest system of nerves.
What is this nerve, you ask, it sounds slightly vulgar lol. Well, it depends, whether you are in good health or bad health. Let me clarify further for you.
A damaged vagus nerve can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including digestive issues, heart rate changes, and dizziness.
Here is a short list:
Digestive issues
Abdominal pain and bloating
Acid reflux
Poorly digested food
Chronic diarrhea
Constipation
Feeling full after eating very little
Nausea and vomiting
Heart rate changes such as erratic heart rate, and Tachycardia.
Dizziness and fainting
Dizziness or fainting on standing
Other symptoms
Difficulty swallowing or loss of gag reflex
Hoarseness, wheezing, or loss of voice
Unexplained weight loss
Loss of appetite
Chronic mood issues or disorders
A damaged vagus nerve can be caused by surgery, diabetes, an infection, or an auto-immune disorder.
It can also be caused by a misalignment of the C1 vertebra in your neck.
So why chanting?
First let me clarify chanting, a practice to strengthen the vocal chords in some, and a way of life for others, such as monks, and those who practice certain forms of meditation, or spiritual systems such as Yoga.
The first example is me when I was singing, I used to use these sounds and chants to strengthen my vocal chords as I was a performer. I traveled for years as an entertainer, primarily as a vocalist. These “exercises” were gold!
One of the most well known chants was brought to the forefront in the mid sixties, during the "hippie" movement, but if you listened and watched with an open heart in those times, you would have learned a lot about life and your own bodies. That aside, just what is this infamous chant.
"OM" or the correct spelling is actually AUM, it’s the magic word!
In modern day, the sound is pronounced like "oh" with a trailing "m" at the end, then why is it spelled with an A and a U, if it is pronounce OHM???
"Om" is spelled this way because it is derived from Sanskrit, where the "O" sound actually represents a combination of "A" and "U" sounds, but a more accurate pronunciation of this spelling would be closer to "Aum," with a prolonged "A" followed by a prolonged "U" and then an "M", signifying the creation, preservation, and destruction aspects of the universe in Hindu philosophy.
This was the pronunciation I grew to learn, when I was a "hippie" in the 60's (yep). The sixties were a time of digging for the truth in yourself, when Eastern religion and practises where at a high, but along the way, this practice become more of a game to the modern world, who in my opinion loves to take the "easy" road, rather than the road less traveled, and the pronunciation and the spelling, became lazy. Oh well, such as life as they say.
The practice of chanting "AUM" comes from Vedic texts, including the Upanishads and the Yoga Sutras. It is a significant spiritual sound in Hinduism.
"AUM" is an ancient Sanskrit word that is considered the primordial sound from which all other sounds and creation emerge.
It is also called Pranava.
Chanting "Om or AUM" is said to connect practitioners of yoga to a long tradition of spiritual practices, to offer a way to experience unity and peace within the self and with the universe.
To establish a spiritual connection and help individuals align with higher consciousness and to provide a sense of inner peace and spiritual awakening.
Also to produce powerful and positive energetic/vibrations throughout your body, chanting "Om" daily can be life-changing. So here we are, back to chanting and humming and why!
Chanting, or humming vibrations travel through your vocal cords and surrounding tissues, creating a subtle massage for that vagus nerve we spoke of earlier. This stimulation triggers a cascade of calming responses throughout your body:
Your heart rate naturally slows down
Your breathing becomes more regulated
Digestive processes are supported
Stress hormones like cortisol begin to decrease
Your body shifts from "fight-or-flight" to "rest and digest" mode
Why should you do this?
Every day, we’re hit with an overwhelming wave of distressing news, filling our screens and seeping into our thoughts. This endless cycle of doom, global turmoil, and political unrest doesn’t just weigh on our minds, it directly impacts our bodies as well. Studies show that constant exposure to negativity triggers the body’s stress response, making it harder to feel at ease and secure in ourselves.
The truth is, our nervous systems weren’t built to handle an uninterrupted stream of crisis after crisis. When we stay in a heightened state of vigilance for too long, stress hormones flood our system, throwing off everything from digestion to immunity to sleep.
But here’s the antidote: intentionally seeking out moments of joy. This isn’t about avoidanc, it’s about balance. Watching a clumsy puppy take its first steps, or a raccoon skillfully grabbing snacks with its tiny paws can spark the release of oxytocin and endorphins, our body’s natural stress relievers.
This is where sound therapy as I like to call it comes in.
Try this simple practice:
Take a comfortable breath and hum on the exhale, feel the vibration in your chest and throat. Repeat this chant 5-10 times and take notice of how your body responds. you may be aware of a noticeable shift in stress levels almost immediately.
If getting into an ancient practice seems too much for you to wrap around, any sound that you like can work the same way. Find your "key" and your "note" and simply hum. I sometimes do this in bed at night when I am having a hard time getting to sleep, works wonders.
Below is a very short clip with the correct pronunciation of this magic word, but hey, you do you, and chant it which ever way works for you. The point is the tonal vibration, working to help calm and heal you. Blessed Be!
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