By Lina Garcia

Throughout history, humankind has utilized symbols as a form of expression and to represent spiritual events, love, war, and as self-identification. Whether you’re a long-time Yogi or not, many are curious to know what the popular OM symbol really means.

Maybe you’ve heard it during Shavasana, or chanted it with devotion during yoga and meditation class. You may have noticed it commonly used today on jewelry, yoga clothing and at yoga festivals.

But what’s the true and significant meaning of the OM (rhyming with “home) Symbol? Some simply describe it as the “sound of the Universe.” However, the full answer is much more complex than the tiny, vibrating sound itself.

If you’re looking for a formal definition of Om: Om is the beginning and end of all creation, containing all power found in the universe.

It is ancient Sanskrit and said to have originated from yogic sages as they meditated. As they shared many unifying experiences, the word “Om” was created for everyone to use.

Made up of the sounds of the letters A-U-M, Om is also all about threes. It is made up of three syllables: A, U, and M, or, phonetically, “aaah,” “oooh,” and “mmm.” Therefore, some say it is the representation of the three Hindu gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

Other scholars say the actual shape of the symbol represents the syllables of the word: the ‘three’ being the Sanskrit letter for ‘aahh’, the small ‘s’ is the ‘oooh’ and the half moon at the top is the ‘mmm’ sound.

Still others say the symbol is connected to Ganesh, the Hindu half-elephant god who removes obstacles, because if you look closely, you can see his rotund curves and graceful trunk within the symbol itself.

Whether Om is the beginning, middle, and end or the past, present, and future, chanting it increases your awareness of the physical world and body. When you vibrate the sound from your lips and through your chest while practicing Kundalini, Ashtanga or other yoga disciplines, you’ll feel transported and more connected between your mind, body and soul.

Please join us at OM FEST to experience various yoga disciplines and the full benefits of chanting the ancient mantra Ommm, together as a community!