AUM Like You Mean It! 

Sonia Stiefel  -  LA Yoga Vita  -  layogavita@gmail.com  -  (424) 224-YOGA (9642)

AUM Like You Mean It! 

At the beginning of your next yoga class be present in your AUM.  Observe it's tone, volume, length, quality, vibration, location in your body.  Observe without "correcting", without judging.  Just be aware of your AUM.  Then let it go and do your practice. 

As the universal mantra, AUM is considered capable of transformation.  Chanting AUM indicates the beginning of class, sets the tone, brings the mind and body together, and connects you to the pulsing universe.  It can be spelled Om, Ohm or Aum.  In this last spelling each letter or sound symbolizes a concept, a state of consciousness, a deity:

A - Creation - Awake - Brahma

U - Preservation - Dream - Vishnu

M - Completion or Liberation - Deep Sleep - Shiva

And the silence we observe at the end is equally important.  This silence...the unspoken...is always present, even before the "ah" and after the "mmm".  It is the universal hum.  It is primal energy.

At the end of your yoga practice, observe your closing AUM.  This final chant seals all the benefits of your practice and prepares you to reenter the world.  Observe it's tone, volume, length, quality, vibration, location in your body.  Chances are, the first AUM and the closing AUM won't sound anything alike... indicating where you began, the journey of your practice, and where you have arrived. 

- Sonia

If you are interested in learning more about the origins and meaning of AUM, you can find a beautiful explanation in the Mandukya Upanishad and in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (with translation and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda).

Please join me in any of my weekly yoga classes in studios in El Segundo, Playa Vista and Westchester, CA.  Contact me for more information or click on the studio's name to link to their website:


SONIA'S WEEKLY YOGA SCHEDULE - Spring/Summer 2012

Mondays - 8:30am to 9:45am

Gentle Yoga at Yoga Vista

A healing morning practice for all levels.

Mondays - 7:00pm to 8:15pm

All Level Yoga at LiveYoga Wellness

Sequenced asanas that are adapted/modified for each student.

Tuesdays - 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Community Class at LiveYoga Wellness

Free one-hour class.  Donations accepted.

Tuesdays - 1:30pm to 2:30pm

Gentle Chair Yoga at Westchester Senior Center

Tailored for seniors seeking strength, flexibility and balance.

Wednesdays - 8:30am to 9:45am

Gentle Yoga at Yoga Vista

A healing morning practice for all levels.

Fridays - 12:00 to 1:00pm

Gentle Yoga at LiveYoga Wellness

One-hour Yin and Restorative practice.

Fridays - 5:30pm to 6:45pm

Hatha Basics at Back for Yoga

All level class that incorporates Vinyasa Flow.

Sundays - 4:00pm to 5:15pm

Restorative Yoga at Back for Yoga

Pure relaxation, pranayama, and meditation.