This meditation uses the Sanskrit word ‘om’, the sound of which has an almost magical physical resonance. “Om” is pronounced  “Ah-oh-mmm”.

This is the syllable that the Creator God Brahma is said to have uttered at the beginning of creation – and it still reverberates throughout the universe today. Hindus and Buddhists use it as the most simple and powerful of mantras. Think of it as meaning “infinity” and simultaneously “zero” and you will get close to its significance.

This is a basic meditation technique and can be used for other mantras. However, you may want to repeat your mantra silently to yourself instead of out loud. Silent repetition is more difficult.

1. Find a comfortable and private place to sit - either cross-legged or on a straight-backed chair.

2. Check your posture and consciously relax your body.

3. Close you r eyes and focus your attention on your breathing. Count four beats, inhaling, hold your breath four beats, exhale four beats, hold four beats. Repeat this six times.

4. On the following exhale, breathe out the word ‘om’. Focus your mind on the sound. Repeat ‘om’ with every exhale. You may find that you sound surprisingly loud to yourself. This is good: just let the sound flow out naturally. You should start to feel the syllables resonating in your body. The ‘mmm’ should be vibrating through you. Do six ‘oms’ and then try six cycles of breathing silently.

5. Check your posture and your physical tension. Relax any muscles that have tensed up.

6. Repeat the cycle again.

7. Don’t rush from one “om” to the next, and remember to keep on inhaling through your nose.

8. When you are ready, come back to full consciousness. You may want to shake out your limbs or rub your hands together. You should feel energized and calm.