Part 2: AUM Chanting – Vagus Nerve Stimulation
According to the ancient yogic texts, AUM or OM is considered the sacred sound of creation. If you take a closer look at exactly what happens physiologically when you make this sound, it may well be the most simple ‘creative’ tool available.
- When you make a single tone sound for an extended length of time you are naturally extending the exhale. So you are breathing out longer than you breath in which will help reduce stress and activate your parasympathetic nervous system helping to relax you more.
- You stimulate the cerebral cortex which in turn also calms down the hypothalamus and even pain receptors. This may explain why people scream or yell when they get hurt too!
- The combination of the extended out-breath and the tone vibration has the effect of switching off your sympathetic nervous system and activating your parasympathetic nervous system stimulating your vagus nerve. Helping to reduce inflammation in your body, reduce stress and anxiety.
AUM is actually 3 syllables, A-U-M pronounced Ahhh, Ooooh and Mmmmm. Each of these tones creates a vibration in a different area of the body. When repeated it can become a meditation.
Ahhh = Stomach/Abdomen
Ooooh = Heart/Chest/Throat
Mmmm = Brain/Pineal/Pituitary Gland
Through this toning sequence you can vibrate and stimulate the endocrine glands and energy centers of each of these areas of your body. This has the power to create, restore and revitalise the cells and organs important for your optimum living.
However it is the higher tones of Mmmm that stimulates your higher corticol functions and glands of the pineal and pituitary.
With this exercise you will flow naturally into the alpha state and your third eye chakra will begin to be activated. This is where your pineal gland is located.
Benefits of AUM
- Decrease inflammation in the body
- Reduces stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system
- Improves concentration and helps focus
- Gets you in a meditative state for deep relaxing
- AUM can aid in self healing
- Good for bouts of depression
The FDA has approved Vagus nerve stimulation, which involves the use of a device to stimulate the vagus nerve with electrical impulses. It is being used to successfully help epilepsy patients, those suffering from depression and chronic pain. The yogis were definitely on to something.
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