30. So-Ham Meditation
When you inhale, the breath itself produces the sound «So», and when you exhale it produces the sound «Ham». Together, it sounds like «So-Ham», which means «I am God.» You are constantly breathing, your very breathing naturally repeats “So-Ham”, “So-Ham”, “I am God, “I am God.”
(Sathya Sai Baba – «Dasara», 1998)
So-Ham is one of the most important practices of Kriya Yoga. Sathya Sai Baba often spoke about So-Ham meditation. At various times, he advised his devotees on various types of meditation techniques, but he recommended meditation «So-Ham» as the most ancient and effective technique leading to a high spiritual experience and a significant increase in human energy.
The first sound «So» means Absolute Consciousness. The second sound «Ham» means individual consciousness. There is another translation of this Mantra. The sound «So» means «the father principle of the universe.» The sound «Ham» is the «mother principle of the universe.» This is a very short and simple Mantra containing the entirety of the universe.
This technique is performed as follows: the sound “So” is mentally pronounced on the inhale, and the sound “Ham” is mentally pronounced on the exhale. During the execution of this technique, it is necessary to be aware of the process of your breathing, mentally pronouncing “So” on each inhalation and “Ham” on each exhalation.
The nature and speed of breathing is related to your emotional state. A person who is in a state of harmony and peace breathes slowly. A calm state of mind is manifested in calm breathing. Those who are under stress breathe quickly and deeply. A restless state of mind is manifested in restless breathing. Emotional states affect breathing. It is logical to argue that a conscious change in breathing affects the flow of thoughts and emotional states.
In a normal situation, the flow of thoughts forms the character of the breath, and during the practice of meditation, conscious breathing forms a harmonious flow of thoughts. You build your life with your thoughts, so you need to understand that it is breathing that is an important tool in harmonizing thoughts, which means harmonizing life in general.
It is very difficult to influence the flow of thoughts directly, but it is quite easy to change the breath. Many people wonder how they can calm their anxious thoughts. Breathing is a powerful key to influencing the nature of your thoughts, this is important because it is thought forms that form all the circumstances of life.
The movement of vital energy in the body is also associated with breathing. Life energy in Sanskrit is Prana. The harmonious movement of vital energy is also associated with the nature of breathing. In order to harmonize the flows of vital energy, it is necessary to consciously work with breathing.
Perfect meditation begins with mindful breathing. Conscious breathing is a method that can positively influence health promotion, inner peace and emotional stability, release from fears, stress, and depressive states. All of this can be achieved with the “So-Ham” meditation. Conscious breathing allows you to awaken and redirect vital energy.
Sathya Sai Baba said that awareness of breathing and understanding of the original divinity of your soul is important, but what words you pronounce is not so important. Instead of the mantra «So-Ham», you can mentally say, «I am God.» Inhale as you say, «I» and as you exhale mentally say, «God».
The universe is the dream of God. By practicing the So-Ham meditation, you come to realize the truth – God is within you – and, at this higher level, you begin to understand the unity of «I» and God. Sathya Sai Baba is a divine incarnation in the perfect state of the True Self, which is why everything was possible for him, because the True Self is the original source of everything.
The practice of «So-Ham» leads to the realization that «I and My Heavenly Father are one.» Realizing this truth, you begin to perceive everything that happens as your dream, and it depends only on you whether it is a happy one.