chopra

This is a meditation exercise that demonstrates the power of intention. But it is more than a mere demonstration. Do this regularly so that this ritual can focus your attention and your intention. Go to a quiet place where you are not likely to be disturbed for 15 minutes. Close your eyes, practice the primordial sound mantra- “So-hum” - for five minutes placing your awareness on your breath.

Today, decide that you will look beyond you will look beyond your own point of view. Say to someone, “tell me more about how you see things.” It’s easy to find a time to do that- just wait until you think you have the most important thing to say, then stop and let someone else speak instead. The soul takes all points of view, and the more you imitate that habit, the more spiritual your life will become. Baba* had a good way of explaining this.

“Do you know the story of the blind men and the elephant?” he asked

This is the mantra of the breath; if you observe your breathing you'll hear "so-hum" as air moves in and out of your lungs. As you inhale, the sound of the vibration is "so". And as you exhale, the sound becomes "hum". If you want, you can experiment with this. Inhale deeply, close your eyes and your mouth, and exhale forcefully through your nose. If you concentrate, you'll hear the "hum" sound quite clearly.