Why do we chant Om?
A-U-M: why Om begins prayers and mantras, what the Upanishads say it means, and how to share it with kids.
The 60-second answer · for ages 5–10
Om is a very special sound. Our elders say it is the sound of the whole universe, like a hum that's inside everything. When we chant it slowly (Aaa… Ooo… Mmm…), we can feel it buzzing in our tummy, then our chest, then our head. It helps our body feel calm and our mind feel quiet. That's why so many prayers start with Om: it's like knocking gently on God's door.
For parents · the deeper why
Om (also written Aum, ॐ) is the most sacred sound in Hinduism. It begins almost every mantra and prayer, it is chanted at the start and end of yoga practice, and its written form is one of the best-known Hindu symbols in the world.
What the Upanishads say
The short Māṇḍūkya Upanishad, only twelve verses long, is devoted entirely to Om. It explains the syllable as having three sounds and a silence:
- A: the waking state, where we experience the outer world
- U: the dreaming state, the inner world of the mind
- M: deep, dreamless sleep
- The silence after: turīya, “the fourth”: pure awareness that is present through all three
So Om is more than a sound. It is a map of all experience, ending in stillness. In the Bhagavad Gita (8.13), Lord Krishna calls Om the one-syllable expression of Brahman, the ultimate reality.
Why chanting helps
On a simple level, a slow Om lengthens the out-breath and creates a gentle vibration through the chest and head. That naturally calms the body and focuses the mind, which is exactly why it is chanted before prayer, study or meditation. You are tuning the instrument before you play.
Sharing it with kids
Children love the physical side of Om: feeling it hum. Start there. Three slow Oms before a bedtime story or homework can become a calming family ritual. The deeper meaning (waking, dreaming, sleeping, and the awareness behind them all) can come later, when they’re ready to ask.
Om is everyone’s
Om is shared across Hindu traditions and also appears in Buddhist, Jain and Sikh practice. It’s one of the clearest signs of a common spiritual heritage.
Try this at home
Sit together and chant three slow Oms. Put a hand on your chest and feel the vibration. Then sit quietly for 10 seconds and ask: how does your body feel now?
Sources
- Māṇḍūkya Upanishad — A-U-M as waking, dream and deep sleep, and the silent fourth (turīya)
- Bhagavad Gita 8.13 — Om as the one-syllable expression of Brahman
Written in our own words from public-domain texts, as a simple way in. The original texts are always the best teacher. Spotted something to improve? Tell us.
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