The Benefits of AaOoMm

The Benefits of AaOoMm
David Biron

Okabyashi Sensei's visits are always for us something to look forward to. Great wisdom, both relating to technique as well as in life in general, is always part of the curriculum. New, and sometimes strange, techniques are taught and we all are amazed at many of the things we learn.


On his last visit, he introduced to us a new type of meditation: the 'AaOoMm' meditation. For those unfamiliar with this, it is a meditation that is normally performed in groups (however I'm sure just as effective solo) and in which you breathe in through the nose and exhale chanting 'Aaaa oooo mmmm'. This is then repeated for the duration of the meditation. At first, it seemed somewhat bizarre and images of 'new age' fanatics spring to mind. However, as with everything Sensei shows us, there is a purpose.


A few days later, as we were finishing lunch, Sensei explained to us the reasons and history behind our 'AaOoMm'. He began by telling us how, years ago, he had purchased a machine for detecting and measuring alpha waves emitted by the brain. Alpha waves are normally given off by the mind in a state of relaxation and are considered useful for promoting good health. Sensei hooked himself up to this machine and began experimenting with different sounds, volumes and pitches. Through these tests, he discovered that the sounds 'Aa', 'Oo' and 'Mm' generated the highest amount of alpha waves. He also told us that the three sounds reside in different places in the body. The 'Aa' sound resides in the abdomen, the 'Oo' sound resides in the throat and the 'Mm' sound resides in the nasal cavity. Sensei then went on to explain how the creation of these sounds set up vibrations in the body which are good for your health. Sensei told us that the meditation should be done with considerable volume in order to maximise its effects.


Later that evening, we looked up in some medical books the various regions of the body affected by this exercise and discovered something quite interesting. It seems that the vibrations stimulate some very important areas of the body. The 'Aa' sound stimulates the same region as the adrenal glands which produce adrenaline. The 'Oo' sound stimulates the region of the lymph glands which destroy infection and the thyroid gland which regulate body functions. Finally, the 'Mm' sound stimulates the region at the base of the brain which contains the pituitary gland, also known as the 'master gland', which regulates most of the body's core functions. The meditation, therefore, is used not only to produce large amounts of alpha waves, but also to stimulate the most important glands in the body.


We practiced this meditation throughout the duration of Sensei's visit, normally while sitting in a circle. During one instance of this meditation, a potential new student was watching the class. After a few minutes, Sensei invited her to sit in the center of the circle. He said that this is the region where the alpha waves are the strongest. We then continued with the meditation. I asked her afterwards what it was like. Her only words were: 'awesome. It was awesome.' She joined the class a week later.


While to an outsider this meditation still may seem a bit strange and esoteric and may cause some quizzical looks from people passing by the class, the benefits of 'AaOoMm' are quite firmly based in biology and science.