The practice
Sit and chant a long AUM aloud, slowly, on one comfortable exhale. Let the final sound thin out rather than stopping abruptly. Then do not chant again immediately — stay in the silence where the sound just was, for as long as it holds. When it thins into ordinary silence, chant once more.
What it works on
The chanting is preparation. The practice is the space after it, which is why the instruction insists on slowness: a hurried chant leaves no usable silence behind it.
Notes
- Ten unhurried rounds is plenty.
- Shoonyaka teaches AUM as a chanting practice too, with a mala counter, if you want the repetition rather than the silence.
Practise gently
Shoonyaka offers educational and contemplative material, not medical, psychological or religious authority. Nothing here diagnoses or treats any condition. Stop any practice that leaves you dizzy, frightened or unwell, and treat a strong reaction as a reason to rest rather than to push on.