Preparation for Aum Chanting

Viniyoga: preparation for chanting Aum̐
(with hands together in a namaste posture we say:)

asya śri praṇava mantrasya
"Now I am about to chant the aum̐ mantra,"

gotama atri bharadvāja ṛṣiḥ
"Which has three sages- Gotama for A, Atri for U, and Bharadvāja for m̐,"

gāyatrī candaḥ
"In the rhythm of 3 lines with 8 syllables."

paramātma devatā
"This mantra invokes the Supreme Essence,"

aṁ bījaṁ
"With the letter A as the seed,"

uṁ śakti
"And empowered by the letter U,"

maṁ kīlakaṁ
"And unlocked by the anusvara (m̐) sound,"

sarva-karm-āmbhe viniyoga
"This mantra has the power to bless the beginning of all works."

Ṛṣādi Nyāsa: Entering the Frequency of the Sages

gotama atri bharadvāja ṛṣibhyo namaḥ
(placing one's hand on the head-śirasi)
"I enter the headspace of Sages Gotama, Atri and Bharadvāja."

gāyatrī candaḥ
(placing one's fingers on the lips-mukhe)
"I place upon my mouth the rhythm of the Gāyatrī."

paramātma devatā
(placing one's fingertips on the heart)
"I awaken the Supreme Essence in my Heart,"

aṁ bījaṁ
(holding the hand over the genital area-guhye)
"Planting the letter A,"

uṁ śakti
(touching the feet -pāda)
"Guided by the letter U,"

maṁ kīlakaṁ
(hands wave across the body -sarvaṇge)
And the sound of anusvara opens me."

Kara Nyāsa: Merging my actions with Aum̐

1| aṁ aṇguṣṭābhyāṁ namaḥ
(sliding the index fingers along the thumbs saying)
"My thumbs vibrate to the letter A, namaḥ!"

2| uṁ tarjanībhyāṁ svāhā
(sliding the thumbs down the index fingers saying)
"My index fingers vibrate to the letter U, svāhā!"

3| maṁ madyamābhyāṁ vaṣaṭ
(sliding thumbs down the middle fingers saying)
"My middle fingers vibrate to the anusvara sound, vaṣaṭ!"

4| aṁ anāmikābhyāṁ huṁ
(sliding thethumbs along the ring fingers saying)
"My ring fingers vibrate to the letter A, huṁ!"

5| uṁ kaniṇṣṭhikābyāṁ vauṣaṭ
(sliding the thumbs down the small fingers saying)
"My index fingers vibrate to the letter U, vauṣaṭ !"

6| maṁ karatala karapṛiṣṭhābhyāṁ phaṭ (palms)
(rubbing the palms together saying)
"My palms vibrate to the anusvara sound, vaṣaṭ!"

Aṅga Nyāsa: Merging all Parts of myself with Aum̐

1| aṁ hṛidayāya namaḥ
(fingertips touch the heart)
"May my chest region vibrate with A, namaḥ!"

2| uṁ śirase svāhā
(fingers touch the forehead)
"May my face region vibrate with U, svāhā!"

3| maṁ śikhāyai vaṣaṭ
(fingers on the swirl in the back of the head)
"May my back region vibrate with the anusvara, vaṣaṭ!"

4| aṁ kavacāya huṁ
(left hand on right shoulder, and right hand on left shoulder)
"May the power of A protect me, huṁ!"

5| uṁ netratrayāya vauṣaṭ
(right thumb touchs left eyelid, left thumb touch right eyelid)
"May the power of U help me see clearly, vauṣaṭ!"

6| maṁ astrāya phaṭ
(the index, middle and ringer finger are raised and slap the left palm on phaṭ)
"May the power of anusvara remove all obstacles, phaṭ"

Now feel the power of Aum̐ as you chant