Online Beginner Yoga, Or Any Other Yoga, May Not Om Enough?
By Chris Lalor, Certified Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher and Certified Yoga Therapist, and Dr Stuart McGill, Yoga Teacher, Flametree Yoga Darwin
Online beginner yoga, or any other yoga, could probably benefit from doing some OMs.
Short answer: chanting Om is a traditional way to begin or end a yoga practice. Many students find it calming, and some early studies report lower stress and heart rate. It is not a religion, and you can chant aloud or silently. We only do it in a few classes. Feel free to check with your professional advisers if you wish, but also give yoga a try. Last updated: 25 October 2026.
It’s only in a few classes that we do an Om. It’s worth thinking about why that is, and if we should do more of it.
Essentially, in the in-studio and online beginner yoga, if we did Om more, newcomers may think we were too weird!
Beginners, and even many long-term yoga students, still think that yoga is mainly about its fitness benefits. As you may know, there’s many more benefits beyond just strength, health and flexibility.
Even when people understand that yoga benefits come from things like it’s impact on your glands, they still don’t realise that sounds can also have a significant part to play in the benefits that you get.
Once you look at the science and benefits of an Om, we probably should get over feeling self-conscious, or wierd, and just do more of them.
Below, I outline why.
The science of the Om
I was also talking to a student teacher about his experience of teacher training at another studio.
He was amazed that the teacher trainer took time to show the yoga teachers how to make the sound Om.
He thought it was kind of obvious!
I now know that teaching a person how to Om made sense.
There are definitely ways you can get more effective at chanting and Om, and get more from it. I’ll also talk about this issue.
The OM, & yoga, is not about religion!
First, I just want to stress that yoga, and OMs, are not religious.
Chanting OM means different things to different people.
For some it is a very powerful way to start and finish a yoga practice.
For others brought up in the West it feels too foreign, or weird.
Confusion can arise because some may feel that they are involved in practising a religion. Some religions do chant Om.
Yoga, however, is not a religion. It is a secular discipline that promotes self-awareness. In the process, it makes you fit, strong and flexible.
When you understand the science behind chanting OM, I also think you feel differently about chanting OM.
The Om is a vibration that exists in nature
When an Om is done before and after yoga, it helps you tune in to your own internal vibration. It also helps focus and still your mind, as well as appreciate that you are part of a wider universe.
The word ‘OM‘ is made up of three letters A U M.
Using it as a chant has its origins in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Â It denotes spirituality.
AUM is the basic sound of the universe. Chanting Om helps connect and unite you to yourself, as well as to the whole universe.
So when it is chanted, it connects us on a vibrational level to everything in nature.
Some traditions say that Om matches a vibration found throughout nature. That is a traditional idea, not a measured fact.
For example, many people find that sitting on a beach and watching the sunset brings a quiet much like the quiet after an Om. That’s another reason a sunset feels so pleasant.
A tall, easy seat is a good place to start chanting.
Benefits of Om
Many students find chanting Om calms the mind. Â It can lift the mood.
It also allows you to surrender and let go of all the “stuff” of your everyday life. It allows you to come into the present moment.
To chant at the start of a yoga practice helps cleanse and focus the mind. It develops intent. It helps you say to yourself: “Now is the time for yoga”.
The three letters AUM, when chanted, become OM. That’s because in Sanskrit when U follows A they coalesce into a long “o” sound.
How to chant Om
To produce the sound in the most effective way, take a deep breath in. Then, on the exhalation, chant OM.
I find closing the eyes allows you to more fully feel the vibrations that run throughout your entire body as you chant.
OM can be chanted silently or aloud.
Your whole body is used in chanting Om, from stomach up to the heart, mouth, and lips. Chanting Om also helps relax the stomach and deliver a feeling of complete peacefulness.
The health benefits of the Om
Many people notice an effect, both physically and mentally, from chanting OM.
Some traditions say the different syllables of AUM are felt in different parts of the body.
Some early studies report that chanting Om may reduce stress, anxiety and heart rate. A likely reason is its effect on the parasympathetic nervous system.
The long exhalation that takes place during the OM, releases a response in the parasympathetic nervous system, due to the  stimulation of the vagus nerve.
Nitric oxide and humming
Some research on humming reports that it increases nitric oxide in the nose and airways. Humming is like the “M” sound at the end of Om. The research is early.
Nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels and helps blood flow. That is why researchers are interested in it, but we do not claim that chanting prevents or treats any condition.
Nitric oxide also plays a part in the immune system. Again, this is early research, so treat it as interesting rather than settled.
How to chant Om in four steps.
How many times should you OM?
Practice chanting Om and you shall see the benefits for yourself.
In particular, try how many times you need to chant Om to get an effect that you notice. Also check out any longer-term effects that you notice.
Some experts suggest chanting the Om up to 10 times, is about the ideal number of repetitions.
I suggest keep an eye on the effects over a week, a fortnight, and a month. Personally, I have found that some effects will only first be noticed over a few weeks. Other effects, such as being calmer, or sleeping better, may only take several days.
Other feelings, such as greater happiness, may be noticed, as you look back over several months.
Most of all, you may find that the effects creep up on you. After a certain time, you will realise that something has changed, and you’ll know that it is chanting Om that has made the difference.
Questions people ask
Is chanting Om religious?
Yoga is a secular discipline, and Om means different things to different people. Some religions chant Om. You can chant aloud or silently, or simply listen.
How do I chant Om?
Take a deep breath in, then chant OM on the breath out. Closing the eyes helps many people feel the vibration.
How many times should I chant it?
Some experts suggest up to 10 times. Notice the effects over a week, a fortnight and a month.
Does chanting Om have health benefits?
Many students find it calming, and some early studies report lower stress and heart rate. The research is early, and we do not claim it prevents or treats any condition.
How do I start at Flametree?
If you are new to Flametree, your first class is free. After that there is a half price beginner deal, 12 classes for $59.50. For the studio, just come along. For online, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.
