While I was in massage therapy school in 2000, I decided to explore yoga. I have always had difficulty relaxing. I can remember after my first yoga class experiencing the most peace and presence I have ever felt in my life. I felt like I was looking at the world through a new lens. I began experimenting with all different types of yoga. I couldn’t reach that initial state of relaxation every time, but I kept searching for it.
Around this time, I was taking Reiki Level 1 in massage school. We learned about the seven chakras, the points of energy starting at the base of the spine and extending through the crown of the head. Each chakra has association with certain emotions and feelings. I learned that when a chakra is out of balance it can lead to both physical and mental discord. It’s a fascinating and beautiful concept, and there is a great book about the chakras called the “Anatomy of the Spirit” that relates the chakra system not only to Hindu traditions, but also to Christianity and Kaballah traditions.
This book, along with yoga practice and other holistic healing methods helped me through a difficult time in my life. The “om” or “aum” symbol is the seventh chakra. This is the symbol that I chose as the logo to represent my practice. The seventh chakra is known as “the seat of the soul,” and its location is the crown of the head. It is also known as the universal sound that is sung in most major religions. Many yoga practices incorporate the chanting of “om” before the meditation portion of the practice.
The “om” symbol was also the first tattoo I got when I was 21. Way back then, I brought a picture of it to the tattoo artists and they had never seen it before. These days, many tattoo parlors display this image somewhere on their gallery walls. I’m glad this symbol has gained popularity and I hope that people are embracing the meaning of the symbol in addition to its unique beauty. If you have ever been a part of “a sea of oms” at a yoga class, you know that it is an amazing moment of connection. For that short moment, it is as though the group is a unit making one collective, beautiful sound.
If you are not a yogi or you don’t have knowledge of different spiritual practices, that’s fine! I am not asking anyone to grasp a meaning that will go against what they believe in. To me, the symbol of the seventh chakra is simply a reminder of the divine, and that I am still on my spiritual path.
If you are interested in learning more, here is an article on the symbol itself, as well as the other chakras.
