0Sohum Meditation
Those people who don't have any inclination towards any particular God but still want to worship the almighty can do Sohum Japa. Sohum Japa does not require any mala or rosary. It is the Japa done with the breath. Sohum is the natural sound of human breath. 'So' means him (God, the Paramatma), and 'Hum' means 'I'. So Sohum means Like God Like me. It means I am like him. This Japa is also called Ajapa Gayatri. Ajapa means the Japa, which is done without using a mala. This Japa will help you to become like him, like God.
While doing Sohum meditation, you should sit on your woollen yoga mat in Sukhasan or Padmasan and hands in Gyan mudra. Focus on your breath. While inhaling, say 'So' in your mind. While exhaling, say 'Hum' in your mind. Keep your eyes closed. You can start with 50 breaths and increase it by 50 breaths each month till you reach 200/250 breaths. If thoughts come to your mind, just ignore them and bring your attention back to your breath. If your mind wanders during meditation, gently bring it back to focus on your breath.
It is best if you have finished your morning rituals like brushing your teeth and bath before doing this. You can also do this before sleeping. The stomach should be preferably empty. You can also do this after a light meal but not a heavy meal. Focus on your breath.
Sohum will make your mind calm and peaceful. Sohum is a moksha mantra like Om. But it is widely believed that Om is to be chanted only by Sanyasis, but anyone can chant Sohum. Remember, you have to say it in your mind, not aloud.
Don't mix Sohum with other forms of worship. If you want to do, Sohum, just do Sohum. If you have any attachment for any other God like Shiva or Krishna, do the normal Japa with a rosary. Don't mix both. All the mantras are equally effective. What is important is your attachment or inclination to the particular God. Sohum is also at par with all the other mantras of different Ishtadevs. If you remove Sa and Ha from Sohum, it becomes Om. So Sohum is an expansion of Om. Om means Paramatma.
You can practice Sohum while sitting idle or working, practically any time and any place. Just focus on your breath and do as advised.
