Even putting any spiritual or philosophical allusions aside, chanting has a positive and calming effect on the brain and central nervous system. Chanting Om brings you into the present moment and gives you an anchor to remain mindful.

This is particularly helpful when you are suffering “monkey mind syndrome,” as most of us are, most of the time. Your mind runs away with you, frantically worrying, planning and getting caught in negative thought patterns. To make things worse, you are exposed every day to a terrifying range of negative stimuli.

Om breaks through the chatter and cleanses the negativity, replacing it with a beautiful sense of clarity and unity. It acts almost as a detox for the mind.