What is "Strength In Om?"

Learn how failing to muscle through loss opened the door for new beginnings and a deeper universal connection.

For most of my life, I have been taught that Black women had to be strong. We learned to accept one disappointment after another and to mask it by continuing with our daily lives in an attempt to keep things from falling apart. Our collective strength was as a result of bearing the weight of the world.

By the time I reached the mat of yoga teacher training (YTT), I could not bear the weight anymore. I had gone through a divorce and the loss of several family members who raised me. The moment I learned of the meaning of Om, I had an epiphany…

“True strength is realized by our willingness to breathe through resistance with grace and ease.”

Training at Broad Ripple Fit Club (January 2016).

Initially, I returned to CrossFit to process my anger, but I had reached the crossroad of change that required more grace. That is when I became more disciplined in my yoga practice.

In YTT, I learned that Om (or Aum) is a powerful three-part chant that is typically a part of meditation practice. The three syllables “aah,” “ooh,” and “mmm” are often practiced at the beginning or end of a yoga class. The mantra represents the universe and activates all seven energy channels in the body.

During that energy themed weekend of YTT, the trajectory of my life changed. I created Strength in Om and prepared my resignation letter to my employer. More than anything, I learned that connecting with the Divine took me from trying to muscle my way through life to go with the flow.

Namaste