Chants

Om, Ram, Ham: What the Meditation Chants Mean

Many Synawake sessions include deep, slow chants: Om, Ram, Ham, Om Mani Padme Hum. They come from old meditation traditions. Here is what they are and how to use them.

By Synawake · Updated 2026-10-29

Om: the best-known sound

Om (also written Aum) is a sacred sound in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions. It is often described as the sound of everything, the beginning and the end. Chanting or listening to a long, slow Om is one of the simplest meditations there is: it gives the mind a single sound to rest on, and the long out-breath slows you down.

Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham: the seed sounds

In yoga traditions, short syllables called bija mantras (seed sounds) are linked to the seven chakras, energy centres along the spine:

You don't have to believe in chakras to enjoy them. As sounds, they are short, deep and buzzy, and humming them creates a gentle vibration in the chest and face that many people find calming.

Om Mani Padme Hum

This is the best-known mantra in Tibetan Buddhism, linked to compassion. It is often translated as "the jewel in the lotus". Tibetan monks chant it slowly, in deep voices, sometimes for hours.

Om Ah Hum

A short Tibetan mantra often used to begin or end a meditation, linked to body, speech and mind.

How to use chants in meditation

1. Just listen first. Let the low voices carry you, and follow one sound from start to end.
2. Hum along quietly if you like. A long "Mmmm" on the out-breath is enough.
3. Breathe out slowly with each chant. That long out-breath is part of why chanting feels calming.

In Synawake sessions, chant parts and quiet music-only parts take turns, so you can sink in without the chants ever feeling too much. Roots uses Lam, Ram and Ham; Stillness uses Om Mani Padme Hum; Heart Light uses Yam and Ham.

These chants come from living spiritual traditions. We use them with respect, as sounds for calm and focus.

Questions

What does Om mean?

Om is a sacred sound in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions, often described as the sound of everything. In meditation it gives the mind one calm sound to rest on.

What do Lam, Ram and Ham mean?

They are bija mantras, or seed sounds, traditionally linked to chakras: Lam to the root, Ram to the solar plexus and Ham to the throat.

What does Om Mani Padme Hum mean?

It is a Tibetan Buddhist mantra linked to compassion, often translated as "the jewel in the lotus".

Synawake is relaxation and focus music, not a medical treatment. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Don't listen while driving or operating machines. If you have epilepsy, a seizure disorder or a heart condition, ask your doctor before using binaural beats. If sleep problems or anxiety last a long time, please talk to a doctor or therapist.