I tend to overthink.
Maybe you know that feeling.
Even as a kid I was already a “big thinker”, more so in the sense that I had (still do) a lot of imagination. Many, many invisible friends. Many stories we made up together, hoping they could help me make sense of the world.
Different story, though. Not for today.
The Mind That Tries to Make Sense of Everything
Over time, the mind’s activities changed and shifted.
Fewer invisible friends (more real ones, thank goodness), but still the “need” to make sense of the world.
Asking questions.
Trying to analyze, and yes, often overanalyze.
I have a feeling you’ve been there too.
It’s fine.
It’s not that I judge myself for it. Well, sometimes I do (who doesn’t?), but mostly I try to use the tools I have to find my way out of the loop.
And there’s always this one voice, actually many voices, combined into one, that says:
“You need to meditate. Find ways to quiet your mind.”
Every yoga teacher, every meditation teacher, every spiritual teacher I’ve ever had in my life has said those exact words.
Every. Single. One. Of. Them.
Every reader: from astrology to human design, numerology, Mayan calendar, Gene Keys, you name it… I’ve tried it.
And every one said that for me, the only way through is to quiet the mind.
(Little side note: What they’d say for you might be something entirely different.)
When I Don’t Meditate, I Notice (And So Do My Friends)
So, you already know that I meditate. I still do - every day.
And the times I don’t? I can tell. My poor friends can definitely tell, too. And they do tell me…
Of course, most of the time they don’t have to. I can feel myself spiraling out.
I did learn a thing or two in all these years.
What still amazes me, though, is how much meditation helps when my mind gets too active.
Who’s Thought Is It, Anyway?
Sometimes it feels like my mind just absorbs everything.
Everything I read, everything I hear, everything I talk about with friends, family, at work.
And sometimes there is so much information, I can’t even tell which thoughts are mine and which ones have absolutely nothing to do with me.
That’s exactly where sitting in meditation comes in.
Returning to Mantra
For the past few weeks, I’ve been practicing a mantra meditation.
(You might remember from my last letter - I’ve become slightly obsessed with mantra lately.)
Besides listening and chanting Hanuman, I went back to a mantra meditation I hadn’t done in a while:
So Hum
It’s a really simple meditation.
I mean - as simple as meditation can be.
You sit.
Close your eyes.
Observe your breath.
Then attach the mantra to the natural rhythm of your breath:
Inhale → internally repeat So
Exhale → internally repeat Hum
So... Hum...
What “So Hum” Means
So = "That" (the universe, the divine, the infinite)
Hum = "I am"
Put together:
"I am That."
It reflects oneness with the universe, the divine Self, or pure consciousness.
It’s said that this mantra helps you transcend the mind.
And here’s how it tends to work:
1. Deep Relaxation
Focus on breath and repetition calms the nervous system
Reduces stress, anxiety, and heart rate
2. Mental Stillness
Interrupts habitual thought loops
Creates space between thoughts → opens access to pure awareness
3. Identity Dissolution
Softens the ego
Reminds you that you are not separate from the whole
4. Energetic Alignment
Breath + sound + awareness = subtle energetic tuning
Especially affects heart and crown chakra energies
5. Transcendental States
As mind quiets, awareness deepens
Opens the doorway to being, beyond thought, emotion, or identity
What It’s Been Doing for Me
The mental stillness, the softening of identity - I’m not quite sure if “real” transcendence has happened yet (and what does real even mean?), but I can say this: it’s been a lifesaver when it comes to not getting too attached to my identity.
Not that I don’t want to be me. I really do.
But I don’t want to buy into all those assumptions of who I should be or how I should act. I don’t want to get caught up in my own life story.
Just because it’s a stressful phase at work - I don’t want to start over-identifying with my “work self.”
And just because I’ve only been teaching one class a week, and not even one that’s open to many people - I don’t want to fall into the trap of thinking I’m not worthy of teaching more than that.
What If Getting Off Track Is the Path?
What I want is to stay open and curious to what life has to offer (at least as best as I can), without needing to know the end of the story - just because I’m afraid I might get off track.
Because maybe getting off track is the whole point of the story.
Maybe that’s where it gets interesting, when things show up that I didn’t even know existed.
And maybe I am not even getting off track.
Maybe getting off track is the path:
To stay curious. To stay open.
Maybe even adventurous every now and then.
That Feeling Never Left Me
I was reminded of that this week - of an adventure I took many, many years ago that quite literally changed the trajectory of my life.
And what’s interesting is that to this day, I still carry the feeling of that moment, when I allowed myself to let everything go, literally and figuratively, and just followed my inner guidance.
Yes, it was a real privilege in many ways.
And yes, I need to tell you about that trip one day, I know.
But today isn’t about the trip.
It’s about the meditation.
So, what I want to say is: I carry this feeling with me. And lately, I’ve felt glimpses of it coming back to life, in the most unexpected ways.
But to really feel it again, I had to quiet my mind.
And that’s exactly what So Hum has been doing for me.
Try It For Yourself
And I want you to try it!
Because I want to know what this meditation might open up for you.
With Music or Without — Up to You
As for the meditation, it felt like I wanted to give you choice, so above is the meditation with some simple background music and below it is just the meditation, no music at all.
Try it and also let me know which one you prefer.
Okay, that’s it for now.
See you next week.
Byeeeee.
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