The Sanskrit Mantra “So ham ham sa” has been called the universal breath mantra. Its vibration resembles the sound of the breath during inhalation (so ham) and exhalation (ham sa). I was drawn to this mantra because it is the breath that connects us all and brings everything into being. Breath is our first act of life as we enter this world, and our last as we depart it. In between, we take on average a staggering 17,000 breaths a day, mostly unaware of our breathing, while a barely audible mantra continuously flows through our bodies as we inhale and exhale. It is the awareness of our breath that lies at the heart of Into Being.

Into Being was commissioned by Octarium for the Art Local Project and was first performed on March 2 2012, Kansas City, MO.