Bharmari Pranayama

Bhramari Pranayama is breathing practice that soothes the nervous system and calms the mind.

To give you some background, the word "pranayama" is derived from two Sanskirt words; Prana meaning life force (the energy we take in through the air we breathe) and Ayama meaning to restrain or master. Essentially, pranayama is altering the breath through various techniques to control, cultivate and modify the prana in the body. 

According to The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, an ancient yogic text, pranayama was developed as a method of purification and is important for a healthy mind and body and for gaining higher states of awareness.

Pranayama practices are often featured in Western yoga classes and I try to include a few different techniques every once in a while.

Bhramari Pranayama is also known as Humming Bee Breath as it derives its name from the Sanskrit word for “bee”. The pranayama is named this because of the humming sound produced on the exhalation.

It is a simple, accessible and easy-to-learn technique that can be practiced by anyone and it is one of my favourites to teach as I like that it encourages students to make noise, to be as loud as they want to be, whilst being unaware of anyone else around them. We come from a society that is quite reserved and so I think it can be quite freeing to make noise. Although more often than not I participate in pranayama with my class, it is a really lovely one to sit and listen to when you have a group of students practicing Bhramari. 

Of course, the benefits of Bhramari are only really experienced by the practictioner, and it can have tremendous therapeutic potential. Bhramari has many benefits; it can calm and quieten the mind, soothe the nerves, relieve stress and anxiety, dissipate anger, lower blood pressure and help with insomnia.

To practice Bhramari, find a comfortable seated position (you could use a cushion or yoga block to elevate the hips) and allow the spine to lengthen and the shoulders to relax down away from the ears. The ears need to be closed off with the fingers but there are a couple of ways of doing this, depending on what feels comfortable (see images below). 

Take a breath or two to settle in and notice the state of your mind. When you’re ready, inhale through the nose and then, for the entire length of your exhalation, make a steady low to medium-pitched humming sound in the throat. Tune in to the vibrations created by the humming. Keep this practice going for as long as you like, but I would recommend at least a couple of minutes. When you have finished your practice, release the fingers from there ears, allow the breath to return to normal and spend a few moments sitting quietly to notice whether there are any changes in your breath or mood.

The noise of Bhramari's buzzing can help to drown out the often endless mental chatter and allow your mind to quieten, even if just for a few minutes. It is this that makes it a useful starting point for those whose minds are too "busy" to meditate.

“With regular practice of this pranayama (Bhramari) bliss arises in the yogi’s heart”. (Hatha Yoga Pradipika)

If you would like to join me for a class and experience some pranayama for yourself, take a look at Hummingbird's timetable and book yourself in! Visit www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk for a full list of classes available.