Humming Bee Breath

By: Hannah Chrome, 200 E-RYT, Sound Healing Practitioner

Maybe you have experienced this situation before: sweaty palms, racing thoughts, heart beating out of your chest, breath tight and constricted in your chest, and you feel like you have lost all control over your reactions.  A coworker or family member could have started an argument, or perhaps a deadline snuck up on you quicker than expected.  What do you normally do?  How do you react?  What actions do you take to regain control over your mind and the situation?  The next time you find yourself experiencing these emotions or sensations, there is a simple breathwork technique called Bhramari Pranayama you can practice anytime and anywhere to feel more centered and in control, ready to face what is in front of you.

If you have attended a yoga class, you may have spent part of the session practicing various breathwork techniques. These are called pranayama.  Much more than simply a few rounds of breath before or after asana—the physical practice of postures—pranayama is the fourth limb of the tree of yoga.  The word is derived from two Sanskrit terms—prana refers to the life force, or energy, that sustains us all, and ayama can be translated to mean “extension”, or “expansion.”  Put together, pranayama means “extension of life force” and can be utilized as a tool to gain mastery over our own energy as it flows through the body, carried by the breath.  The name Bhramari originates from the Sanskrit word Bhramara, meaning “humming black bee,” because the sound of the exhale in this technique resembles the buzzing sound of a bee. 

Humming bee breath can be practiced whenever one is feeling overwhelmed or experiencing strong emotions to clear the mind of stress, anger, anxiety, frustration or restlessness and receive an abundance of additional benefits. The slow and intentional breath, paired with humming sound vibrations work by slowing down the breath and stimulating the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the autonomic nervous system reaching from the brainstem down to the abdomen.  This gives the body a chance to take over and initiate a calming response through a series of physiological reactions that quiet and regulate the nervous system.  Increased amounts of nitric oxide in the blood from humming allow for improved oxygen uptake, reduced blood pressure and increased blood flow, resulting in numerous beneficial effects, including a reduced risk of infection, improvements in the immune system through reduced overall inflammation, increased lung capacity, and improved digestion and sleep quality.  With continued practice over time, humming bee breath can also improve memory by bringing more oxygen to the brain.

Practicing this technique is quick and simple, with positive results felt almost instantaneously in the body and mind.  Here is how to practice it at home:

Step One: Find a comfortable seated position, lengthening the spine upwards and relaxing shoulders away from the ears.  You can close your eyes or maintain a soft gaze.  Seal your lips softly together and bring the tip of the tongue to the roof of your mouth, keeping the jaw as soft as possible. 

Step Two: If this is your first time practicing, you can start by gently placing your index fingers against the cartilage between your cheek and ear.  After you’ve practiced a few times, you may wish to dive deeper into pratyahara (the fifth limb of yoga, inward withdrawal of the senses).  Switch to placing thumbs over the ear cartilage, index fingers to the temples, third and fourth finger over the eyes, and pinky fingers resting above the mouth. 

Step Three: Inhale through the nose, then as you exhale through your nose vocalize the sound of the letter M, as if you are humming a sound similar to that of a bee.  The sound should be soft, smooth and steady. 

Step Four: Feel the sound vibrations fill the head and throat, spreading to the rest of the body.  Sustain the humming sound for as long as is comfortable without strain.  Continue this pattern for the recommended repetitions of 3-4 times, being careful not to force the breath to dizziness or increased stress levels. 

Step Five: When you are done, spend a few breaths sitting quietly and notice any changes in your breath or mood.

With the numerous mental, physiological and spiritual benefits Bhramari Pranayama offers, it can be utilized in stressful situations or incorporated into morning and nighttime routines, as it works especially well in the early morning or before bed for improved sleep quality.  If you are interested in practicing this breathwork technique or learning about others, Sacred Transcendence incorporates pranayama into each yoga class they offer, both Yin and Slow Flows.  Want to join a class?  Check out Sacred Transcendence’s website to find more information on the classes and services we offer, or give us a call to sign up for a class!