Relax your mind instantly with this one practice.

“I need to relax my mind.” We hear this a lot, and it’s the one of the main reasons people sign up to our meditation course to learn techniques to relax their busy mind. The constant demands of work, family, and daily responsibilities can leave you feeling stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. All bi products of a society that is always on the go.

Whether you’re dealing with work-related stress, relationship issues, family anxiety, or just looking to improve your mental well-being. Fortunately, there are many simple yet effective techniques that can help you to relax your mind and reduce stress. I’ve detailed a few links at the end of this article to support you in this area.

But for the purpose of this article, I wanted to share with you one practice that I know will instantly relax your mind and calm your nervous system.

Today, I’m introducing you to Bhramari Pranayama.

Bhramari is not a meditation practice, rather it is a yogic breathing (pranayama) technique. This tranquilising breathing method is often referred to as the Humming Bee Breath due to the sound that is made when you practice. Interestingly, the word ‘Bhramari’ comes from the Sanskrit word for ‘bee.’

Here’s a few reasons to practice Bhramari.

Calms your busy mind.

Tranquillising pranayamas like Bhramari pacify your body and your mind. This makes it the perfect practice to learn if you experience symptoms of stress, overwhelm or anxiety, because it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system also known as the relaxation response. When your mind is overactive the sound of the ‘humming bee’ produces a soothing and calming, internalising influence on you mind.

Eases emotional tension.

What makes this practice even more special is its immediate effect. Emotional tensions like anger and fear are promptly reduced. I have practised Bhramari many times before going into a meeting to calm my nerves and ground myself.

Helps to lower your heart rate.

I mentioned how practising Bhramari instantly reduces the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Through regular practice it can also help to reduce blood pressure because it slows the heart rate down. However, it is not a practice that is recommended if you have low blood pressure.

Builds your Immune System.

Research has shown when you practise Bhramari, the concentration of Nitric Oxide increases in your nasal cavity (because of the humming sound) 15-fold than with normal quiet breathing. Nitric oxide production is essential for overall health because it allows blood, nutrients, and oxygen to travel to every part of your body effectively and efficiently.

Soothes and concentrates the mind for meditation.

Due to its internalising qualities Bhramari Pranayama is also ideal to practice prior to sitting for meditation as it helps to deepen the experience. In fact, simply practising the humming bee breath alone can take you into a ‘meditative state.’ Practising Bhramari brings you into the present moment.

Supports for a good night’s sleep.

Bhramari can be practiced at any time. However, due to its calming and internalising qualities, it is a wonderful technique to do at night before you go to bed.

Bhramari helps to improve concentration by focusing a distracted mind! To provides relief to tension headaches and helps to support the health of your throat and strengthen the vocal cords.

benefits of practising bhramari pranayama

How to practice Bhramari Pranayama

Here’s how to practice Bhramari, the Humming Bee Breath.

Come into a comfortable upright position. This can be sitting on a chair, or in a traditional meditation posture. You can place a cushion underneath your buttocks if needed to elevate the hips. The important thing is to be comfortable and that your back is straight.

Close your eyes, if this is not comfortable, soften your gaze downwards.

Relax into the whole body. Consciously soften your face and your jaw. The mouth is closed, and your teeth are slightly apart.

Raise your arms and place the index finger or the middle fingers into your ears to block the external sounds. Alternatively, I like to place my thumb onto the tragus to block the sound.

Take a few natural breaths and bring the awareness to the midbrain area.

Take a slow inhalation through the nose filling up the lungs, then exhale smoothly through the nose making the deep humming sound ummmmmm, like a bee. The sound should be continuous for the duration of the exhalation.

The sound is soft and mellow. the awareness remains at the mid-brain and on the internal vibrations.

Continue with the practice, for between 6-10 rounds.

Upon completion, keep your eyes closed and be with the effects, the sensations of the practice for around 30 seconds before lowering your arms.

Notice how you feel after the practice.

Things to be aware of with Bhramari Pranayama

As with all practices there are some precautions to be mindful of. For some people Bhramari Pranayama may not be a suitable practice. Please be aware of the following…

Bhramari should always be practised from an upright position and never laying down.
If you have a cold, ear infection, feeling sick or generally not feeling well, then don’t practice Bhramari as it may make you feel worse.
This practice is contra-indicated for anyone with Bipolar or schizophrenia, unless advised otherwise by a health practitioner.
Not advised for anyone with low blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, as will all breathwork, do not practice any retention of breath.
It is advised to practice Bhramari on an empty stomach.