Bhramari breath

Welcome to Bhramari breath with Dru Yoga course trainer Nanna Coppens.

Today we dive a little deeper into one of the ancient paths of yoga called Pranayama. This is the study of the power, practice and potential of the breath. There really is so much more to understand about the breath other than just breathing to stay alive!

Learning to breathe in more targeted and conscious ways can radically change how we feel. It can, with constant practice, even help alleviate many diseases, especially those related to how our nervous system operates.

The translation of Bhramari is the ‘humming bee’ breath. The gentle humming sound we make as we do this technique activates the vagus nerve, which is connected to our digestive organs, heart, lungs and nerves. This creates a relaxation response throughout the body and mind. 

Have you ever noticed that we hum when we feel happy? Humming brings back that lightness of heart we remember as children.

This session includes:

• An introduction to Bhramari breath.
• Repeating the technique with a change of focus. We start with the awareness at the heart, then move up into the head.
• Introducing the Bhramari breath with the yoni mudra. 

The Yoni Mudra

The Yoni Mudra is a powerful aid to blocking out extraneous sounds from your environment. It therefore can create an even deeper internal sense of peace, especially when combined with the Humming-bee breath.

Adopt the yoni mudra by placing the thumbs of both hands gently in/ on your ears. Use the index and second finder to close and cover the eyes. The ring fingers then touch the outer edge of the nostrils and finally the little finger rests at the corners of the mouth. Draw your awareness inwards without the distraction of the sense organs.

Benefits of the Bhramari breath:

• Bhramari alleviates stress and cerebral tension. 
• It helps with insomnia and relieves high blood pressure. 
• It activates the immune response so can help speed up recovery after illness.
• It is excellent for diffusing negative emotions, especially anger, frustration and anxiety. 
• It helps bring serenity and peace of mind.
• Regular practise of this breathing technique will refine your sense of hearing
• It can also bring a greater awareness of psychic sounds that resonate in the body