Get calm, reduce anxiety & boost your immune system with this breathing technique

When we're feeling stress and anxiety, it can be difficult to engage in silent, still meditation.

I recommend using this fun and quirky breathing technique instead.

Bhramari Pranayama, a.k.a. "bee breath", is a technique that combines humming and a mudra (hand gesture) to help you go within.

Bee breath produces up to 15x more Nitric Oxide gas than regular breathing, which:

• stimulates the vagus nerve
• relaxes your nervous system
• calms agitation and relieves tension
• boosts immunity (nitric oxide kills viruses and bacteria)
• reduces blood pressure
• regulates metabolism
• reduces inflammation

What's the vagus nerve?

The vagus nerve is one of the largest and most critical cranial nerves. It extends from the brain stem, wandering down through the heart and lungs and the organs responsible for digestion, assimilation and elimination. It serves a variety of functions including:

• Sensory: From the throat, heart, lungs, and abdomen.
• Special sensory: Provides taste sensation behind the tongue.
• Motor: Provides movement functions for the muscles in the neck responsible for swallowing and speech.
• Parasympathetic: Responsible for the digestive tract, respiration, and heart rate functioning.

What's with the humming?

?? Humming creates resonance and vibration throughout the body, stimulating the vagus nerve.

?? It's also what generates the boost of nitric oxide, which helps your immune system fight off viruses and bacteria.

?? Humming helps you concentrate and be more present during the breath and, paired with a mudra to block the ears, it closes down your perception, allowing you to go within.

?? The humming is FUN!

Choosing a mudra

I recommend choosing from one of three different hand positions or gestures (mudras) to help you create more resonance and take your bee breath to the next level of embodiment.

1. Shanmukhi mudra
2. Helmet mudra
3. Hands on heart

Shanmukhi mudra

The shanmukhi mudra is a hand position that represents closing the six gates of perception: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and thought.

If you wear glasses like I do, you'll need to remove them for this mudra.

• Elbows up and out to your sides
• Thumbs press in on the cartilage to close your ears
• Pointer fingers rest on your forehead above the eyebrows
• Middle fingers rest on your eyelids -- be gentle!
• Ring fingers rest on the sides of your nose -- gently, do not close the nose
• Pinky fingers rest above your top lip

Helmet mudra

If you find the shanmukhi mudra to be a bit claustrophobic, then use the helmet mudra, which can help you bring energy to your crown chakra.

• Elbows up and out at your sides
• Thumbs press in on the cartilage to close your ears
• Fingers rest on top of the crown of your head, creating a helmet effect

Hands on heart

Bee breath is also known as a heart clearing breath. When you hum and stimulate the vagus nerve, you'll notice that you can feel the vibration in your chest.

Emphasize the heart chakra -- the center of compassion, empathy and grace -- by resting one or both of your hands here.

How to hum

Humming is simple and fun!

Keeping your mouth closed, inhale through your nose and then exhale while making a "mmm" sound.

Take a moment to practice it now.

You can hum at a low or high pitch.

I recommend using a higher pitch if you're using the shanmukhi or helmet mudras, and using a lower pitch if you're focusing on the heart chakra.

Stay with one tone per breath.

Don't try to hum for as long as you can or force it out -- hum for the length of your exhale in a natural way.

Putting it all together

Find a comfortable seat, close or soften your eyes, and begin to slow down your breath.

Get your hands positioned and do 6-10 rounds of bee breath.

Keeping your eyes closed or softened, rest your hands on your lap.

Be still and quietly notice any sensations in your body.

Now is a great time to engage in the still, silent meditation if you like!

If you'd like to see bee breath in action, you can check out my latest episode of Tune In Ten, where I guide you through the process.

What now?

Bee breath is also great for helping you fall asleep. No need for a mudra here -- simply lie down with your eyes closed and do a few rounds of the humming breath to relax your body.

I love teaching bee breath to kids. It's fun and silly and you get to make noise. Showing them the shanmukhi mudra is an opportunity to teach them about the senses!

Do bee breath in person with others. When you all hum, the sound and vibrations create a resonance and the energy expands!

Thank you for reading!

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Sources & research:

• Hari, Yogi. Hatha Yoga Pradipika: Light on Hatha Yoga. Miramar, FL: Nada Productions, Inc., 2005.
• Iyengar, BKS. Light on Pranayama: The Yogic Art of Breathing. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2019.
• Modified Bhramari Pranayama in Covid 19 Infection https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7239502/
• Immediate Effects of Bhramari Pranayama on Resting Cardiovascular Parameters in Healthy Adolescents https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4948385/
• Immediate effect of a slow pace breathing exercise Bhramari pranayama on blood pressure and heart rate https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50905996_Immediate_effect_of_a_slow_pace_breathing_exercise_Bhramari_pranayama_on_blood_pressure_and_heart_rate