Pranayama- today, we are more familiar with this word…we know pranayama is a relaxtion technique. Is it only for relaxation? But it’s really more than that…Do you know pranayama can boost your chakras and nadis? Are you aware of that pranayama can increase your nitric oxide levels? There are different types of pranayamas…one among those is Bhramari Pranayama. Here we are to know more about Bhramari Pranayama.
PRANAYAMA
The word Pranayama is a Sanskrit word, that means a yoga breathing exercise that have the potential to increase your energy, release your stress , enhance your mental abiltity and boost physical health.The word ‘Prana’ means the universal life force, it’s the energy which distinguishes the living from the dead . And this energy moves in our body through different channels and different centers,those energy centers are known as chakras. We have seven main chakras in our body, which shows the energy centers and there are thousands and thousands of nadis channels, so the channels through which this energy flows is known as energy channels which is known as nadis.
SOURCES OF PRANA
There are primarily four main sources that we can get prana from the first one is food- So we get the prana from the food and in the food the vegetarian and the fresh food has a higher prana in comparison to the stale food.
The second one is sleep .You would have noticed that before going to bed we feel so tired and after just waking up or taking a quick nap we get energized. That’s the another way of getting the energy.
The third way is just the state of mind. So sometimes we are very tired and not in the mood to do anything and then someone crack a joke or we watch a nice movie our mood gets really bright and we smile and a better mood is also a source of prana.
The fourth source is breath and breath is the direct and instant source of prana. Without breath there is no life.
NEED OF PRANAYAMA
Prana should flow in the energy channels constantly, smooth and steady, so that we have a quiet ,happy,positive and enthusiastic mind state .But sometimes we have some blockages in these channels and nadis and they gets blocked and because of those blockage we have lack of attention, worry, fear, uncertainty, conflicts, negative emotions, depression and doubts about us . We want to have a high level of prana and we want to keep a good prana, a constant prana. So how to get that? In order to that we have pranayama. According to Patanjali Yoga sutra, when you are in a posture and you are breaking the speed of inhalation and exhalation that is pranayama. Pranayamas give you instant energy or prana to our body.
BHRAMARI PRANAYAMA
Why the name called Bhrama and what is unique in this pranayama? Many asanas or the yoga practice are taken from the animals because there’s some speciality in the animals or creatures in this world that the yogis wants to bring to us ,so that we can get the same power and energy, same benefits that animals are having. So Brahmari, this word came from ‘Brahmar’, Brahmar is a special bee which creates a special sound. If the bee moves the wings , so the speed of the wings goes that much fast so because of the wind touches the wings,it creates this special sound. This is the sound we are practicing in this pranayama. The sound is having the beautiful rhythm which is calming the mind and that’s the attraction of this pranayama.
BHRAMARI PRANAYAMA- HOW TO DO?
- Sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight. Close your eyes and mouth.
- Bring your thumbs to your ears, and gently close them. The other fingers will rest on the crown, spread out over it.
- Breathe in slowly through your nostrils, and then exhale slowly imitating a steady, deep ‘hmmm’ as a bee makes at the back of your throat cartilage. Make sure the sound resembles the humming of a bee.
- Practice the sound as gentle, even and steady as you can. When you move deeper, you will be able to feel a vibration of the bee sound echo through your head and cartilage.
- Bring your attention to the center of your forehead ( third eye center). It is best to do the Bhramari pranayama at least 10 times to get all the benefits of it.
- Finishing your tenth round,watch yourself. Observe your body and your feeling. You will feel a silence within and be there for five to ten minutes. Gently open your eyes.
BENEFITS OF BHRAMARI PRANAYAMA
PRODUCES NITRIC OXIDE
While you breath in, a little pressure is created on the cavities behind and within nasal cavities, and thus a molecule is produced and it is called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide (NO) which is produced during this pranayama boosts immunity and protect the body from cold, cough and fever. Your lung capacity will become better ,it ia an internal medicine for you and it helps you to cope with your winter.
BALANCES BLOOD PRESSURE
Nitric oxide is a small molecule that is produced within your body within the inner lining of your blood vessels but also in some of your nerve and immune cells. It keeps your blood vessels flexible and encourages vasodilation which means the expansion of your blood vessels which in turn leads to lower blood pressure.
CALMS YOU MIND
A certain amount of stress is required to stay active and healthy but if that proportion is higher, it causes excess stress or increases work load on heart and our system. And there is an increase in the heart rate and oxygen consumption, that leads to imbalance in the mind and body which triggers the harmful chemical processes and results in sickness and diseases. Brahmari pranayama combines the breath with the sound. Because sound has vibration and when you combine it with your breath it really calms you down. The vibration covers the whole body every single cell in the body.
BETTER SLEEP
Post Bhramari Pranayama practice, there was significant improvement in Sleep quality & a significant reduction in Perceived stress . Several studies prove that just a few weeks practice of Bhramari Pranayama significantly improves sleep quality This is a great asana to include in your routine of yoga before bed every night. This is why yoga for better sleep is recommended by experienced yoga trainers.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Pregnant or menstruating women,persons with ear infection,chest pains,epilepsy are recommended to avoid practicing Bhramari Pranayama. It is best to practice this Brahmari pranayama on an empty stomach. By regular practice, this helps to boost the memory, concentration, confidence and critical thinking.