At last! After a harsh winter in many parts of the U.S., Spring is here. People who have been bundled up for months are stepping outside and deeply breathing the fresh air. Although pranayama, the yogic breathing practices, do us good in every season, in every part of the world, this is a wonderful time to be reminded to make them part of your daily routine year round.

As the bees start buzzing and visiting the new flowers, we are reminded of a lovely, simple, uplifting pranayama practice—Brahmari, the Humming Bee Breath.

This is a fun, yet very effective breathing technique for concentration and meditation. This breath helps to tone and balance the pituitary gland, which is located directly in the center of the head.

The pituitary gland looks like a pea on a stem that dangles down in a protective saddle filled with blood. As we know, sound moves quickly and is magnified by liquid. The humming sounds of Brahmari vibrate the blood, and that in turn vibrates the pituitary gland. This results in a toning effect on the pituitary gland and, most of all, a real feeling of well-being. Try it before meditation or any time you would like to have this feeling.

How to Do the Humming Bee Breath

Sit with the spine erect. Close your eye. Take in a deep three-part breath. On the slow exhalation, keeping the mouth closed, make a humming sound within the head—feel it on or behind the soft palate. When the sound is gone, inhale and repeat the sequence. Repeat five times with different pitches—low, high, medium. Observe which sound vibrates where. After your five rounds of the Humming Bee Breath, keeping your eyes closed, sit very still and enjoy the sense that everything is all right.

In breathing practices, we are enhancing the efficiency of our own breath while synchronizing the body, mind and breath. One of the great things about meditation and breathing practices is that the goal is in the action of being still. Even if we get to the highest stage of the breathing practices, we are still sitting there with our breath.

The more these practices are used the more they will show you the peace that is your own true nature. Enjoy!

Namaste. ❤

❤ More about yogic breathing: Learning From Your Breath

❤ Healing with the Chakras Meditation with Nischala Joy Devi

❤ Upcoming Programs with Nischala Joy Devi

Photo credit: Tyas Raj | sxc.hu