Hello and welcome to this guided Brahmari breathing practice,
Also known as Bee Breath.
Brahmari is a simple yet powerful pranayama or yogic breathing technique known to calm the mind,
Soothe the nervous system and reduce anxiety,
Frustration and mental agitation.
It works by gently stimulating the vagus nerve which activates the parasympathetic nervous system,
Your body's rest and digest mode,
Helping you feel safe,
Grounded and calm.
So let's begin by finding a comfortable seated position.
You can sit on the floor with crossed legs on a cushion or in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
Allow your spine to grow tall,
Your shoulders to soften,
Your hands to rest gently on your knees or in your lap.
Take a moment here to simply notice your breath.
No need to change anything just yet.
Just observe the natural rise and fall,
The cool air as you inhale,
The warm air as you exhale.
And now slowly bring your attention inward.
Let your eyes gently close or soften your gaze.
And we'll begin with a few slower,
Deeper breaths to settle the body and mind.
Breathing slowly in through your nose and breathing gently out through your mouth.
Again,
Inhale deeply through the nose and exhale,
Releasing tension in the shoulders,
The face,
The jaw.
And one more time,
Inhale fully and exhale slowly and completely.
Now we'll begin Brahmari breathing.
You'll inhale deeply through your nose and as you exhale,
You'll make a gentle humming sound like the sound of a bee.
You'll feel a vibration in your throat,
Your face,
Even your chest.
Let that sound be smooth and steady.
Optionally,
You can gently press your index fingers onto the cartilage between your cheeks and your ears just to gently close the ears.
This can enhance the internal sound and the calming effect.
So let's try this together now.
Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale with a gentle humming sound.
Inhale again and exhale with the hum.
And again,
Inhale slowly,
Exhale and hum.
Continuing this on your own now.
Inhaling slowly and exhaling with a long smooth hum.
We'll do this for a few rounds in silence.
Let the sound vibrate gently through your body.
Feel the stillness it creates in your mind.
We'll do two more rounds together.
Inhale deeply,
Exhale with a hum.
Once more,
Inhale and exhale,
Hum.
Now release the practice.
Let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
Sit quietly for a moment.
Notice how you feel physically,
Mentally,
Emotionally.
You may feel calmer,
More grounded or simply more connected to yourself.
This is the power of brahmari breathing.
A soothing breath that you can return to any time you feel stressed,
Anxious or overwhelmed.
You can practice this technique for just a few minutes or longer depending on your needs.
Let's close with a deep breath together.
Inhale through your nose and exhale gently through your mouth.
When you're ready,
Softly blink your eyes open.
Return to the space around you.
Carry this sense of calm with you into the rest of your day.
Thank you for practicing with me.
