Bhramari Breath to Sooth a Busy Mind
Two 15-minute guided recordings to support you back into your internal experience
Hello friend!
The theme for this month is all about deepening our practice in a simple and accessible way. This month, we’re stripping away the fancy mantras and movements to really focus on deepening our relationship with a more “basic” pranayama. I want to draw particular attention to how this change in focus feels in the body, as well as the shifts we can experience from anchoring into a simpler practice. Each class across the month will explore different pranic breathing practices.
Week 3 will focus on one of my all-time favorites, Bhramari breath! The live classes will be Monday August 19 & Wednesday August 21st from 8 to 8:15 a.m. CST. The Zoom link to join is below. These classes are designed to be short and accessible so they can easily be implemented into your daily routine. Ideally, you’ll practice this class each day on your own until we meet next for our 4th week.
What you’ll need for this practice:
Find a seat that you'll be comfortable sitting in for the whole practice. You can also use bolsters or pillows to prop up the hips if you’d like to lie down.
Make sure to wear loose clothing that doesn't constrict your diaphragm (tight leggings not recommended!).
I’ll invite you to have your camera turned on so that we can hold the container together. I know this might feel uncomfortable for some, and if you absolutely must keep your camera off, I totally understand. However, I find that having cameras on helps to maintain a sense of community, helps to limit distractions, and helps me to guide and cue based on visual feedback.
This class is about soothing and calming the mind through a pranayama technique known as ‘Bhramari Breath’.
Pranayama breath work is a core element of yoga that involves controlled breathing. The benefits of pranayama breath work are far-reaching: improved lung function, enhanced respiratory efficiency, lower cortisol levels, reduced stress, increased mental clarity by raising oxygen levels to the brain, improved sleep quality, and better regulation of breath and emotions.
Our breath practice this week is the Bhramari Breath, also known as the “bumble bee breath,” as it is a great breath technique to soothe and calm the mind and body. This is a great technique you can reach for “in the moment” if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed and anxious.
The humming bee breath helps to improve concentration and focus, relieve tension in the head, neck, and face, and balance emotional dysregulation, particularly if there is an excess of agitation, frustration, anger, and worry. This is my go-to practice before bedtime as it helps to wash away any built-up stress or agitation and gently lulls me into a deep and restful sleep.
Of note: This practice is greatly enhanced by massaging the front and back side of the ears beforehand.
See you there!