Bhramari (Humming Bee Breath)
Bhramari is a Sanskrit word. It is made from the Hindi word Bhramar which means bumble-bee. When we practice this pose we make a bee-like sound. This pose is practiced through breathing in humming sounds. It is called a humming bee breath pose because of its procedure. This pranayama helps in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and anger. Bhramari’s s posture will relax your ear, nose, and eyes. It can cure the vital symptoms of fatigue and pressure. It will relax the soul and will make you feel lighter in general. Bhramari works as an instant stress buster. We can perform this pose at any time of the day. Though it is suggested to practice yoga early morning after evacuation for the best result. This pose can be practiced before sleeping or early morning. The Bhramari pose can be performed in three different ways: a) Basic Bhramari b) Silent Bhramari c) Bhramari with Shanmukhi mudra.
This yoga posture establishes a close connection between Imagination and awareness. It will help you to relieve the unpleasant feeling of sadness, nervousness, anxiety, etc. understanding your breathing pattern through Bhramari pranayam is the easiest way to get rid of your anxiety and stress.
Benefits:

• Instant relief from anger, tension, and anxiety:  This is an effective breathing technique for anger, tension, and anxiety. Inhalation and exhalation will calm your mind.
• Headache: Practicing this pose will help you to get rid of headaches. It will stimulate blood circulation and increase the oxygen level in the brain. It will help you to get rid of headaches.
• Maintain body temperature: The process of inhalation or exhalation will help you to maintain the temperature by reducing the excessive heat of your body. Thus, this pose can also help you with mild fever.
• Aids in stress management: Practicing this pose daily can help you in stress management. The breathing practice will help you in managing stress.
• Aids in cerebral tension: This pose will help you in reducing cerebral tensions, anxiety, tension, anger, insomnia, and high blood pressure.
• Pregnancy: This pose can be practiced during the last trimester of pregnancy. Breathing exercise is very effective in the last trimester of your pregnancy. This will help you in normal delivery. It will enhance the chances of trouble-free delivery.
• Brainwaves: In research, it was found that the Bhramari pose shows noticeable changes in brainwaves. A change in all three alpha, beta, gamma waves can be seen. Alpha waves give deep relaxation and can be seen in light meditation. Beta waves on the other hand will increase creativity, learning, reduce stress, and be seen in deep meditation. The gamma waves are found in every part of the brain and can help you with insomnia. So, this pose will help you maintain all these three brainwaves.
• Cardiovascular health: This pose will help in improving blood circulation and maintaining blood pressure. This will reduce the chances of strokes or any heart-related diseases. Bhramari will give you a healthy heart.
• Improve hearing capacity: This pose will increase the production of nitric oxide in your blood vessels. Hence, improves the hearing capacity.
• Curing thyroid: Practicing this pose will help you in the thyroid. The humming sound from your throat is beneficial in curing the thyroid. The sound waves will give a massage to your throat.
• Increase memory and concentration power: This pose will help you in increasing your memory and concentration power. This pose will help you in transmitting the information between neurogenic cells in the brain. Thus, improves memory and concentration.
• Self-assurance: practicing this pose will help you to build confidence. Self-assurance means confidence in one’s abilities and character. Hence, practicing such a breathing pose could be a great help if you want to build self-confidence.
• Enhance and develops speech: practicing poses as Bhramari will help you to improve your voice quality and enhance speech. This pose will enhance the quality of your voice box. This pose will be very beneficial for singers, teachers, or any other individual who usually works in such fields.

Technique:
Bhramari pranayam can be performed in three different postures. The first and most commonly used posture is Basic Bhramari:
Step 1: Make yourself comfortable while sitting on the floor.
Step 2: Place your index finger on the ear to avoid the external voices around you. This will help you to concentrate on your sound waves in a better way and enhance the benefits of this posture.
Step 3: Take a deep breath in, and fill your belly to the maximum capacity.
Step 4: Gently close your lips and separate your teeth to make the humming sound.
Step 5: Now start breathing with the humming sound until you exhale all the air from your belly.
Step 6: Repeat the process at least 10 times.
As an add on to the previous exercise we perform simple Bhramari:
Step 1: follow all the above-mentioned steps from basic Bhramari. Complete the practice at least once.
Step 2: Exhale all the excessive air without making any noise. Keep your eyes closed and concentrate on your breathing. you will feel a vibration in your breathing as you have just completed the humming sound. The sound waves can be felt in your throat and brain if you concentrate on them. The feeling of sensation is there in your body.
Step 3: you can repeat the pose after every basic Bhramari exercise or after completing the whole process of your exercise.
The third and most effective of all the above poses is the sunmukhi mudra:
Step 1: Sit on the floor or yoga mat and make yourself comfortable. As we did in the basic Bhramari pose.
Step 2: Place your index finger of both hands on your forehead. The middle finger should be on your eyes. The ring finger must be placed on your cheeks or beside your nostrils. The smallest finger should be beside your chin. The position of the thumb will be on the ear. Sunmukhi pose includes all the six important parts of your body i.e. 2 eyes, 2 ears, 1 nose, 1 mouth. So, this pose will focus on the overall health of your body.
Step 3: Inhale to the maximum capacity as we did earlier in the basic Bhramari pose.
Step 4: Close your lips slightly and keep your teeth apart a little.
Step 5: Exhale the air by producing the humming sound.
Step 6: Repeat the pose at least 10 times.
Precautions:

• It is advisable not to practice the pose if you have a respiratory problem. This pose might lead to severe consequences.
• Do not practice this pose in pregnancy.
• Consult your doctor if you have just recovered from an operation.
• Ask your yoga instructor if you feel uncomfortable while practicing the pose. you must discontinue practicing.
• Do not put pressure on your tragus while making the humming sound.
• Do not pressurize your ear, eyeball, cheeks, forehead, or any other part where you have placed the fingers. Your fingers must slightly press these parts.
• Do not practice this posture if you are suffering from high blood pressure. This may worsen your situation.

Props and modifications:

• To give yourself a bit of a challenge you can hold the air before exhaling.
• You can sit on a blanket if you are not comfortable on the floor.