How yoga uses sound therapy to help ease stress and anxiety

Research has shown that sound waves generated by the humming bee sound as advocated by yoga de-stresses, relaxes and helps in gathering energy and attention to a focal point. Typically, this energy is dissipated or lost. This impacts memory, concentration, judgment and decision-making, says yoga expert Kamini Bobde

Chanting practice is the simplest and yet the most powerful of all practices. (Pic source: Freepik)

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Generally health and fitness regimes are associated with action and movement. So in yoga it is the asanas, in the gym, it is pumping iron, in aerobics and calisthenics, it is the “doing”, “sweating it out”, “ burning fat” and so on which are associated with fitness.

But yoga also relies on the power of the humming bee noise as part of Bhramari pranayama. In this, you plug your ears, take a deep breath and as you exhale, you chant “Auom” with a short A and O and prolong the last syllable M for as long as you can and feel the vibrations of “mmmmmm” like a humming bee in your head.

Through many researches, neuroscientists, equipped with advanced brain-imaging tools, have shown how the way certain sound waves course through your body help clear your mind and calm your brain and nervous system. It doesn’t matter what you chant, either one guided by your religious practice, or any sound or phrase that can elevate your senses. As long as you repeat something with focussed attention, you’ll get results from a meditative state. In short, it eases stress and helps mental health and well-being, which indirectly impacts several body conditions. There are many studies, including by Harvard University, to show that chanting de-stresses, relaxes, helps in gathering energy and attention to a focal point. Typically, this energy is dissipated or lost because of a perpetually wavering, anxious and distracted, dissipated mind. This impacts memory, concentration, judgment and decision-making.

One of my students told me, “I noticed subtle changes in my personality too, from a meek, feeble person I had become someone who was able to overcome her deep-seated fears and inhibitions.” Chanting worked in grief therapy among one of my students who had lost her husband. With regularity of practice, there was a complete transformation in her. From somebody at complete loss at all levels of her being, she became calm, cool, collected and settled down to her single life without any mental and emotional torment or torture.

Chanting practice is the simplest and yet the most powerful of all practices. It can be practised at all stages of life, at any time and place and even by those who have been rendered feeble with age or ill-health. It does not require you to explicitly understand the meaning of the words you recite.

Practice:

· Sit in Padmasana, Vajrasana or those who cannot do either, may sit on a chair with backrest. See that your head and spine are in a straight line. Close your eyes. Internalise your awareness and wherever you feel any tightness, tension, tautness just relax that part.

· Keep your eyes closed throughout.

· Watch your normal, natural flow of breath.

· Watch for 5-10 rounds of inhalation and exhalation.

· Then take a deep inhalation and as you exhale, chant Aum, focussing on raising the sound from your gut.

· Continue this for whatever is the number of counts you have decided on.

· The effort throughout should be to see that thoughts don’t interfere and the mind does not wander off to other things. It must remain focussed and synchronise with your breathing rhythms.