554 – Brahmari Sadhana

Transform yourself

Brahmari Sadhana is the practice of Brahmari pranayama, with the mantra Soham. In Sanskrit Brahmari is bee, and the pranayama is akin to a bee humming. It comes from the humming sound made while exhaling. Brahmari pranayama is the life-force that vibrates the whole brain by control of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is the master of all glands at the bottom of the brain that controls the entire nervous system.

When distressed because of negative thinking, Brahmari pranayama negates the thoughts. It nurtures peace in one which results in self-healing. It reduces anger and enables one to sleep. During the exhalation, the Apana and Udana prana are functioning. These two pranas are very powerful as one’s immune system is strengthened, traumatic events and experiences are eliminated and one’s communication system and creativity are enhanced.

The essential sound of the universe

There is a Goddess by the name of Bhrami (Bee). She is an incarnation of the goddess Adi Shakti and Durga, who saved the devas from the asuras. She is connected to the seven chakras. The first sound – the pulse of the cosmic drum is the heartbeat of the Goddess, and this sound is like the sound made when practicing Brahmari. She resides in the Anahata chakra (heart) and emits the buzzing sound of bees. This buzzing sound was often imitated in Vedic chants and represented the essential sound of the universe.

It is also said that Maha Devi or Great Goddess, Kundalini, is manifest in sound forms as a queen bee – Bhramari Devi, surrounded by a cloud of buzzing bees. This lightening like Goddess awakens in a buzz of ascending consciousness and descending spiritual grace. As this buzzing energy rises up the spine it illuminates the chakras which are interconnected with areas of the brain that are silent in the un awakened state.

The Brahmari Sadhana is mentioned in the Durga Saptashati as a method to rid oneself of hostility, negativity and uncertainty. The Goddess says that by practicing Brahmari Pranayama, one can purify one’s heart.

The method of Brahmari Pranayama

Be comfortable. Spine straight. Keep teeth slightly apart in the mouth. The jaws must be relaxed. Close ears with your thumbs. Place index finger in between the eyebrows. Middle, ring and little finger, on the bridge of the nose. Inhale deeply through the nose. Remember to expand your abdomen, when you are inhaling. While exhaling drop your chin to your chest and hum steadily from the back of the throat, through parted lips.

The sound is gentle, and the tongues position behind the upper row of your teeth enables the vibration to more effectively reverberate through out the skull and impact the brain tissues. Awareness on the ajna chakra. When you have finished exhaling, repeat the process again. Use the mantra, Soham.

Chanting a mantra causes a vibration. The vibration leads to one tuning in and connecting to the vibration. One recognizes the awakening of the nada, the source of all sound. It is similar to the buzzing sound of Brahmari pranayama. The mantra to use for Brahmari pranayama is Soham. Soham is the sound of the breath. One can reach the state of samadhi with just the practice of Ajapa japa, repetition of the mantra Soham.

Kabir Das said that Soham spontaneously awakens the Anahata nada, the source of all sound. It is one of the easiest sadhana, which starts with breath awareness, then becomes pratyahara, then dharana which leads to dhyana and samadhi.

Start the daily practice of Brahmari pranayama and see yourself transformed.

Aim Hrim Klim

Photo by İbrahim Özdemir on Unsplash

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