Does Humming Sound play Healing role in Bhramari Pranayama

Abstract

This paper investigates role of humming sound in the healing process by Bhramari Pranayama (BP) which has been recommended, in many literatures on yoga, for removing stress and healing many mental abnormalities and has also been claimed to be recuperative for the same by many practitioners. Pranayama is a Sanskrit word which literally means a yogic act performed for controlling flow of vital energy in the body and mind. One of the main acts during doing BP is that subject imitates humming sound of bumble bee while exhaling. The analysis of the humming sound produced during pranayama shows a little variation in pitch confined within lower frequencies with concentration of energy in the lower frequency bands. Nasal formants are also present. The humming sound has also vibrato. It is hypothesized that such sound produces not only bone conducted audition but also vibration in cranium and changes in the brainwave patterns leading to relaxation and healings.