Bhramari Pranayama as an aid to meditation: A review of classical yoga texts
B. Ushamohan, A. Rajasekaran, Yamini Belur, T. Srinivasan, Judu Ilavarasu
International Journal of Yoga - Philosophy Psychology and Parapsychology July 1, 2020 DOI: 10.4103/ijny.ijoyppp_21_19 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Bhramari Pranayama |
| Topics | Breathwork Meditation |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Bhramari Pranayama, through its self-produced sound vibrations, is traditionally considered an aid to reach the state of Samadhi, and the review explores its processing and potential applications in spiritual practice and therapy. |
Abstract
Bhramari Pranayama is said to be an aid to attain Samadhi or contemplative absorption. It is a yogic technique that comprises attending to self-produced sound emulating a bumblebee along with breath control. The vibration of sound produced is the aid to enhance the level of consciousness to reach the state of Samadhi. In this review, an attempt has been made to understand the processing of sound-Bhramari in particular, right from the origin of the sound, with the help of ancient texts such as Saivagama texts, Yoga Upanishads, Gheranda Samhita, Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, and various other texts. Features of Bhramari Pranayama are dealt in detail with its suitability to spiritual practice, research, and its potentiality as a therapy tool.