Humming Benefits, Safe in the Storm, and the Only Practice that Matters

1. This Breathing Sound Helps Lower Blood Pressure and Silence Tinnitus

“The included RCTs provided the most reliable evidence of the effects of bhramari pranayama on alterations in heart rate variability, stress, reaction time and pulmonary functioning… Furthermore, the CCTs also provided evidence that bhramari pranayama would be quite beneficial for individuals with tinnitus and hypertension.”

— Chetry et al. (2024)

A new video explainer is up on a review showing how bhramari (humming bee breath) affects our physical and mental health. Check it out below:

2. This Is the Essence of Mindfulness

“Knowing what you are doing while you are doing it is the essence of mindfulness practice. This knowing is a non-conceptual knowing, or a bigger than conceptual knowing. It is awareness itself.”

— Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, Full Catastrophe Living

“Knowing what you are doing while you are doing it is the essence of mindfulness practice.” Sounds pretty obvious, but it made me think of how much I do without truly knowing what I am doing.

It’s a simple reminder that these concepts are simple in theory, but not always simple in practice.

3. How to Stay Safe While the Storm of Emotions is Blowing

“When a storm comes up in you, get out of the treetop and go down to the trunk for safety. Your roots start down at your abdomen, slightly below the navel… Put all your attention on that part of your belly, and breathe deeply. Don’t think about anything, and you’ll be safe while the storm of emotions is blowing. Practice this every day for just five minutes, and after three weeks, you’ll be able to handle your emotions successfully whenever they rise up.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Breath

Nothing to add 👏

4. The Only Practice that Matters

“The only practice that matters is the one you consistently do, not the practice of any other artist. Find your most generative method, apply it, and then let it go when it is no longer of use.”

— Rick Rubin, The Creative Act

Some wisdom always worth returning to: there’s no “best” practice. The only one that matters is the one that works for you right now.

“Security, compassion, patience, forgiveness – all these are accompanied, if you observe closely, by a relatively slow breathing rhythm and heart rate.”

— Eknath Easwaran

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. likewise

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