Hum for Health
Did you know that your voice is a healing instrument? The best part is it is free and doesn’t require any special training.
The use of the voice, through chanting, humming, and other sounds, is known as toning. Essentially, the sound vibrations work to bring the body back into harmony, and yet, it goes much deeper than that.
Toning can be used to release emotions and pain from the body, release stress and tension, calm the mind, calm the nervous system, and soooo much more.
Humming stimulates various structures of the brain, including the pineal gland, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and amygdala, and studies have shown that humming lowers blood pressure, releases endorphins (the feel good hormone), releases oxytocin (the love and bonding hormone), and increases oxygen in the cells, lymphatic circulation, melatonin levels, and nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide is a molecule produced in nearly every cell of the body that plays an important role in a large variety of processes in the body, including inflammation, neurotransmission, and the health of our blood vessels.
Humming vibrates you on a cellular level and when used consciously – with intention – is a powerful healing force. In fact, it is a sacred practice in many ancient traditions, from Christianity (Gregorian Chants) to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shamanic traditions.
Consciously humming means being present when you do it. You are breathing in through the nose and into the belly, keeping the shoulders relaxed. You can have a specific intention, such as releasing emotions or calming the mind/body/nervous system, or simply be fully present with your humming and pause to feel the affects after several rounds. The hum on the exhale will be longer than the inhale, which helps bring the body into the parasympathetic (rest and digest) state.
Personally, I utilize humming to calm my mind, nervous system, and emotions (when feeling a little stressed or on edge), and to balance my chakras. When I’m working with toning and humming, the tones are often deeper for the lower body and become higher towards the crown.
I also utilize toning in my energy healing sessions and afterward, it is always interesting to learn how my client experienced the energy moving in their body. It’s fascinating and different for everyone.
The are accounts of people using humming to help heal broken bones and even overcome asthma. Sound vibrations also exert an affect on our DNA, as discovered by Russian biophysicist Pjotr Garjajev in 2011.
We are beginning to remember what ancient cultures knew about the healing powers of sound. And there are many methods, such as humming, that you can practice on your own.
Learn a calming and healing humming breath practice here:
Humming Breath with Energy Medicine
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