I had been living this low-spirited life from
last five years, and there was no escape from it. Depression is a condition
that annihilates your ability to feel good, and replaces it with a deep
melancholy. I was carrying this load for so long, and it had rendered my life
almost hell. I could not feel anything; had lost interest in the
things/activities that I earlier used to enjoy, and crying for hours to end had
become routine. And a time came when giving up life was the only thing that
looked better to me; the bouts of depression had become so frequent that it was
becoming impossible to lead a normal life. Even medications that I had been on
stopped showing any positive results.
With no hope left, and all treatments going
futile, I decided to end my life. But before I could dare to do that, I tried
giving one more chance to life. I ranged a friend of mine (who has also faced
depression) and told him about my deplorable condition. He advised me to do a
particular Yoga exercise called Brahmari. To tell the truth, I had no belief in
getting better by doing that, but I was left with no other choice. So I gave it
a try.
To my surprise, the yoga had a miraculous effect
on me. I remained cheerful throughout the day I tried for the very first time.
And I was experiencing like that after a long time. I felt as if my mind that
had been carrying a weight for years had finally unloaded. Though I have not
discontinued my medicines yet, my condition has improved a lot.
To all those who are facing the same problem, I
would advise them to start practicing Brahmari daily; they will surely benefit
from it. The word 'Brahmari' comes from the Sanskrit word 'Brahmar', which
means a humming bee. Practice it for 5 minutes initially and then increase the
duration gradually up to 15 minutes.
How to do Brahmari?
1. Choose a calm place. Make yourself sit on a
comfortable bed, or a mat.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Place your thumbs on the cartilages of your
ears (one on each), so as to close them. Press them gently.
4. Place your middle fingers on your eyes (two
on each eye). And press them gently.
5. Place index fingers on forehead, just a
little above your eyebrows.
6. Start inhaling from the nostrils. Do not
force to inhale too much. Keep it gentle and smooth.
7. While inhaling, make a sound like
"mmmm..".
8. Hold your breath for about 4-5 seconds.
9. Now, start exhaling slowly, while making
sound like a humming bee. The bee sound is in fact the chanting of 'O', 'U',
'M' (OM) in sequence. Keep your mouth completely closed while doing the
chanting.
10. Exhalation should not be forceful: it should
be deep, smooth, and long. Keep the pitch high to have the more effect.
11. After all the air has been expelled from
nostrils; keep your breath in hold position for 4-5 seconds.
12. Repeat the entire exercise 8-10 times.
After you are done with the exercise, your body
will feel some tingling sensations. Be relaxed and try to meditate to the
tingling. This yoga can be done while you are lying on your back or on your
right.
Therapeutic Effects
The people with mild or acute depression will
find an instant relief. Brahmari has a calming effect on brain and the entire
nervous system. It mitigates your tiredness, reduces blood pressure, and builds
concentration. Those with slight headaches can also gain from it. In fact, on
doing it for the very first time, you will feel as your body has been charged.
After you have practiced this yoga for a few
days, increase the duration to 10-15 minutes (but gradually). Initially, you
will get tired very early, but after practicing, you will be able to stretch
its duration, without getting fatigued. If you are not finding any way to get
out of depression, Brahmari could be the right cure for you. It would be better
if you do it under the guidance of some Yoga expert.
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