Hmmmmmm (Humming Revisited)
One of the most important skills I’ve ever discovered to help navigate life with more joy, calm and clarity is the ability to regulate my nervous system. This means quickly recognizing when my body has shifted into a stress response, and then immediately taking steps to restore balance and calm.
As the daughter of two Holocaust survivors, I grew up in an atmosphere laden with fear. Because safety and survival required perpetual hypervigilance, and feelings of trust and relaxation were foreign and dangerous, it’s no surprise that the state my nervous system is most familiar with is one of hyperactivation.
I’ve finally learned that my mind will never find sufficient evidence to reassure me that I am safe in this wild, ever-changing world. But as long as there is no imminent danger, if I can access a state of safety by calming my body and returning to the present moment, the world will suddenly appear less threatening and more manageable.
Myra’s dog Henry is an expert at relaxing
Because our biology is wired to prioritize safety over wisdom, clear thinking becomes nearly impossible when our nervous system gets activated by actual or perceived danger. When we feel threatened, our amygdala takes over, shifting us into reactive survival mode, while our prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for logic, perspective, and thoughtful decision-making—partially shuts down. Cortisol and adrenaline surge through our body, priming us to fight, flee, freeze, or fawn. In this activated state, our body focuses on survival instead of healing or restoration, which explains why approximately 75% of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
Fortunately, there are many simple and enjoyable ways to regulate our nervous system. That’s why I’m excited about our upcoming free online workshop with Dr. Patricia Wolff on May 3—Tools to Calm Your Nervous System—where she’ll share powerful, practical techniques for accessing calm and creating new pathways toward joy and well-being.
Today I’m focusing on humming because I’ve been eager to revisit this topic I first spotlighted two years ago. My original essay discussed the importance of an extended dedicated humming practice to reap the full benefits. Since then, I’ve enthusiastically embraced humming for any length of time as a great practice that’s been easy for me to weave into my daily life.
Dr. Patricia Wolff—a chiropractic and homeopathic physician, psychotherapist, and meditation teacher—says, “I find humming to be incredibly simple and delightful, yet remarkably profound. It positively impacts every system of the body, and its ability to soothe is extraordinary. When I’m in a state of tension or worry, the vibrational healing of humming always helps me come back home to my body and heart.”
Part of the beauty and power of humming is that it stimulates the vagus nerve—the primary nerve of the parasympathetic branch of our nervous system which is responsible for the calm state known as “rest and digest.” This long, wandering nerve travels from the brainstem through the neck, chest, heart, lungs, and digestive tract, helping to regulate functions like breathing, heart rate, digestion, and even our voice.
Because the vagus nerve passes by our vocal cords and inner ear, certain sounds and vibrations stimulate it to send signals to the brain to shift out of “fight, flight, freeze, fawn.” Also, humming naturally elongates the exhalation, and prolonged exhalation enhances vagal tone and sends signals to the brain that we’re safe and can relax.
Hilary’s “Hum Your Way Home” Practice
My favorite short humming practice is one I learned from Hilary Nicholls, the wonderful energy healer that leads our quarterly Circle of Light guided meditations to welcome each season in community. It’s a simple somatic sound healing method that starts with an energetic release, then moves into humming the word “home.” I find myself spontaneously doing it a few times every day—in bed, on walks, in the car, before I meditate, or whenever I notice I have some tension to release. It goes as follows:
Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Take a deep breath in through your nose, expanding your belly, then exhale slowly through your mouth while vocalizing the sound Ahhhhh… or Haaaaa… (whichever feels right).
Repeat three times. With each exhale, feel yourself releasing emotional and physical tension.
Switch hands (the one on your belly is now the one on your heart). Take a deep breath through your nose into your belly, then exhale slowly through your nose while vocalizing the sound “home,” as if you were chanting “Om,” but beginning with an H. Linger on the “m” sound, humming hommmmmme with your mouth closed.
Repeat three times. With each hum, enjoy the relaxing vibration, and feel yourself coming home to your body, supported by Mother Earth—calm, grounded and present.
Five-Minute Humming Practice
Below is the “formal” humming practice I learned from The Humming Effect: Sound Healing for Health and Happiness—the first book dedicated solely to humming—by Andi and Jonathan Goldman. Please note that anyone can hum. You don’t have to be able to sing well or carry a tune. Also, the volume of your hum doesn’t impact its effectiveness. You can hum loudly or quietly, depending on your situation and mood.
Humming Practice:
Settle yourself in a comfortable, upright sitting position.
Set a timer for five minutes.
Close your eyes and take three deep, low and slow diaphragmatic breaths.
On your fourth deep breath, begin making the mmmmm humming sound during your exhale, as if you’ve just tasted something very delicious. Keep your lips closed. Start each hum with a deep breath. (You can also use a different word that ends with the mmmmm sound, such as OM, HUM, YUM. The goal is to fairly quickly arrive at the closed mouth mmmmm sound so that you are humming for the majority of each exhale).
Hum in a monotone, holding the same tone throughout, while paying attention to the vibrations humming creates in your body, noticing where you feel them. Make sure you stay relaxed and never strain your vocal cords.
When your timer goes off, stop humming and sit quietly, observing inward, noticing how you feel. Ideally you will meditate this way for four to five minutes.
To conclude your humming session, spend a few minutes coming back into your body. Look around, take a few conscious breaths, and then enjoy this grounded state of vitality and relaxation as you re-enter the world.
While the Goldman’s recommend sitting upright for formal humming practice, they also say that humming while lying down in bed at night can help promote a good night’s sleep, which I have found to be true. Additionally, one variation they offer that I particularly enjoy is humming while blocking off both ears with your index fingers, which intensifies your awareness of the sound and vibration.
The Goldmans teach that when we combine humming with the intention to calm, soothe or mend, the healing effect of the sound is greatly magnified. They write, “Humming has extraordinary physiological effects, reducing stress, inducing calm, enhancing sleep, and healing us in incredible ways.”
If you have an injury, they suggest visualizing a golden or white light flowing to that area while you hum. I was especially grateful for this practice in the weeks following my accident last month, when I was unable to do much of anything. It was soothing and settling, as well as empowering, because it made me feel like I was able to contribute to my healing process.
What a gift to be able to harness our breath and voice to create an oasis of peace, presence, and healing within ourselves any place, any time. Please join us next Saturday for “Tools to Calm Your Nervous System” where we will learn some practices that utilize humming, and much, much more!
