When humming, the physiological benefits alone can do remarkable things. When you add the component of intent (belief, visualization, or whatever you wish you call it), extraordinary things can happen.
From personal experience, when we’ve had a pain or discomfort–it can be in our head or anywhere in our body–and when we’ve focused the attention of our hum to that area, often (and usually quite surprisingly) these discomforts will disappear or at least diminish. This could be because of the release of nitric oxide or the production of endorphins or through relaxation or because of some other physiological factor. No doubt these physiological benefits occur whenever we hum. However, from our own experience, we understand that the intention placed upon the sound is a crucial component. Something powerful and important occurs when we hum with conscious intention.
The possibilities of conditions that can be positively affected by humming with intention are endless. Sometimes we hum to generate better blood flow to our tissues. Other times we may be feeling stressed out and take a few minutes to hum and calm down. We literally visualize the humming going throughout our entire body as we’re making the sound.
The possibilities of ways to project intention are also limitless, for conscious humming is only limited by your consciousness. For example, you might have a pain in a certain part of your body and perhaps envision a warm golden light radiating healing energy into that area as you hum. Or you might visualize encoding all your cells with vitality, dissipating any imbalanced energy.
An application of humming that we have only briefly mentioned is the ability of the hum to act as internal massage affecting all the cells in the area of your body where the hum is being directed. Just as there are numerous machines on the market that create external vibrations to help soothe parts of your body where you’re feeling discomfort, humming has natural soothing abilities and it can work internally as well, reaching places that many of these massage devices cannot. Once you’ve gained the ability to add intention to the part of your body that needs the sound, humming can be a truly powerful healing tool.
Encoding Intention In this exercise we will combine the physical act of humming with our conscious intention. Often we’ll be guided to our intention within the first few moments of focused breathing. At other times it may feel difficult to narrow our focus down to one single concept. If this is the case, remember that this is only a beginning and that tomorrow you can work on another aspect of intention. Simply choose one to start.
We suggest that you allow 15 minutes for this exercise–5 minutes for humming–5 minutes for relaxation–5 minutes for grounding. Please limit your actual humming to about 5 minutes.
• With your eyes closed, begin by taking a few slow deep breaths, releasing any stress or tension you may be feeling. As you’re breathing, tune in and sense how you’re feeling. Take as many deep relaxing breaths as desired.
• Now spend a few moments contemplating what your purpose for this experience of humming might be. Spend as much time as you need determining how you would like to use your intention while humming. (A possible suggestion, and one that’s particularly nice and easy to start with, is to imagine that you’re simply projecting appreciation throughout your body as you’re humming. Or perhaps you have found a place of discomfort and would like to see if humming can help. Imagine that you are projecting your hum into this area.)
• When you feel ready, begin to hum. Hum for about 5 minutes. Sometimes changing your pitch as you project your hum is immensely helpful in being able to feel the resonance as you encode intention.
• Continue humming, knowing that you have a purpose–your intention has been set. You are engaged in conscious humming.
• When you feel ready, bring your humming to a close.
• Now, sit quietly for as long as you’d like, noticing any changes in your body–tuning in to anything that you may have experienced while doing this exercise.
• When you feel ready slowly open your eyes. Give yourself enough time to become grounded and present in the moment. Allow yourself the wonderment of this state of being–enjoying this relaxed state can be very healing.
Often the first experience of conscious humming is quite profound. Can you feel a difference in your physical, emotional, or mental body after doing this exercise? Were you successful in encoding your intent onto the sound? This can be a very powerful exercise–especially the first time you do it.
10 reviews for The Humming Effect: Sound Healing for Health and Happiness
Karen Fox –
This slim volume has lots more info than its size suggests. I learned of the book from Lee Holden’s QiGong videos that I’ve been endeavoring to do daily for my health and well-being.I use humming for my stuffy nose. The authors teach you how to hum correctly so the sinuses vibrate and then release nitric oxide. I was shocked when my nose opened up. I can BREATHE! All kinds of uses for humming.Included is a weblink on the publisher’s website (Inner Traditions) so you know how the sounds, well, sound.
Crystal Robbins –
Loved the science behind things I already know as a voice master teacher. The Lessac work is built upon many of these concepts, and this just seems to support so many things Arthur Lessac posited in the mid-20th century.
jr28 –
Makes you think!
Stephen R Jones –
Clear and compelling teaching about the curative activity of Yogic humming. I am begging topractice this interesting and historical practice.
Angela Benson –
I’ve been into sound healing for many years. The whole idea just makes a lot of sense. And you can find all sorts of books on the subject, from chanting to tuning forks to mantras. And all of these aspects of sound seem to work. But until now, nobody has ever written a book on what is probably the easiest sound we can make—humming!Sound healing pioneers Jonathan Goldman and Andi Goldman have written a really user friendly book that explores conscious humming—how humming may be used for healing and transformation. The book begins with scientific material that validates that yes indeed, humming has some truly beneficial effects on the human body. Then it goes on to provide some powerful exercise in order to experience these effects.Next the book explores the concept of humming as an aspect of sonic yoga. The Humming Effect concludes with some hypothetical speculations that are really fascinating—that humming can be used to treat neurological disorders and create new connections in the brain. The Goldmans provide a good case for this as being a great possibility. I hope that soon scientists begin to research this concept. It just makes sense.Incidentally, I first got this book on kindle and it amazed me!
Paula Gardner –
I’m a music lover. I hear music and rhythm in just about everything. So learning the science and reading about some of the studies of the impact of sound on our human self was very rewarding.I also teach yoga and have been playing Himalayan bowls for my students for years. I was able to incorporate some of the techniques taught in this book immediately with my Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Senior students. They reported feeling even better than with just the yoga and hearing/feeling the bowls during their final relaxation.All in all, this is a great resource for everyone.
Joa –
It really just goes over simple vowel sounds for the most part. Not that good lol
GLADIOLA –
The brilliance of this book is in its simplicity. The authors have wisely chosen humming as the entry point for sound healing, which makes this profound modality accessible to everyone. In addition to providing easy-to-learn exercises for beneficial sound healing, the authors also include substantial scientific research to bolster the credibility of this emerging health tool. For anyone interested in learning about the basics of sound healing, The Humming Effect is a perfect entry point. This book is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in holistic health cures, as it creates a fascinating intersection of medical and holistic practices.
Zardoz –
The narrator drones on endlessly about sound, vibration and humming. However there are no guided exercises for beginners, intermediate or advanced students. You are told to do the exercises on your own. I bought this audiobook to learn the advanced protocols on humming.The lecture was full of disclaimers, as if the writers didn’t actually believe their system would actually work.Their benefit claims were fuzzy, vague.I know that Humming works. I him as part of my daily meditation regimen. But this audiobook is not useful.
EL –
Got a good approach to using sound for meditation….really could have been 20 pages, but of course you have to travel through The whole woo-hoo cycle of levels and layers references to quantum intention ala Joe Dispenza all that…really I didn’t need it. Happy days to you if you like that whole thing, you’re probably going on retreats and that too so you’ll love this.It was good but I flipped through a lot of pages.Sit. Hum. Relax. That’s it.