I’ve been at the Yoga Journal San Francisco Conference these past few days, and had the privilege to study with Ana Forrest, a master teacher. She began her class with some pranayama, in order to get our energy moving through our bodies. We practiced Brahmari breath, a technique where you hum different notes to activate your various chakras. It’s a fascinating exercise. The higher the chakra, the higher the note. I found I could most easily access my throat chakra and heart chakra, meaning that the frequency of the note vibrated in these areas. I couldn’t reach my 6th, on the top of my head, or barely my first, in my groin area. What I did notice was some humming that sounded pretty, and I got the distinct sense that some people were humming what they thought they should be humming, and not what truly resonated in their bodies.

This is the value of a practice. To reflect back on ourselves when we are being truthful, and when we’re not. To engage with the authentic responses of the body.