Views and Visions: Humming for good health Part 2

Continued from Part 1… Humming — or a version of it — also helps during meditation. Many meditation exercises use the “Om” chant to relax and enhance well-being. Some people say it helps us to reach a higher consciousness. The “Om” chant is a kind of humming, where you breathe and make sounds. Many religious and meditative practices use similar chants that are like humming. So how did we come to hum? According to scientists, humming and other rhythmic behaviors are likely millions of years old. Cave dwellers may have copied the sounds animals make when they meet. When the early humans met strangers, these sounds might have been a signal that they were people and not predators. Humming was a way of communicating safety in a dangerous environment. Today, humming may still communicate that all is well. It is also true that some people are irritated and distracted by other people humming. It can sound like the buzzing of a mosquito near your ear. Who hasn’t wanted to say “Stop it!” or “Shut up!” to some repetitive and insistent “noise”? If you’re one of those people that sees humming as a nuisance, I hope you’ll understand it’s completely natural — and a nuisance with benefits. Why not hum a few bars and see for yourself? It feels pretty good! (Beverly A. Jackson) This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.