5 yoga for voice culture

YOGA FOR
VOICE
CULTURE

Published by
Swami Vivekananda Yoga Prakashana
#19, Eknath Bhavan, Gavipuram Circle, Kempegowda Nagar, Bengaluru - 560019
City Office - Ph: 080-26612669 Telefax: 080-26608645
Prashanti Kutiram Campus - Ph: 080-22639996
E mail: svyasa@svyasa.org Web: www.svyasa.org

Contents
Ch.No. Title
1

INTRODUCTION

2

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF

THE VOCAL SYSTEM

3

CAUSES OF INJURY TO THE

VOCAL SYSTEM

4

VOCAL DISORDERS AND

VOICE DISORDERS

5

VOICE CULTURING

DEVELOPING MUSICAL TALENTS

6

VOICE CULTURE FOR

DEVELOPING ORATION

7

YOGA PRACTICES FOR

VOICE CULTURE

Page No.

Yoga for Voice Culture | 7

INTRODUCION
Voice reflects our feelings. For example, if we gently and softly express our anger no one will take it seriously. Similarly
we never express love and affection through loud shouting.
Hence a suitable voice is essential for expressing our emotions
properly; whether it is talking, joking, singing or oration, this
is essential.
Lot of developments took place in the field of science and
technology in the past few centuries. No doubt, the growth
of technology has proved to be a boon to the humanity which
is crying for its basic needs by means of acceleration of mass
production. The life of the individual, which is geared to suit
the needs of mass production centers, has become mechanical
since the set-up for higher production makes man think less.
Also, the rush in the industries and factories to produce more
and more, has promoted unhealthy cut throat competition.
Man working in these industrial production centers is forced
to be always on his toes. Consequently, he always moves under great tension even for his basic survival.
In the olden days, each child used to learn Vedic chanting.
This is the minimum education that every one used to have. In
Vedic chanting there is intonation. There are three notes called
Udatta, Anudatta and Swarita. Anudatta is the normal, the
lower. Udatta is the upper pitch and Swarita is a combination

Yoga in Education for Total Personality Development SERIES - 5

8 | Yoga for Voice Culture

of these two. Om Sahana vavatu, sahanau bhunaktu observe
that. ‘sa’ is lower loudness and lower pitch and ‘nau’ is higher
pitch and higher loudness,. This is how we start learning to
modulate and start developing the voice that we have.
While Vivekananda Kendra enlaunched educational projects
in North Eastern area of Arunachal Pradesh, by setting up
Primary schools supported by Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, it
was a challenge for us to develop proper speech clarity among
the tribal children. Even Hindi could not be pronounced properly in spite of continued efforts by our dedicated teachers for
years. We started searching for speech experts to solve the
problem but they all failed. It was then that Mr. Warnekar, a
in Sanskrit renowned professor said to us “ it was the easiest
to solve – teach them Sanskrit. “We remarked ‘children can not
pronounce even simple hindi words’. How can they articulate
Sanskrit? So difficult words needing twists and turns of the
tongue? Can you come and solve our problem? He agreed and
came in summer to take charge of the students for a month.
All other classes were suspended. He has composed about 200
Samskrit songs from a short two line poems and slokas to 2
page long ones. Every morning after a brief session of yoga, the
children sat with prof. Warnekar on Harmonium leading the
songs. He lead and children repeated 8hrs a day. Amazingly
they loved to sing and the tongues were trained day after day.
Just a month – the challenge was met and the problem was
solved.
All teachers also sat with those children and learnt to sing all
those songs which were so tailor made to introduce them from



easy ones to begin with to end in the quite complicated tongue
twistersas. How did this work? Prof. Warnekar said that it was
the beauty of Sanskrit. The phonetics and intonations were
structured in the very alphabets of Samskrit and the words,
he continued- it systematically trains all parts of the tongue,
voice box for tone and pitch of voice production.
Latter yoga practices were developed to complement them
and a yoga based voice improvement module was developed.
Research was conducted to assess these changes to through
more light on the mechanisms involved in voice culture.
We bring out these aspects of yoga in this booklet after introducing Anatomy and Physiology.
In this Chapter we are going to discuss about the Anatomy
and Physiology. Anatomy refers to the describing and naming
of various body parts. Especially in this case we are going to
be concerned with physical parts of the vocal system. In the
Physiology we relate to how these various parts of the vocal
system work harmoniously in order to
produce voice. Creating sound requires
numerous muscles,
bones and organs of
the body. It is not
just the vocal system
but the entire body
response. There are



three basic main anatomical structure required for
the production of voice. The
first among them is named
as Activater i.e., Lungs, Diaphragm, Inter-costal muscles. These organs basically
deal with breathing or what
we call air management.
Most of the time there is a condition called tuttering where the
problem lies with the air management and articulation. The
second part is called Vibrator. That is basically the voice box.
This deals with the creation of pitch in the form of a sound
wave. The third is the Resonators, i.e., Throat, mouth, lips,
teeth, and nose. These deal with modification of the sound
into tones of various colors and timbers. So when we are talking about fully throated resonating voice, the entire vocal cavity will be participating in the production. When we look at
the Activaters, i.e., breathing process, there are various intercostal muscles in the diaphragm and the lungs participating
in this. In the respiration however the actual breathing will
be referred. But Activaters
refers to organs used in the
breathing process. When we
breathe in i.e., inhalation, the
diaphragm descends pulling
the ribs apart, i.e., inter-costal
muscles will help in this process. As the ribs move apart
air rushes in filling the lungs.



Take the example of some kind
of a balloon. What happens to
the balloon when we pump in
air? So when we breathe out
i.e., exhalation the diaphragm
and inter-costal muscles actually relax and it will make the
lung force air back and out.
Again we have to compare it
with a balloon. What will happen when you hold the balloon tight and release at end? The
air rushes out producing sound. In the same way the Larynx
will also function. Larynx is the name for voice box. Sometimes we notice that Adams Apple where the heart part pops
up and down in males. The Larynx contains vocal chords and
we call that as Vocal Folds too. The Epiglottis closes off the
air way when we swallow the food, so that the food will not
enter into Larynx. We have all realized in some part of our life
what happens when the food particles try to enter the Larynx.
It is the God given natural obstruction so the Thyroid Cartilage is the one which houses the Larynx and protrudes in the
neck. That is called Adams Apple. There are various parts
of the Larynx but we are not interested in all the anatomical
details. We will say Epiglottis is the most important portion of
the Larynx and then perhaps the artificial folds and the true
folds, these are the three anatomical features that we have to
be concerned about.
When we cut the front view of the Larynx into half, we see the
False Vocal chords and the True Vocal Folds and the Ventricle



and the Vocalic muscles and Thyroid Cartilages. Those are the
parts which play a very important role. During the respiration
i.e., the process of exhalation, i.e., when we breathe out, air
rushes up the Trachea and into the Larynx i.e., into the voice
box where it rushes, pass the vocal chords and causes them to
vibrate. The Vocal card starts vibrating when the vocal folds
will vibrate and the air will rush in from below and causes
them to make sound. So like when singing, the tighter we
stretch the card, the higher will be the pitch which again we
all observed this phenomenon in the balloon also when we try
to stretch the balloon tighter, the pitch of that sound coming
out of the balloon will also be very high. In the same way vocal
folds also function. The vocal chords normally adduct. That is
it comes together during phonation. So when you want to talk,
the vocal chords automatically come together and that process
is called Adduction and the more chords are tightened, that is
when we become little tensed and tighten our vocal cards, the
higher will be the pitch. The chords vibrate against each other
normally hundreds
of times per second.
The number of times
they vibrate is known
as frequency and this
is measured in Hertz.
Just like in a piano,
when the string is hit
by a key, it vibrates
at a certain number of times and the
same thing happens



with the vocal chords. So as a Singer sings or a person talks
in various pitch, there will be frequency, modulation which is
measured in Hertz.. When will adduction happen? The adduction happens when the vocal chords are spread apart. That
is abducting means to take away and adduction is happening
only when the vocal chords are coming together.
The Vocal Folds are
made of layers of very
delicate tissues called
Mucus
Membrane.
Very
little
blood
flow occurs in these
chords. That is the
reason vocal chords
are white in appearance. Under normal
talking or singing condition they can withstand quite a bit of
use, however loud forceful phonation can cause lot of injury
to the vocal folds. Suddenly sometimes, we shout that may
create lot of injury of the vocal chords. Vocal Folds cannot be
replaced. Though they can be surgically corrected, for lesions
or growth it can never be replaced. It is fairly easy to injure vocal chords. What are the different circumstances under which
we might injure our vocal chords is forceful singing, yelling,
screaming, loud talking can cause vocal chords damage. For
example, in the cricket match you see lot of girls the teenagers
shouting and when they come out of the cricket match their
voice will be harsh. The reason is that they have injured vocal
chords to some extent, but if they give enough rest, it comes



back to its normal position automatically. Excessive amount
of phonating can also lead to injury like vocal over use in singers and teachers. Teachers will have to be talking for a long
period of time; Singers who will be singing for a long period of
time may abuse their voice unless they are using right kind
of fundamental frequency and optimum frequency. There are
two frequencies which is very important for a person when we
are using, when we are singing or when we are talking also.
One is called the Fundamental Frequency and the other one is
called the Optimum Frequency.
Let us see how these things would work in maintaining vocal
hygiene. We will discuss about Fundamental Frequency and
Optimum Frequency and how it is important to use these two
frequencies in the next Chapter.



CAUSES OF INJURY
TO THE VOCAL SYSTEM
We will discuss about the various
causes which may injure our Vocal
Chords which come on the way of maintaining very good hygienic voice. One
is Nodules. We know about Nodule of
the vocal chords, Polyps and Laryngitis and Hemmorrhage of
the chords which are the possible effects of lot of vocal abuse.
Laryngitis we have all seen that condition where the Larynx
gets affected and there is infection in the Larynx. Nodules
is a common injury that is essentially a small growth found
on both Vocal Chords and Nodules are very common, in very
young Children, Singers and Teachers who will be constantly
speaking so the Vocal Cards are coming together constantly
being in touch with each other. So that is the point where
Nodule appears. Polyps are also like Nodules but they are a
growth on the chords that keep the chords from closing. So
there will be lot of soft lesions, the voice will be sexy in nature.
A kind of very hussy voice so where the air escapes between
the Vocal Cards will be not complete
but not also completely closed will be
produced. Polyps may be on either
side or just on one card. Apart from vocal abuse, another common cause for
polyps is smoking. A Hemmorrhaged



blood vessel explodes due to excessive pressure. When we
come to Laryngitis, Laryngitis rhinitis is the inflammation of
the vocal chords. It may be the result of reactions to Allergies,
bacterial or fungal infections or the result of vocal over use
also. With Laryngitis the vocal cards often swell too much so
that it won’t be able to close correctly resulting in what we call
breathy voice or husky voice. Vocal abuse also we talk about
children, yelling, screaming, forceful singing, throat clearing
and coughing. Some people have a kind of habit where they
will be constantly clearing their throat which will also cause
lot of vocal abuse. People might think that it is only loud talking which injures vocal chords, but remember even whispering
will cause vocal damage. When we try to whisper, all the time
trying to talk something not to be heard by others, it will also
damage vocal chords. The other area we will come to treatment basically. Treatment could be for organic causes which
we have been talking about Nodule, Polyps, Laryngitis and
Hemorrhaging. Under such conditions normally you should
consult an ENT specialist or a general Practitioner. In general,
the first thing that one has to do is take total vocal rest. Not
even whispering in fact you should be writing just things to
communicate. That kind of vocal rest has to be taken during
all these situations. That is the first line of defense. In some
cases we can get lot of help through hydrating ourselves a lot.
That is we have to keep on drinking lot of water. But we have
to follow these two measures first before surgery is indicated.
Now we are going to touch upon the keys to vocal health.
First the Larynx you say compare it to a finely tuned musical
instrument. The way we take care of a musical instrument



for example, you own a violin, you take care of it so much, the
same way Larynx have to be taken care of. We have to drink
lot of water because water is the best fluid for the body and
minimum we have to drink at least 64 alms a day i.e., about
half a gallon. The vocal chords need constant lubrication while
singing. That is very important. The body should be always
producing about one liter of mucus a day to keep the vocal
chords lubricated. However, it needs lot of water to produce
mucus. So to keep the mucus thin also we have to drink lot of
water. Foods like grapes, melons, cucumbers have lot of water content and it is very beneficial to singers also and people
who are in the profession where they need to talk a lot. Alcohol, caffeine, smoking, anti-histamines all dry the body and
also the vocal chords. Even the humidifiers in some dry areas
in the bed room may also be beneficial for vocal health. For
singers especially try not to sing forcefully or for long periods.
Let your music director know if you are experiencing a vocal
fatigue. Try to avoid singing hard glottal attacks. Glottal attacks means singing throaty voice Kha, Gha. When you start
singing, start with little bit of vocal relaxation exercises which
we call it as Warm up Exercises also. The Larynx should get
increased blood flow and you stretch it before singing by going into a lower pitch
when you start singing
go to lower pitch first
and then slowly warm
up and go to the higher
pitch. That is what exactly most of the singers will be doing. When



you are about stop also
lighten your Larynx
by giving downward
glides, lot of downward glides and worm
up exercises. There
are three groups of
muscles basically involved in vocal, when
you are singing. That
is the Breathing muscles, the Phonatial muscles and Pitch
changing muscles. This understanding helps in knowing how
Yoga works on the vocal system especially while performing
Yogic exercises and Yogasanas. In spite of all this care, if a
person is feeling that he is having some kind of a voice problem, the best thing is to do certain instrumental analysis like
stroboscope. Analyze your fundamental frequency and your
optimum frequency which the instrument will automatically
tell you. The instrument gives your optimum frequency where
you can start and what is the pitch range which is very important to know and what is the pitch range that you can take to
go up and to come down. This is an instrument analysis which
most of the voice labs in and around India can analyze.
Now we will move on to exercises which is the key component for maintaining vocal hygiene. Frequently, even the body
exercises can help, can promote a strong circulatory system,
efficient lungs and good immunity towards sickness which we
all realize. The same principle will hold good to maintaining
good vocal hygiene also. Try to get eight hours of sleep. That



is very important. Do not grown when you are lifting weights.
That is something very important to weight lifters. It creates
lot of Pressure against vocal cards. When you are talking on
phone, don’t try to hold the phone with your shoulder which is
again important as the position can put a lot of strain on the
Larynx and the neck muscles. When you are singing the last
hours it should be without any discomfort and if there is any
harshness, you are experiencing any harshness or discomfort or lack of range in the phonetia, it is an indication that a
problem is growing and you should try to stop slowly coming
down to the lower end. Let us discuss about this in the next
chapter.



VOCAL DISORDERS AND
VOICE DISORDERS
Smoking can create dramatic changes in tissues in and
around vocal chords and is the primary cause for the cancer
of the Larynx. It drops the vocal cards of full flexibility because of its drying affect. Singers should never smoke. Singers are normally not smokers. There are basically three different types of voice disorders. The one is functional in nature
caused by faulty use of normal vocal mechanism. The second
is organic where it is related to physical abnormality in the vocal chords or in the structure of the whole vocal mechanism.
The third is Neurological in nature caused by some neurological dysfunction that impairs coordinating of the mechanisms
involved in the voice production. Now, we discuss go to certain general clinical terms used to describe voice problems.
One is called Disphonia, the other could be Aphonia, the third
type would be Mesality. Now let us discuss Organic Voice Disorders. There may be various conditions which we described
earlier like Polyps, Vocal Nodule, Ulcers, Laryngitis which will
all lead to husky breathy voice. People should not mistake
this for having a sexy voice or attractive voice. The moment a
person develops a husky or a breathy voice for a period lasting
for more than fifteen days, he must immediately consult an
ENT specialist to rule out any organic problem which is long
lasting. So as far as organic voice disorders are concerned, a
surgical removal of the problem or the medical treatment of



the problem will take care of the voice disorders.
For the functional voice disorder, once when the organic
disorder has been set right, still
the person have to go through
a form of voice therapy in order to hit their optimum pitch
and to assess and come to an
understanding of their vocal
range and the pitch variation that their vocal system is capable
off. The third predominant area that we will notice is people
talking with nasality. When they talk their voice sounds very
nasal. So again, we have ruled out organic problems of cleft
pallet, cleft lip but still there will be what we call Nasal escape
of air. Lot of physical exercises and lot of Yogic exercises will
help the person to reduce the nasality in the voice.
There is another aspect of voice disorder which we call Aphonia. Aphonia could be psychological too. There are certain incidents of people suffering from various conditions like schizophrenia, depression, suddenly say I will not be able to talk. My
vocal chords are not functioning and I don’t have any voice.
There is absolutely no reason why the person cannot speak.
The vocal chords are functioning fine. They can cry, they can
laugh but when it comes to talking, they will not be using
their vocal chords. So these people can be treated by a Voice
Therapist and also by a Psychiatrist and with lot of meditation
techniques and other yogic exercises which will be discussed
further can also help these people to get over from functional



dysaphonia. So what
will we do when a person comes with voice
disorder? First case
history will be taken,
then clinical evaluation will be done. The
clinical evaluation will
be both functional as
well as instrumental
in nature and then we take a voice sample. Voice sample will
be taken when they are talking in ordinary environment and
also when they are using their voice professionally . There will
also be a diagnosis plan and pragmatic indicators will also be
given. Basically we try to analyze what are the voice abusing
factors. We can give the suggestions to the patient in order to
not to abuse their voice. But still use the voice projecting it.
That is one part and exposure to lot of laryngal irritants that
will advice to them to lessen that irritants. Otherwise they may
end up with infection.
Let us now discuss about Yogic exercises for voice disorders.
One would be with breathing exercise. The first basic component a person has to learn is to how to breathe and how to
voice. How to coordinate this process. What are the different
techniques? So we go to breathing exercises where we pay lot
of importance to hands stretch breathing and then we breathe
Tiger stretch oral motor exercises and head and neck exercises. Those things will be explained in the next few chapters
and then we go to yogasanas. What are the different kinds of



yogasanas which might help a patient with voice disorder, or
even to maintain your voice culture. Ardhakati chakrasana
has a very important role. Padahastasana, Bhujangasana,
Shalbasana, Sarvangasana and Halasana. The physiological
effects of all these asanas will be explained to you in the latter
chapters. So basically the way it affects your body and the
mind, the same way it affects the voice also. Let us go to the
Pranayamas again the sectional breathing which is very important. Especially the abdominal breathing, thoracic breathing
which plays a very important role in the sectional breathing.
One has to practice sectional breathing. Then Kapalabati, Nadishuddhi pranayama, ujjayi Pranayama, Bhastrika pranayama and even the Bramari that will help a singer and a professional like a teacher to maintain their voice. Meditation,
Nadanusandhana and the Om meditation will also help. In
Kriyas, Jalaneti, Sutraneti and Vaman dhouti will definitely
help to maintain voice culture. So here we have tried very
briefly to you an input about yoga and how yoga can help even
young children, middle aged and geriotric patients who have
been suffering with voice disorders and people who would like
to maintain their vocal culture and voice culture. The area of
neurogenic voice disorders has been not discussed. This is
seen in a geriatric patient
with upper motor neuron
and lower motor neuron
diseases called Spastic
Disaphonia. You might
have heard many elders
speaking with a voice
which keeps breaking



which is very shaky like an old person. This is called Spastic
Disaphonia. Even this can be treated with yogasanas and lot
of yogic exercises.



VOICE CULTURING
DEVELOPING MUSICAL TALENTS
Voice culture through Yoga. Particularly people who are specializing in music need a very accurate full and embellished
voice. Some have gifted voice. They are very rich in contact.
But most of us do not have that gifted voice. Then how do we
develop that? Is it possible to develop? That is the question
that we take up. Yes, it is possible to develop the voice to suit
your musical excellence. Sound wave moves in the form of
vibration, in the form of waves. Depending on the media the
speed can vary. They are essentially moved through compressions and rarefractions that is Ahatashabda. What then when
we have is Anahatashabda, that you don’t hear. They can be
classed under electro magnetic waves. These electro magnetic
waves can travel in great speed. So we have two types, one is
the sound, another is the electro magnetic radiation. Now the
vocal card that produces sound has to be properly trained with
all its supporting air
cushions and by doing so you will be able
to develop your voice
effectively. What is
the mechanism by
which there is development of the voice?
When you go on do-



ing the pranayama known as the Bramari Pranayama, then you
could see that Bramari vibrations will resonate throughout the
body. Resonating throughout the body will bring deep relaxation to the body mind complex. There is wonderful relaxation
that comes up at the end of this whole practice. So we normally recommend that every day you practice enough so that
your voice is going to blossom. The technique we normally use
is called as Bramari, the humming sound of a bee. But then
we have the reverse of that. Breathe out fully. During inhalation we produce sound is called the Bramara. The sound that
is produced by male bee is called Bramara. When we start doing that then wonderful blossoming of the voice occurs. The
small, limited range is now expanded to more and more, and
we will be able to reach the longer audience, the distant audience and the sound will start blossoming. Therefore the pitch
and the loudness both have to be worked through when we do
this. Then you start producing the patterns of resonant waves
depending on the type of music that you want.
The people who do vedic chanting is all set into three notes.
Udatta, Anudatta and Swarita. Anudatta is the normal, the
lower. Udatta is the upper pitch and Swarita is a combination
of these two. Om Sahana vavatu, sahanau bhunaktu observe
that. ‘sa’ is lower loudness and lower pitch and ‘nau’ is higher
pitch and higher loudness,. This is how you start learning to
modulate and start developing the voice that we have. Particularly with the musicians the pitch is very important. The
Shruti how far we are able to go. In the lower pitch how much
down you can take and in the higher pitch how much more
you can take. We should be able to do the entire spectrum.



Then bring the Bhava into the whole thing and bring that Bhava in the feeling related to the music. You start wondering the
blossoming of the voice and hundreds of musicians have have
learnt this voice culture and they are able to perform well in
day to day music concerts that they give. This is the whole
process of developing the voice through the useful Bramara,
Bramari and other techniques.
Yet another thing that is required both for the musicians and
also for orators essentially is development of the vital capacity
of the lungs. The vital capacity of the lungs can be developed
by inhaling and holding the breath. Allow the breath to spread
throughout the chest region. But there is another way of developing this by to directly handling the entire dimension and
see that you grow continuously. You can use either of these
techniques to see that we have our voice enriched by this process. Higher loudness lower loudness higher pitch lower pitch.
The normal range of pitch will be expanded, normal loudness
will be expanded and reduced by so doing you will be able to
develop your voice. The Bhava has to come within when you
start singing that Bhava, the Bhava will automatically modulate your voice manifesting that particular Bhava. The Bhava
can be Tamasic, Rajasic, Satvik. Depending on that the Rajasic Would be fully dynamic but can cut others, beat others
and can go straight into the hearts of others. In Satva you
start doing good. Such vibrations will continuously develop
and bring about changes and new dimension to life. So this
is how we start developing the voice culture for the musicians.
The Raga aspect of it, the Tala aspect of that all are taken into
consideration when we developed this integrated yoga module
for developing the voice particularly.


VOICE CULTURE
FOR DEVELOPING ORATION
Voice culture for developing oration, the speech. In the last
chapter we saw how our voice can be cultured, developed for
developing musical talent. There is emphasis on the Bhava,
the particular musical concert that you are giving, the song
that you are singing. Everything essentially is based on the
pattern of resonate waves that are produced.
In oration, when you want to give a speech, it is really different from the music and the corresponding techniques that we
have to use to develop the music. Here, there is greater need
for developing the voice a very rich voice and to have a long
reach. It should be able to modulate. If the people are very
near to you or people are very far away, you should be able
to change and modulate what you want to do. How you can
use the loudness in the pitch of the sound to reach a longer
distance or a shorter distance? Therefore here in oration the
emphasis is to develop a master voice, the rich voice, a voice
with full of inner vitality and dynamism and that is how we
all start developing. Some people are born gifted. About their
voice they have such a wonderful rich voice and those of the
ones who have selected are having gifted voice. They are usually selected for different types of debates, for different types
of announcements and presentation and so on. The question
is whether we can develop that faculty? For this, the type



of oration that comes up is to be embellished with increased
vital capacity of the lungs, increasing and decreasing pitch,
increasing and decreasing the loudness and thereby your oration becomes more effective. I remember one of our Teachers
used to have a monotonus voice and therefore it was something
like a lullabi and people will nicely sleep. But there are great
orators, by looking at the audience, they are able to increase
and decrease the loudness, the pitch and also the speed. If
the people are feeling little bored, then you increase the pitch,
increase the loudness. Therefore it breakes the sleepiness,
drowsiness, leathergy and increasing pitch also helps in shattering the tamas and while so doing, we will be able to culture
and develop our voice, very rich voice.
The richness of the voice is featured by the resonate wave factors. Increasing loudness, decreasing the loudness. Increasing the pitch, decreasing the pitch, increasing the speed of delivery, decreasing the speed of delivery. For that we have the
pranayamas. You could also use Kapalabati to some extent
to increase and decrease the speed. The difference between
Bastrika and Kapalabati you should understand. In Bastrika
there is thorasic breathing inhalation and exhalation both are
active. But in Kapalabati you have abdominal breathing only
exhalation is active, inhalation is automatic. But in Bastrika
you expand the chest and contract the chest uniformly like
bellows. You go on doing that, then you develop the vital capacity of the lungs and that helps us to have the modulation
of the voice as needed; either lower loudness or higher loudness, lower pitch or higher pitch and the speed. Some people
can speak very fast with all clarity. Some people do not have



that clarity. When they speak they don’t use the sound and
it gets mixed up and it gets mumbled up. The clarity is not
there. Therefore it is very necessary you start using these
techniques which are available in Yoga to see that you develop
a rich voice. That richness of the voice is the key essence for
oraters and it is possible that everyone can develop this richness of the voice by the techniques of voice culture by using an
Integrated Yoga Module. We will be able to develop our voice
very effectively.
Voice culture for developing oration, the speech. Nada and
Anusandhana. It is very important in voice culture to understand the dimensions related to the sound. We have seen how
anatomical structure is so designed within us to produce the
sound. Nada is sound also known as Shabda. On its subtlest form is called Nadabrahman. Nadabrahman is the first
primordial sound “OM” that emerged from pure consciousness, from Brahman and then it grossified itself. So what
is Shabda? Shabda Taranga is vibrations, waves and there
are two types of Shabda. One is Ahata Shabda and another
is the Anahata Shabda. Ahata Shabda is the one that we all
hear. Today modern physics has understood the Shabda, the
sound with great depth. It is known that the sound travels to
a media through compressions and rarefractions. Now air is
there during talking, there is continuous compressions and
rarefractions of the air. So it starts moving and it is through
this media that the sound moves. Why? Does it mean that
if we don’t have media, the sound cannot move? Yes. The
famous bell jar experiment. You have a glass bell jar. Inside
there is electric calling bell. Outside we have got a switch.



When you switch on, the calling bell starts vibrating and producing the sound and you can hear that from outside. Now
you completely evacuate the entire bell jar and close it. There
is no medium there. Air has been almost removed. Now again
you press the button and you can see the calling bell vibrating. But you don’t hear any sound outside. Therefore for the
propagation of the sound, medium is is very necessary. Depending on the type of medium, you have, the speed of sound
varies. If it is air, you have certain speed. If it becomes some
other gas, you can have a different speed. If it is very dense,
then speed will be less. This is how the speed of sound varies.
When we speak, the vocal card produces that sound by vibration of the membrane. When it vibrates, it sends away the
compressions and rarefactions in the air and it will move and
we are able to hear at a distance. Now how long the sound can
reach depends on two factors. One is what we call as the loudness and another is pitch. So how loudly you speak, so that
we will be able to hear for a distance or you can have a very
soft sound hardly you can hear. Loudness can vary. You may
have a sound wave represented like this. Then the amplitude
is the one that measures the loudness. The loudness of the
sound is represented by the amplitude.
There is yet another factor is called the pitch. Normally women have higher pitch compared to the males. Male voice has
lower pitch. What is the difference between the pitch. There
is a famous thing Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni, Saa. This Saa is
the highest pitch. The bottom Sa is the lowest pitch. This represents the frequency of the waves. What is frequency? Number of waves in a second is called the Frequency. So, if the



frequency is more, then in one minute you have more number
of waves. If the frequency is less, then the number of waves
will be less. The wave length and the frequency are inversely
proportional. This frequency is what we call as pitch. Now,
higher the pitch, longer the distance it travels and Greater the
loudness, longer the sound travels. Therefore, women having high pitch, If they speak loudly, it can go a long way. We
call it as shrilled voice. It can move far. Because the energy
content of that is quite high. Now, in voice culture, you must
develop this capacity of increasing and decreasing the pitch.
Increasing and decreasing the loudness. That forms the essence of the voice culture.
The second is Nadanusandhana. How to contemplate on the
sound aspect on the Shabdabrahma aspect? Contemplation
essentially is to tune your mind. Allow the mind to completely
tune itself to a particular frequency band, then a resonance
takes place and there is going to be a propagation of the wave.
Therefore Anusandhana is to dwell on that particular sound
and the sound pattern and sound waves and allow that to
flow freely. Every day you sit there and go on repeating the
sound like an Omkara a primordial sound. Om, Om. So you
can initially start with the loud sound and the nada will start
getting resonating and when there is resonance, the frequency
of the external sound matches with the natural frequency of
the body. With that matching of the natural frequency, there
is going to be a wonderful resonance. That resonance builds
vitality, energy, freshness, dynamism and that is one that also
gives the calmness, peace, harmony, love, bliss. Therefore we
have both the dimensions. That is one side the pitch. Another



side is the loudness, the amplitude and the frequency and you
must learn how to do both. Can we increase and decrease the
pitch? Can we increase and decrease the loudness? Then
you start getting the whole mastery and control. Therefore
the process of voice culture is essentially by dealing with your
pitch and the loudness. That is how there is going to be a
control that starts coming up at the voice level. That will start
bringing lot of dividends in terms of usefulness.



YOGA PRACTICES
FOR VOICE CULTURE
7.1. ASANA
• Janusirsasana
• Prasarita pascimatanasana
• Vakrasana
• Ardhamatsyendraasana
• Matsyasana
• Prasartia halasana
7.2. KRIYAS

• Gargling
• Ushäh Päna
• Jalaneti
• Kapälabhäti alternate nostrial,
• Kapälabhäti both nostrial
• Vaman Dhouti
7.3. PRANAYAMA
• Bhastrika
• Ujjayi,
• Sitikäri
• Sadanta
• Bhrämari in shanmukhi mudra
• Bhramara



7.4. BREATHING EXERCISES: Tiger stretch
7.5. SHAKTI VIKASAKA: Karana Shakti Vikasaka
7.6. RELAXATION
• Instant Relaxation Technique (IRT)
• Quick Relaxation Technique (QRT)
• QRT with chanting
• Neck Relaxation with bhramari
• Simha mudra
7.7. NAMAVALIS: Speech: Intonations
7.8. VOICE SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
• Matching the Voice to ‘OM’
• Tongue massage
• Blowing cheeks
• Twisting the lip



7.1. ASANA

1. JÁNU SIRSÁSANA
Sthiti: DandásanaPRACTICE
• Bend the right leg along the
ground, placing the heel
against the perineum and the
sole touching the inner side of
the left thigh. Place the palms
by the
side of buttocks
keeping the spine erect.
• While inhaling raise the hands to the shoulder level
keep them horizontally.
• With further inhalation raise the hands further to take them
above the head. Stretch up fully.
• While exhaling slowly bend forward from the lower back and
hook the big toe of the left foot with the index fingers. Press
both the thumbs on the big toe. In the final position try to
touch the forehead to the knee. The elbow joints touch the
ground. Back flat as much as possible. Maintain the final
position for one or two minutes with normal breathing. Feel
the relaxation in the throat region. Chant Bhramari.
• Then return to the starting position through the same
steps.
• Relax in Ùithila Daïãásana.
• Repeat the same practice with the left leg.
Note
• The knee of the bent leg should be on the floor.
• Do not bend the straight leg while in the final position.
• Bend forward and try to touch forehead to the knee as far as



comfortable.
• In the final position keep the back muscles relaxed and use
the arm muscles to hold the toe for maintaining the position.

2. PRASARITA PASCIMATANASANA
Sthiti: Dandásana.
PRACTICE
• Separate the legs by spreading them as much as you can.
• Inhale, raise both the arms sideways at
shoulder level
parallel to the ground. Turn the palms facing upwards.
• Continue to inhale and raise the arms further up vertically
biceps touching the ears and stretch the trunk from the coccyx region. Now turn the palm forwards.
• While exhaling bend forward from the lower back bringing
the chin to the ground. Feel the stretch of the neck muscles.
Hold the big toes with the hands. Maintain the position for
about a minute with normal breathing.
• Return to sthiti reversing the steps and the breathing
• Relax in Sithili Dandasana.



Note
Do not allow the knees to bend.
Benefits
• Helps to stimulate the spine thereby developing voice.
• Gives flexibility to the back bone. Stimulates the spinal
nerves and back muscles. Improves digestion, Energises the
whole body. Removes constipation.
Limitations
• People with severe lower back problems like slip disc and
sciatica.
Note
Do not allow the knees to bend.

3. VAKRÁSANA
Sthiti:Dandasana
PRACTICE
• Bend the right leg at the knee and place it beside the left
knee.
• Straighten and twist the
waist towards the right as
you exhale. Bring the left
arm around the right knee
and catch the right big toe.
Take the right arm back
and keep the palm on the



ground in such a way that the trunk is kept erect with a
proper twist. Neck and throat muscles relax well in final position. Maintain for about a minute with normal breathing.
Chant Bhramari.
• Return to sthiti through the same steps.
• Relax for a while in Sithila Dandásana.
• Repeat the same on the other side.
Benefits
Twisting reduces bulk and tones up muscles in throat and
helps in voice culture.
Lateral twist gives flexibility to the spine, tones up the spinal
nerves. Prepares the spaine for Artha Mátsyendrásana. Helps
to cure constipation, dyspepsia, stimulates the pancreas and
useful for diabetes. Improves the lung capacity.
Limitations
People who have recently undergone abdominal surgery may
avoid.

4. ARDHA MATSYENDRÁSANA
Sthiti: Daïãásana
PRACTICE
• Bend the right leg at the knee by drawing it along the ground.
Place the sole of the right foot against the inner side of the
left thigh. Keep the right heel about 4 to 5 inches away from
the perineum.
• Bend the left knee and place the left foot on the outer side



•

•

•
•
•

of the right thigh near the
right knee. Do not sit on the
heels.
Inhale, raise the right arm up
vertically and stretch up the
shoulder. Exhale, twist the
waist to the left and bring the
right arm over the outer side
of the left knee. The left knee
acts as a fulcrum for getting
maximum twist of the spine.
Catch the left big toe with the
right hand. The right triceps
rests on the outer side of the
left knee.
Now take the left hand behind the back and try to touch
the right thigh. Look back over the left shoulder keeping
the trunk erect. Maintain for about a minute with normal
breathing.
Come back to Sthiti retracing the same steps.
Relax for a while in Ùithila Daïãásana.
Repeat the same, on the other side.

Benefits
Neck gets a good stretch.
Twisting reduces bulk and tones up muscles in throat and
helps in voice culture.
Lateral twist gives flexibility to the spine, tones up the spinal
nerves. Prepares the spaine for Artha Mátsyendrásana. Helps
to cure constipation, dyspepsia, stimulates the pancreas and



useful for diabetes. Improves the lung capacity.
Limitations
People who have recently undergone abdominal surgery may
avoid.

5. MATSYÁSANA
Sthiti: Supine Posture
PRACTICE
• Take the right leg and
place it on the left thigh.
• Place the left leg on the
right thigh as in Padmásana.
• Place the palms on either side of the head with fingers pointing towards the shoulders.
• Taking the weight on the palms, lift the head and the back,
off the ground as you inhale. Bring the center of the crown
of the head to the ground by bending the dorsal and cervical spine backwards. Exhale and release the hands after the
weight is well balanced on the head and catch hold of the
big toes hooking the index fingers around them. Press the
elbows on the ground to bear the weight of the upper half of
the body. Maintain this position for one minute with normal
breathing. Chant Bhramari.
• Come back slowly step by step to supine sthiti.
• Relax in Ùavásana.



Note
People with neck pain low back pain and hyper tension should
avoid this posture

6. PRASARITHA HALÁSANA
Sthiti: Supine Posture
PRACTICE
• Inhale, raise the legs together slowly and gracefully (without bending the knees) till it forms about 45Deg. to the
ground.
• Continue to inhale and raise the legs further to 900 position
and simultaneously bring the arms down placing them next
to the buttocks.
• Exhale, raise the buttocks and the trunk without lifting the
head. Support the back by the palms. Rest the elbows on
the ground firmly to get better support to the back. Maintaining the legs parallel to the ground, straighten the trunk
by pushing it up with the hands till the chin is well set in
the suprasternal hollow. Inhale in this position.
• Exhale, bring down the toes further to touch the ground.
Release both hands and rest the arms straight on the
ground
parallel to each other
with palms facing the ground.
And separate the
legs by about 2
to 3 feet. Main-



tain this position for one minute with normal breathing.
• Come back slowly step by step to supine sthiti.
• Relax in Savásana.
Note
Make sure that you have achieved perfect balance before you
release the hands supporting the trunk.
Benefits
Stretches and stimulates the back muscles, spinal joints and
lumbar nerves. Enhances blood flow to the neck, activating
the thyroid and keeps spine flexible.
Limitations
People with any problem with the spine, hypertensives and
those with the cardiac problems, hernia must avoid this ásana.

7.2. KRIYAS

1. GARGLING
Sthiti: Tadasana
PRACTICE
• Put luke warm salt water
in the mouth. Allow it to go
upto the throat and gargle.
Throw out this water.
• Repeat for 10 times.



Benefits
• Cleanses the throat.
• Develops the stamina of the throat.

2. USHAH PAANA
Sthiti: Tadasana
PRACTICE
• Drinking the water through the nose is called Ushahpaana.
• Blow the nose and clean the Nasal passage.
• Take drinking water in a glass. Keep the rim of the glass
under your nostrils and inhale very slowly and gently till
you feel the water in your throat. Take away the initial water
from the mouth and then go on drinking the water in the
usual way.
PRECAUTION: Don’t inhale forceably.
Benefits
• Cleanses the nasal passage.
• Makes the breathing comfortable.
• Excessive sensitivity can be removed.
• People with tension and Migraine headaches will be
helped.



•
•
•
•

Acidity will be reduced.
Good exercise for the throat muscles.
Relaxes the mind.
Removes stresses and anxieties.

Limitations
• Persons suffering with cold and cough at that time.

3. JALA NETI (Cleaning the nasal passage)
Sthiti: Táãásana
PRACTICE
• Add about half a teaspoon of salt to a neti pot full of sterile
lukewarm water.
• Stand with the legs apart
• Hold the neti pot in your right hand.
• Insert the nozzle of the Neti pot into the right nostril.
• Keep the mouth open and breathe freely through the
mouth.
• Tilt the head first slightly
backwards, then forwards
and sidewards to the left so
that the water from the pot
enters the right nostril and
comes out through the left
by gravity. Allow the flow till
the pot is empty.
• Repeat the same on the left
side.



• To clear the nasal passages of the remaining water, blow out
the water by active exhalation through alternate nostrils as
in Kapálabháti.
Benefits
It helps to clear nasal passages. Removes cold, hypersensitivity, headache, sinusitis, bronchitis and stimulates olfactory
nerves.
Limitations
Neti should be avoided if you have had a recent ear infection
or nasal septum operation. Also avoid neti for a few days after
a bleeding nose.

4. CLEANSING BREATH (KAPÁLABHÁTI KRIYA)
• Sit in any meditative posture.
• Keep your spine and neck erect perfectly
vertical to the ground.
• Close the eyes and collapse the shoulders.
• Relax the whole body completely.
PRACTICE
• Practice rapid breathing with active and
forceful exhalation and passive inhalation.
• During each exhalation, blast out the air by vigorous flapping movements of the abdomen in quick succession.
• Inhale passively by relaxing the abdominal muscles at the
end of each exhalation.



• Repeat the exhalation as quickly as possible
at the rate of 60 strokes per minute.
• At the end of one minute, stop the practice.
• Now observe an automatic suspension of
breath resembling kevala kumbhaka, enjoy
it. In fact, there will be no urge for breathing
for a few seconds.
• Simultaneously the mind may experience
a deep state of silence. Enjoy this state of
deep rest and freshness.
• Wait until the breathing comes back to normal.
Note
• Throughout the entire practice the spine must be kept erect
without any movement of the trunk, neck or the face.
• It is important to learn to allow the inhalation to happen
automatically by relaxing the abdominal muscles at the end
of each quick exhalation.
• Kapalabhati can be practiced through alternate nostrils
by alternately closing the right and left nostrils in Násika
mudrá.
• In the beginning it may not be possible to practice continuously at the rate of 60 strokes per minute. Therefore, one
can start at the rate of 10 to 20 strokes per minute and
repeat it 2 to 3 rounds with normal breathing intervals of
a few seconds. With regular daily practice you can increase
the speed to 60-120 strokes per minute.
• Persons with high BP, heart problems, vertigo, epilepsy,
hernia, slip disc and spondylosis should avoid this prac-



tice. Women during menses and later months of pregnancy
should also avoid this practice.
Benefits:
Physical
Brain cells are envigorated. It brings brightness to the face
with regular practice . It balances and strengthens the nervous system. It removes the drowsiness from the body.
Brain cells send signals not only to improve memory, but also
tone up the voice.
Alternative nostril Kapalabhati balances Ida and Pingala Nadis.
Therapeutic
It provides a nice massage to all the abdominal organs. People with digestive problems are highly benefited. It cleanses
the lungs and also the entire respiratory tract. It is good for
asthmatics and for other respiratory disorders.
Spiritual
It removes the distractions of the mind and prepares it for
meditation. The practitioner achieves a state of Kevala Kumbhaka, i.e. automatic cessation of breath.
Limitations
• Practice of Kapalabhati is to be avoided in case of moderate and severe High Blood Pressure Ischemic Heart Disease,
Vertigo,
• Epilepsy, Hernia, Gastric Ulcer, Slip Disc and Spondylosis.
Women during menses and advanced stage of pregnancy
should avoid.



5. VAMANA DHOUTI
Sthiti: Táãásana
PRACTICE
• Drink about one and a half liters
of lukewarm saline water (about
1% saline) as quickly as you can
until you feel like vomiting it out.
• Churn the stomach by twisting exercises.
• Stand with feet apart at shoulder width and bend the
trunk forward forming an angle of about 80 degrees to the
ground.
• Now with the help of the middle three fingers of the right
hand, tickle the back of the throat to vomit out (vaman) all
the water.
• Repeat the process of tickling the throat until no more water
comes out which may mean that all water has been vomited.
• With continued practice one can stimulate the vomiting
sensation and vomit out the water without using the fingers
at the throat.
• Relax completely in DRT for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Have a bland breakfast after about half an hour.
Note
• This is to be done early in the morning on an empty stomach.
• A bland breakfast could preferably consist of Indian kichadi. (rice and lentil-dhal, cooked with or without salt), along
with a tea spoon ful of pure ghee. Avoid coffee or tea for



breakfast.
• With long practice one can learn to vomit all the water as if
it is a continuous jet. This is called Gajakaraïi.
Benefits
• Vaman dhoti or kunjal kriya removes hyper acidity, good for
flatulence and dyspepsia (indigestion), cleanses the stomach
of all its contents, promotes proper functioning of the stomach and prevents hyper acidity. Dhouti Kriya is extremely
useful for gas trouble, high acidity in stomach and for curing Asthma also. Useful for asthma and bronchitis to clear
the air passages through reflex stimultaion of udána Práïa.
Limitations
• Avoid - in case of severe abdominal pain, abdominal surgery, tonsilitis, hypertension, ischaemic heart diseases and
during menstruation.

7.3. PRANAYAMA

1. BHASTRIKA PRÁÏÁYÁMA
Sit in any meditative posture.
PRACTICE
• Here both inhalations and exhalations are
very active. So inhale and exhale through
both the nostrils by expanding and contracting the chest (thorax) forcefully.
• The chest is expanded and contracted like
the bellows of the blacksmith.



• Stop after ten strokes.
• The breath remains suspended automatically. Promote stoppage of breath as long as you can. Enjoy the whole process.
Stoppage of breath is also a part of Bhastrika.
• After normal breathing resume & go for the next round.
• In this way, repeat three rounds.
• To help chest movements, use hands. Keep hands in front
of chest. While inhaling take the hands away and back so
that cheast expands. While exhaling bring the hands to the
chest.
Note
• While Kapálabháti uses abdominal breathing, Bhastrika
uses thoracic breathing.
• Keep the entire track i.e. the trachea, throat and the nasal
passage relaxed and see so that there is no friction at all
during the practice.
• With continued practice, when you become proficient, you
can go up to 120 strokes per minute. But not more than
that.



Benefits
• Extremely useful for voice culturing.
• Done with ease, the power of voice increases.
• The vital capacity of the lungs and the Peak Flow Rate increases.
• The stresses packed up in the throat are effectively released
by this pranayama.
• Burns up toxins.
• Removes diseases of Doshas(kapha,pitta and vata)
• Good for those suffering with lung disorders.
• Alleviates inflammation in the throat and any accumulation
of phlegm.
• Balances and strengthens nervous system.
• Induces peace, tranquility and one pointedness of the
mind.
Limitation
• People with high BP, heart disease, hernia, gastric ulcer, epilepsy or vertigo should not practice it. People with asthma
and chronic bronchitis are recommended to practice only
under expert guidance.

2. UJJÁYÈ PRÁÏÁYÁMA
STARTING POSITION
Sit in any meditative posture.
PRACTICE
• To start with exhale completely and empty the lungs. Then
start inhaling slowly and with awareness through both nos-



•

•
•
•

trils with the glottis partially closed.
Because of the partial closure of the glottis air flows in and
out with friction
thereby creating a sibilant (s) sound in
the throat. This resembles very much to
the hissing sound of a snake.
Exhale very slowly with the same hissing
sound.
Make the exhalation as long as possible
always longer than the inhalation.
This is one round. Perform nine rounds.

Note
• Bend the neck slightly to facilitate partial closure of the
glottis(in the beginning).
• Hissing sound is produced at the throat both while inhaling
and exhaling.
• Because of the hissing sound, Ujjáyi is also known as Hissing Práïáyámal
• The inhalations and exhalations should be slow, continuous.
• Partial contraction or closing the glottis can be learnt by
making a swallowing movement and feeling the gentle pressure in throat region.
Benefits
• Voice culturing takes place.
• When we produce hissing sound, throat muscles get wonderfully massaged.
• It starts bringing changes needed for relaxation of throat



•
•
•
•
•
•

muscles.
It is a tranquilising pranayama.
It soothes the nervous system and calms the mind.
It helps removing insomnia.
Useful for people with high BP.
Alleviates fluid retention.
It is also called as psychic breath as leads to subtle statesof
mind.

Limitation
• Introverted people should avoid.

3. SÈTKÁRI PRÁÏÁYÁMA
Sthiti: Vajrásana
PRACTICE
• Place the palms resting on the thighs.
• Fold the tip of the tongue such that it
touches the root of the teeth on the
top. The folded tongue slightly comes
out between the two rows of teeth and
provides a narrow opening on both
sides.
• Slowly suck the air in through the two
sides of the
tongue.
• Feel the cool stream of air diffusing
throughout the mouth and throat
into the lungs.
• Exhale slowly through both nostrils.



Feel the warmth of the exhaled air.
• This completes one round of Sètkári.
• Repeat nine rounds.

4. SADANTA PRÁÏÁYÁMA
Sthiti: Vajrásana
PRACTICE
• Place the palms resting on the thighs.
• Let the upper set of teeth touch the
lower set of teeth.
• Keep the tip of the tongue just behind
the teeth.
• Inhale through the crevices of the
teeth and feel the cool air moving
slowly and continuously
i n t o
the mouth and passing down the
throat into
the lungs.
• The warm air is exhaled out slowly
through both the nostrils. Feel the
warmth of exhaled air.
• This completes one round of Sadanta.
• Feel the changes in throat, head and through out the body
that relaxes the whole body.
• Repeat nine rounds.
Benefits of both Sadanta and Sitkari
Physical
They induce muscular relaxation and an over-all cooling ef-



fect. They soothen the eyes, ears and purify the blood. They
quench the thirst, appease hunger and generate a feeling of
satisfaction. The taste buds and the mouth are sensitised.
Therapeutic
Allergies due to cold can be effectively overcome by prolonged
practice. They help in reducing tensions and stresses and induce mental tranquility. Sètkari and Sadanta keep the teeth
and gums healthy. They help reduce blood pressure and acidity in stomach.
They cure chronic dyspepsia (indigestion), various chronic
skin diseases, and releases even very subtle tensions.
Spiritual
Expansion of awareness - a facet of spiritual growth - takes
place as you move from sitali (linear awareness) to sitkari (surface aware-ness) and then to sadanta (3-D awareness).
Limitations of Sitkari and Sadanta:
People with Low Blood Pressure should avoid. People suffering from cold, sore throat, bronchitis etc. should avoid. Practitioners with sensitive teeth, missing teeth or dentures should
avoid sitkari and sadanta. Instead they can practise sitali.
Generally, avoid in winter or in cool climates.

5. BHRÁMARÈ AND BHRAMARA IN SHANMUKHI MUDRA
Sthiti: Vajrásana
PRACTICE
• Assume Cinmudrá.
• Inhale slowly and deeply producing a sound resembling the



•

•
•
•
•
•

•
•

humming of a male bee. This is Bhramara.
Exhaling, produce a low pitched
sound resembling the humming of a
female bee.This is Bhramari.
Feel the vibrations in the entire
throat and head.
This is one round.
Repeat five rounds.
Remove Shanmukhi mudra.
Repeat Bhramara and Bhramari similarly. This time
while inhaling raise the
head up with Bhramara
and while exhaling bring
the head down with Bhramari.
This is one round.
Repeat five rounds.

Note
• During the practice of Bhrámarè use ‘N-kára’ and not ‘Mkára’.
• Touch the tongue to upper (hard) palate.
• Initially the sound vibration is felt more at the throat region
only.
• With long practices try to feel the strong vibrations in the
entire head region along with its resonating effect through
out the body.



Note
• In the beginning, 5 to 10 rounds of Bhramari is sufficient.
Slowly increase to 10 to 15 minutes.
• It can be practised at any time to relieve mental tension.
Benefits
Physical
Creates a soothing effect on the nervous system. Cultures the
voice and increases the melody.
Therapeutic
Relieves stress and cerebral tension. Reduces anger, anxiety, insomina and blood pressure. Good for all psychosomatic
problems as it reuduces the stresses and tension. Eliminates
throat ailments (tonsils, pains etc.) Speeds up healing of tissue and so may be practised after surgery.
Spiritual
Develop the diamentional 3-D awareness. It aids in expands
the mind towards all pervasive awareness. It induces a meditative state by harmonising the mind and directing the awareness inwords.

7.4. BREATHING EXERCISE

1. TIGER STRETCH BREATHING
PRACTICE
• Bend the right leg at the knee and sit on the heel.
• Bend the left leg at the knee and sit on both the heels(sit in



•

•
•
•

•
•

Vajrasana).
Lean forward and place the hands flat on the floor in line
with the shoulders with fingers pointing forward. Arms,
thighs and heels should be about one shoulder width apart.
The arms and thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
While inhaling raise the head and look at the ceiling.
At the same time, depress the spine making it concave.
While exhaling, blast the air and make a quick movement
arching the spine upwards and bend the head downward
bringing the chin towards the chest.
This constitutes one round of tiger breathing.
Repeat 5 rounds.

Note
• Before starting the practice ensure that you are comfortable while standing on “all-fours” (i.e., two hands and two
knees).
• Co-ordinate the movements with breathing.
• Keep the eyes closed and practice with awareness.
• Do not bend the arms or move the thighs forwards and backwards.



Benefits
• Spinal flexibility increases.
• Flexibility of neck muscles increases.
• The whole body gets activated.
• Awareness and mastery over all three sections of the chest.
• Empties the lungs fully.
• Harmonize the muscles of respiration.
• Calms down the mind.
• Tones Pancreas.
• Feed back of airway status by sound in case of asthmatics.
Limitations
• Severe back pain, slip disc, cervical spondylosis.
• Hyper Tension and heart problems.

7.5. SHAKTI VIKASAKA

1. KARNA ÙAKTI VIKÁSAKA
(Improving the power of hearing)
STARTING POSITION:
Sthiti: Dandasana
PRACTICE
• Bend the right leg at the knee
and sit on the heel.
• Bend the left leg at the knee
and sit on both the heels (sit in
Vajrasana).
• Plug the ears with the
thumbs.



• Close the eyes with the second
fingers.
• Inhale and close the nose with
the middle fingers.
• Now holding the breath and
rest the chin on the chest (Jalandhara Bandha).
• Close the lips with the last two
fingers sets.
• Feel what you are hearing in
the ears.
• Bring the head up.
• Release the lower fingers.
• Release the middle fingers.
• Release all fingers bringing the arms down.
• Relax and feel the vibrations.
• Inhale and chant Bhramari while exhaling and feel the vibrations in the ear.
• Repeat five times.
NOTE
• The Jalandhara Bandha which forms part of the whole process ensures stimulation of the endocrine glands as the nervous components situated in this region.
• Can be done in sitting position also.
BENEFITS
• It will cure many ailments of the ear and also impaired hearing.



Limitations
• Pus in ears.

7.6. RELAXATION

1. INSTANT RELAXATION TECHNIQUE (IRT)
Sthiti: Ùavásana
PRACTICE
• Bring your legs together; join the
heels and toes together and place
the palms by the
side of the thighs.
• Keep the face relaxed with a smile all through the practice.
• Start tightening from the toes.
• Tighten the ankle joints, and calf muscles.
• Pull up the kneecaps.
• Tighten the thigh muscles.
• Compress and squeeze the buttocks.
• Breathe out and suck the abdomen in.
• Make fists and tighten the arms.
• Inhale and expand the chest.
• Tighten the shoulders, neck muscles and compress the
face.
• Tighten the whole body from the toes to the head.
• Tighten…tighten…tighten…
• Release and let go the whole body instantaneously.
• Legs and arms go apart with the open palms facing the



roof.
• Collapse the whole body.
• Enjoy the instant relaxation.
Benefits
• Relaxes the body instantaneously.
Limitations
• Hypertension and Heart problems people should do part by
part tightening and relaxation.
• Slip disc and Cervical Spondylosis people should not tighten
the part of problem.

2. QUICK RELAXATION TECHNIQUE (QRT)
Sthiti: Ùavásana.
PRACTICE
Phase I
Feel the abdominal movements.Observe the movements of abdominal muscles going up and down as you breathe in and
out normally. Observe 5 cycles.



Phase II
Synchronize the abdominal movements with deep breathing.
The abdomen bulges up with inhalation and sinks down with
exhalation. Observe 5 cycles.
Phase III
As you inhale deeply and slowly, energize the body and feel the
lightness. As you exhale completely collapse all the muscles,
release the tension and enjoy the relaxation.
Observe 5 cycles.
• Chant ‘AAA’ in a low pitch while exhaling. Feel the vibrations in the lower parts of the body.
• Slowly come up from either the right or the left side of the
body.

SIMHAMUDRA
Sthiti: Dandasana
PRACTICE
Technique
• Bend the right leg at the knee and sit
on the heel.
• Bend the left leg at the knee and sit on
both the heels. Separate the knees by
about 45cm.
• Place the palms on the floor in between
the knees. Lean forward resting the
body on the straight arms. Arch the
back and gently tilt the head back so



•

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

that there is comfortable amount of tension in the neck.
Open the eyes and gaze at the eyebrow center.
Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose. Open the mouth
and extend the tongue out as far as possible towards the
chin. While slowly exhaling, produce a clear, steady ‘aaah’
sound from the throat, keeping the mouth wide open. At the
end of exhalation close the mouth and breath in.
Repeat five rounds.
Come back to sthiti and relax.
Benefits
Throat and tongue muscles become flexible.
It develops a strong and beautiful voice.
Alleviates diseases of throat, nose, ears and mouth.
Tension is removed from chest and diaphragm.
Useful for people who stutter or who are nervous and introverted.

Limitations
Heart problems.

7.8. VOICE SPECIAL TECHNIQUE

1. MATCHING THE VOICE OF OM WHILE BREATHING IN
AND WHILE BREATHING OUT:
Chant OM while breathing in and while breathing out synchronizing with the whole class.
2. TONGUE MASSAGING
Starting Position :
• Dandasana



Practice
• Bend the right leg at the knee and sit on
the heel.
• Bend the left leg at the knee and sit on
both the heels (Sit in Vajrasana).
• Open the mouth wide and push the tongue forward.
• Give a massage while you are pulling the tongue as if you
are mulching. With your right and left hands alternately
with the thumbs below the tongue and the index fingers on
the tongue.
• Practice twenty rounds.
• Stop the practice, close the mouth and relax for some time.
Note
• Keep the tongue stretched out but relaxed.
• Initially you may find it difficult but with a little practice you
get used to it.
Benefits
• Very good for voice culturing. Improves the flexibility of the
tongue muscles which is helpful in voiceculturing.

3. BLOWING THE CHEECKS:
Starting Position: Dandasana
Practice
• Bend the right leg at the knee and sit on the heel.
• Bend the left leg at the knee and sit on both the heels (Sit
in Vajrasana).
• Inhale and blow the cheecks and maintain for a minute. Feel



the pressurized blowing of the cheeks.
Exhale. This is one
round.
• Repeat five rounds.
Benefits
• This increases the power of the cheek
and lip muscles.

Twisting the lips
Starting Position: Dandasana
Practice
• Bend the right leg at
the knee and sit on the
heel.
• Bend the left leg at the
knee and sit on both
the heels (Sit in Vajrasana).
• Twist the lips left to
right and right to left.
This is one round.
• Repeat five rounds.
Benefits
• This increases the flexibility of lip muscles.


5 yoga for voice culture

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5 yoga for voice culture