Śītalī Prāṇāyāma
Curl the tongue and draw the breath across it, the haṭha tradition's built-in air conditioner for hot heads and hot summers.
How to practise
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Sit comfortably; curl the tongue lengthwise into a tube (genetic ability varies, see Sītkarī if you cannot).
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Protrude the curled tongue slightly between the lips.
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Inhale slowly through the tongue-tube, the air arrives cool and moist.
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Draw the tongue in; close the mouth; hold the breath a moment.
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Exhale slowly through the nose. 6–10 rounds.
Benefits
- Cools the body and cools tempers, the classic pitta remedy
- Reduces thirst and the dry, hot feeling of overwork
- Traditionally said to reduce hunger pangs and fevers (mild ones)
- Refreshes the mind in heat where deep breathing feels impossible
Contraindications & cautions
- Avoid in cold weather or a chilled body, it cools the system further
- Do not practise with a chest infection or heavy congestion
- Vāta and kapha constitutions should use it sparingly, in summer only
If you are pregnant, or live with a cardiac, respiratory or mental-health condition, consult a qualified teacher and a physician before practising. Never strain the breath.
In the tradition
The Pradīpikā lists the cooling breaths among the practices that conquer “the great heat”, a promise the Indian summer makes literal. For pitta constitutions, summer workers, and anyone whose temper runs the thermostat up, this is the tradition’s most direct coolant.
Sources & further reading
- Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā , Svātmārāma (chapter 2, verses 54–55; the cooling breaths that vanquish heat)
- Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha , Swami Satyananda Saraswati