Sitali cooling breath
If you feel dizzy, hear ringing in your ears or start feeling anxious, stop and breathe the way you normally do. Safety and limits
What it works with: the practice gives a feeling of coolness from the inside, calms the mind and eases the sense of tension. It suits hot days, overheating, or moments when things feel "hot" inside from irritation.
Sit comfortably with a straight spine; relax the shoulders and the face.
Where to focus: keep your attention in the body and feel the coolness of the air on the inhale. Breathe with the belly.
How to breathe: curl the tongue into a tube in the shape of a "U" and let the tip come a little past the lips. Take a slow, deep inhale through that tube for four — you will feel a distinct coolness on the tongue. Then close the mouth and exhale all the air slowly through both nostrils for six.
Do 10 to 20 of these cycles, or practise for about three minutes.
If your tongue does not curl, that is anatomy, not a mistake. Part the lips slightly and inhale through closed teeth instead — this is the sitkari variant.
If the air feels too cold or scratches the throat, return to normal breathing.
When to skip it
- a cold
- low blood pressure
- throat irritation
Preparing the practice…