Hatha YogaCooling Breath (Shitali Pranayama)
Śītalī Prāṇāyāma
Inhaling through a tongue rolled into a tube cools the body and calms the mind. A practice for hot weather and overheating.
Shitali, the cooling breath, stands apart from other pranayamas because you inhale through your mouth: your tongue curls into a tube, and the air flows over it in a cool stream. You exhale through your nose as usual. It's a beginner practice; in the app the rhythm runs 4 seconds in, 2 seconds of holding and 6 seconds out, with 4 minutes as the default length. This is the pranayama for a hot day.
How to do it
- Roll your tongue into a tube and stick it out slightly. If you can't, bring your teeth together and inhale through them (Sitkari).
- Slowly inhale the cool air through your mouth.
- Draw your tongue back in, close your mouth, and exhale through your nose.
- Continue, feeling the coolness on each inhale.
More detail
Keep your back straight and your chin level. Stick your rolled tongue out just slightly and inhale slowly, as if through a straw. Not everyone can curl the tongue into a tube. If you can't, do sitkari instead: teeth together, lips parted, the inhale hissing softly through your teeth.
After the inhale, draw your tongue back in, close your mouth, hold briefly and exhale through your nose. Practice in summer or in a warm room. In cold weather, with low blood pressure or chronic bronchitis, skip shitali.
Benefits
Cools the body, reduces irritability
Cautions
- Low blood pressure
- Chronic bronchitis
- Cold weather
This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.
Questions
Are shitali and sitali the same thing? Yes, they're two spellings of the same Sanskrit name. Sitkari, on the other hand, is a separate technique with the inhale through the teeth, used as a substitute.
When should I do shitali? In hot weather, after an active practice, or whenever you want to cool off. Don't practice it outdoors in winter or in a chilly room.
What if my mouth gets dry? Take a break and breathe through your nose. The default length in the app is 4 minutes, and you're free to start with less.