Sitali Pranayama, “the cooling breath,” is a simple and renewing yogic breathing exercise that’s perfect for late summer when the heat has peaked in the body. It helps lower our body’s temperature, calm nerves, take the edge off hunger pangs, reduce fatigue, fevers and high blood pressure.
How to Do Sitali Pranayama:
- Form the lips into an "o", curl your tongue lengthwise
- Project the tongue out of the mouth
- Inhale deeply through your tongue as if drinking through a straw
- Focus your attention on the cool breath across your tongue as you fill up your diaphragm
- Bring your tongue into your mouth and exhale slowly through your nose
- You can start with 2-5 minutes of Sitali breathing and work your way up to around 10 minutes
Make sure to finish with several minutes of meditation to notice the sensations throughout your body. 🌬️