Cooling Breath – Shitali Pranayama

Sometimes in our day-to-day life we get a bit hot-headed about things – even the coolest cucumber occasionally feels hot under the collar. The cooling breath is designed to do just what it suggests – cool the body, mind and spirit. Duration: 5 min

In Sanskrit this is called the Shitali Pranayama and it is especially effective as part of a summertime yoga practice, cooling the body from the inside out and can help ease the restlessness we feel when its just too damned hot!

Benefits: reduces mental tension and emotional excitement; relaxes the muscles, purifies the blood, tones the liver and spleen, reduces stomach acidity and improves digestion, reduces blood pressure

Contraindications: avoid this breath of you have any heart condition, asthma, bronchitis or emphysema; if you are normally cold as opposed to warm, you may wish to try a warming breath; also, if you suffer from chronic constipation avoid this breath.

Teacher: Kavita Maharaj